A God Who Is "Ready to Forgive"-What About the Consequences?

Does Jehovah's readiness to forgive mean that a repentant sinner is exempted from all consequences of his wrong course?  Not at all.  We cannot sin with impunity.  Paul wrote: "What a man is sowing, this he will also reap." (Galatians 6:7) We may face certain consequences of our actions.  This does not mean that after extending forgiveness Jehovah causes adversity to befall us.  When troubles arise, a Christian should not feel,'Perhaps Jehovah is punishing us for past sins.' (James 1:13)  On the other hand, Jehovah does not shield us from all the effects of our wrong actions.  Divorce, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, loss of trust or respect-all of these  may be the sad, unavoidable consequences of sin.  Recall that even after forgiving David for his sins in connection with Bath-sheba and Uriah, Jehovah did not protect David from the disastrous consequences that followed. -2 Samuel 12:9-12.

Our sins may have additional consequences, especially of others have been hurt by our actions.  Consider, for example, the account of Leviticus chapter 6.  The Mosaic Law here addresses the situation wherein a person commits a serious wrong by seizing a fellow Israelite's goods through robbery, extortion, of fraud.  The sinner that denies that he is guilty, even being so daring as to swear falsely.  It is one person's word against another's.  Later, however, the offender becomes stricken in conscience and confesses to the sin.  To gain God's forgiveness, he has to do three more things: restore what he had taken, pay the victim a fine totaling 20 percent of the value of the stolen items, and provide a ram as a guilt offering.  Then, the law says:  "The priest must make an atonement for him before Jehovah, and so it must be forgiven him."-Leviticus 6:1-7.

Next time:  A God Who Is "Ready to Forgive"-Continue with What About the Consequences?

From the book: Draw Close to Jehovah