DAILY TEXT, Today Wednesday November 20, 2024, Let him return to Jehovah (Is. 55:7).

Let us examine the Scriptures every day 2024

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Let him return to Jehovah (Is. 55:7).

In deciding whether or not to forgive someone, Jehovah considers whether the sinner knew that what he was doing was wrong. Jesus made this clear, as we read at Luke 12:47, 48. When a person knowingly does something that God condemns and that is evil, he commits a serious sin. He risks not being forgiven by Jehovah. (Mark 3:29; John 9:41) If so, is there any hope? Of course there is. Jehovah also considers whether the sinner is truly repentant. Repentance means changing one’s mind, attitude, or goals. Furthermore, a repentant person feels remorse and deep sorrow for the wrong things he did or for not doing the right things he should have done. He feels bad not only for his mistakes but for the bad spiritual state that led him to commit them. w22.06 5, 6 §§ 15-17.

Why can we say that Jehovah’s decisions are always just? (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Jehovah’s decisions are always fair. He is completely impartial. His forgiveness is never dependent on a person’s appearance, financial situation, social position, or abilities. (1 Sam. 16:7; Jas. 2:1-4) Jehovah cannot be pressured or bribed. (2 Chron. 19:7) And he is not swayed by frustration or feelings. (Ex. 34:7) Jehovah is indeed the best Judge there is because his understanding of us and our circumstances is perfect. (Read Deuteronomy 32:4.)

Why is Jehovah's forgiveness incomparable?

The writers of the Hebrew Scriptures knew that Jehovah’s forgiveness is incomparable. They sometimes used a Hebrew term that, according to one reference work, “is reserved especially to denote the forgiveness granted by God to the sinner.” This work adds: “It is never used to denote that lower kind and measure of forgiveness which is exercised by one man toward another” (Synonyms of the Old Testament, translation and adaptation by Santiago Escuain). Only Jehovah has the power to completely forgive a repentant sinner. And how do we feel when Jehovah forgives us?

And what does the person who receives Jehovah's forgiveness enjoy? And does Jehovah's forgiveness have an expiration date?

When we accept the fact that Jehovah has forgiven us, “times of relief” come to us. And that includes peace of mind and a good conscience. All of this cannot come from human forgiveness but from forgiveness given by “Jehovah himself.”—Acts 3:19. When Jehovah forgives us, he allows us to be his friends again. It is as if we had never sinned.Books of Jehovah

After Jehovah has forgiven a person, he never again accuses or punishes him for what he did. (Isa. 43:25; Jer. 31:34) Jehovah puts his sins “as far away as the east is from the west.” (Ps. 103:12) Thinking about the immensity of his forgiveness awakens gratitude and reverence in us. (Ps. 130:4) But whom does Jehovah forgive in this way?

What have we learned so far about Jehovah's forgiveness?

As we have seen, Jehovah's forgiveness does not depend on the severity of a sin. Furthermore, we have learned that Jehovah uses his knowledge as our Creator, Lawgiver, and Judge when deciding whether to forgive someone or not. So what things does Jehovah look at?

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