Who Can Forgive My Past Failures?

Thoughtful women and men listen to the voice of conscience. The human condition is such that we repeatedly fail, make egregious mistakes, and experience lapses of judgment. To use a religious word, we sin. All our sins are committed against a just God. So, only God has a right to declare that our sins are forgiven, canceled, and wiped clean from the pages of his books. Jewish Scriptures confirms: “The LORD…God, merciful and gracious…forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” (Exodus 34:6-7). It is who God who is able to forgive our sins and clean our slate. So, where can we confidently turn today to obtain God’s forgiveness for our own failures? Consider the following story.

After four men lowered a paralytic down in front of Jesus, he shocked onlookers by explicitly forgiving the man’s sins. Jesus said: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5; Mark the writer, unlike John, teases us with wee bits of truth about Jesus)

Wait just a minute. All sins are committed against God, an offense against His divine character and law. So, only God has the right to declare that sins are canceled. Naturally, the onlookers who heard Jesus protested, “Why does this man speak this way? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but the one God?” (Mark 2:7) They’re right about the last question. The onlookers are justifiably ticked off. What gave Jesus the right to pronounce forgiveness of sins if only God has authority to do so? What is Mark (the writer of the story) claiming about Jesus of Nazareth?

One of Mark’s important clues about Jesus’ identity is easy to miss: So, slow down and observe the onlookers’ question: “Who can forgive sin but the one God?” (…είς ό Θεος) That phrase—the One God--is taken directly from the great Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is One…” (ό Θεος ... είς ). Did you spot the connection? By his statement to the paralytic, Jesus—who knew Jewish Scripture by heart--is claiming divine prerogative to cancel the debt of sin. And, according to Mark the story writer, Jesus is the embodiment of the God of Israel, the LORD, the One God. Jesus has authority to forgive sins, mine, yours, and everyone else. He can say to you and me with divine authority: “Your sins are forgiven. Your past failures are all removed from my memory.” Have you heard Him say that to you?

Listen to the voice of your troubled conscience. Does inner tranquility remain elusive to you? Is your past littered with the wreckage of failure and shame? Are you paralyzed by guilt? Seek God’s forgiveness by seeking Jesus. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He will. He loves you. Perhaps He’ll reveal Himself to you in a dream, a book, a word from a friend, a copy of Scripture, or a still small voice. And best of all, Jesus can forgive all your sins and past failures and wipe the books clean. Your troubled conscience can become your best friend. Your paralysis can end and you can begin walking with Jesus. Seek God today by seeking Jesus, the LORD, the One God.