God Will Freely Pardon

LET THE WICKED FORSAKE HIS WAY AND THE EVIL MAN HIS THOUGHTS. LET HIM TURN TO THE LORD, AND HE WILL HAVE MERCY ON HIM, AND TO OUR GOD, FOR HE WILL FREELY PARDON. Isaiah 55.7

Whenever one reads this portion, for that matter any portion of the Bible that mentions about the wicked or unrighteous, he immediately thinks of others and not himself! But let us take note that the verse for today is a call, a command from God to His own people, Israel at first, and now to you and I. They often left their God and turned to idolatry and the sins of the wicked nations around them. Most of the prophets that God sent condemned the sins of His own people and called them to return to Him. There was always the promise of mercy and pardon to those who repented and returned.

The problem is that when you and I do wrong and tolerate it, or even relish it, we don’t realise that we are living in sin! We begin to live in a state of ‘make-believe’ that all is well! Because we are God’s people, we assume that God will wink at our sin and we will naturally be forgiven. God’s people, let us not fool ourselves and soothe our souls by such wrong and unbiblical thinking or theology. There are no two ways about it – one for the sinner and the other for the ‘so-called’ saints, like you and I.

Listen to this interesting yet solemn verdict of God on sin and right doing. “The soul who sins is the one who will die. But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him.

"But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die” (Ezek 18.21-24).

Hence, if you think that God must just wink His eye at whatever evil you do and simply accept and bless you, He will not do it! Rather, you had better heed the solemn words of the prophet Isaiah and repent immediately if you fall into any sin. Only this will restore your fellowship with the Father and open the way for His blessing and to heaven ultimately,

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, I come to You in true repentance and sorrow for my folly and sin. Pardon me according to Your great mercy and give me the joy of Your salvation. Amen.