The Elephant Gospel

….in the lives of Peter, Paul, and the woman at the well. Jesus dealt kindly, mercifully, and graciously with each of these. He forgave them much, and I knew He had forgiven me much. I identify with Paul in my early life in following the rules and doing the right thing. I thought I was good and righteous in my works and thinking, and I thought that I pleased God and was right with God. But, like Paul, I did not have a saving relationship with Him at all.

I identify with Peter because too often I depend on my own abilities and try to prove myself and my loyalty. I have been prideful, self-righteous, and have denied Christ by hiding my past and what Christ has done for me.

I identify with the Samaritan woman because after I endured occult abuse, I became so much of what I hated and much of what I knew God hated. I lived in sexual debauchery for a season. I broke the commandments. I felt my sins and I had great shame. I was an outcast and felt defiled—worthless.

I turned back to Jesus in full repentance yet I knew that if people in the church knew my story, I would fare no better than that Samaritan woman. The disciples did not want to talk to her or identify with her. Over the centuries, some things do not easily change.

In identifying with these three real people, I have prayed regularly to be “converted more completely,” to be turned to God and not to live for myself. I believe the Lord has taken me to hopeless places to teach me that in hopelessness and powerlessness, He offers me Christ and He brings forgiveness, strength, conversion, and transformation.

Hope for Healing

Reading a blog about hope and healing for those who have had an abortion, I noticed that the teen author expressed sorrow for allowing her boyfriend to convince her to abort their baby. She seemed to want closure, peace, and assurance. She warned readers, “Do not tell me that I killed my baby and will go to hell.” She wrote that she was not open to “Bible bashers,” and said she was well aware of what the Bible said.

The most glaring omission in her blog was what is actually in the Bible about forgiveness and grace and mercy.

Christ forgives sins—even abortion. God delights in mercy. Mercy can triumph. The numbers of men and women who are post-abortive are staggering in the United States alone. Statistically, it has been said that abortion is the most common experience of our generation.

Christ’s cross is about love and forgiveness, not condemnation. It is heartbreaking that so many people who have personally experienced abortion don’t receive a full explanation of mercy and forgiveness. They are kept at a distance, judged, and even ostracized by some in the church. Further, that so many have been taught to think that God is against them, and shackled to belief that there is no remedy for the guilt, even though full remedy and full forgiveness is available at the cross of Jesus by His love!

Forgiveness for Murder On another occasion, Billy Graham wrote about forgiveness.

I'm in prison because I got angry and killed someone, and I'm haunted by guilt. Someone told me that Jesus forgave a murderer once, but when I challenged him to prove it he couldn't find it in the Bible. I wish I could believe God will forgive me, but I can't.

“What you did was serious; in fact, almost nothing is more serious in the eyes of God (and of society) than deliberately taking an innocent person’s life. The Ten Commandments state it clearly: “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13).

But there is only one sin that God cannot forgive — and that is the sin of refusing His forgiveness. Yes, you committed a great sin — but you would be committing an even greater sin if you rejected God’s forgiveness. And that is what He offers you! You may hate what you’ve done; you may even hate yourself for doing it. But God still loves you, and He yearns for you to come to Him and be with Him in Heaven through all eternity.

But God forgave him and changed his life — and the same can happen to you. Don’t carry your burden of guilt any longer, but by faith turn to Jesus Christ and give it to Him. The ask Him to come into your life and cleanse you of all your sins — and He will.”

God forgave Moses, David, and Paul who had all murdered. Moses slew an Egyptian taskmaster in anger when he saw him beating an Israelite slave, but through God’s divine purpose, Moses became the leader of the entire Israelite people on their Exodus from Egypt. David arranged for a man to be killed because he did not want his adultery to be discovered, but God forgave him when he truly repented and sought forgiveness (see Psalm 32; Psalm 51). Saul of Tarsus was responsible for putting Christians in prison and arranging for their executions -- but God forgave him, and Saul became the Apostle Paul, who touched the world with the Gospel and wrote much of the New Testament.

God forgave each one and then worked mighty miracles in their lives. Though we may think murder is unforgivable, God’s love and forgiveness is greater than any sin. Jesus forgave those who crucified Him. His Gospel includes forgiveness of murder. Yes, God can forgive a murderer, because He already has.