Jehovah - The Greatest Forgiver - WHOM WILL JEHOVAH FORGIVE

 Another factor that  Jehovah considers is whether the sinner is sincerely repentant.  What does it mean to repent?  To repent means "to change one's mind, attitude, or purpose."  It includes  the idea that  a person feels regret and deep sadness about the bad things he has done or about  not doing the things he should have done.  A repentant person is grieved not only by the wrong doings he has committed but also by the poor spiritual condition  that led to those wrongs.  Recall that King Manasseh and David both committed serious sins; yet,  Jehovah forgave them because they were sincerely repentant.  (1 Kings 14:8) Yes, Jehovah must see evidence of repentance in order to forgive. But it is not enough for us to feel sorry about sinful course or a sin we have committed. We must be ready to take action.  That brings us another factor that Jehovah considers. 

Conversion is another important factor that Jehovah considers.  Conversion means "a turning around." In other words,  a person must change course by his bad way and pursuing the way of Jehovah.  (Read Isaiah 55:7.) The individual must transform his mind so that he is guided by the thinking of Jehovah.  (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23) He must be determined to leave behind his former bad ways of thinking and acting.  (Colossians 3:7-10) Of course, it is our faith in the sacrifice of Christ that provides the real basis for Jehovah to forgive us and cleanse us of  sin.  Jehovah will extend the value of that sacrifice to us when he sees that we are making a sincere effort to change our course of conduct. -  1 JOHN 1:7.

Next time: Jehovah - The Greatest Forgiver - HAVE CONFIDENCE IN JEHOVAH'S FORGIVENESS

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