How can the idolatrous sinner be reconciled to God?
Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation - Lesson 3 - Receive God's Forgiveness, Questions 18 & 19, p. 46-47
The profound words of John 3:16-18 are presented with a clear and consoling answer regarding who will be saved from eternal damnation. The verses state: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God". These verses illuminate that salvation is granted to those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The promise is unequivocal: belief in Christ leads to eternal life, an assurance that transcends all earthly fears and uncertainties.
Conversely, the same passage addresses the fate of those who will not be saved. The text is stark in its declaration that those who do not believe in the name of the only Son of God stand condemned already. This condemnation is not a future event but a present reality for those in unbelief.
Repentance has two parts: first is contrition, and the second is faith in forgiveness in Christ.
This leads us to consider the nature of godly contrition and faith. Contrition is defined as godly sorrow for one's sin against God and others, as vividly expressed in Psalm 32:3-4, "For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer", and in Psalm 51:1-11, where David pleads for mercy and cleansing. By faith, we experience this deep sorrow and acknowledgment of sins.
However, contrition alone is insufficient without faith in the forgiveness of sins, which Christ's sacrifice on the cross makes possible. Psalm 32:1-2, "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit", and Acts 3:19-20, "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord", emphasize the necessity of faith in Christ's redemptive work. Faith transforms contrition into a living, hopeful reality, securing the believer's position in God's grace.
Those who will be saved from eternal damnation are those who believe in Jesus Christ, embracing both contrition and faith. For those who do not believe, condemnation is the solemn verdict. Yet, even in this sobering truth, there is gospel assurance. The invitation to believe remains open, and the promise of eternal life through Christ is offered to all. As we cling to this divine assurance, we find hope, comfort, and the boundless love of God, who desires that none should perish but that all should reach repentance.
This blog series is adapted from Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation. You can experience this teaching in several ways:
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