April marks the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the Rwandan genocide. If someone had killed your whole family and burned down your house, and then came to you, rebuilt your house, and asked for your forgiveness, what would you say?
I read a story about a woman whose husband and children were all killed. She returned to her village. When one of the men who killed her children came and asked for forgiveness, she said, “But who will take care of me in their place?” He said, “I will.”
As one pastor said it so well – “Will you forgive, and join the repentant murderers in heaven? Or will you refuse to forgive, and join the unrepentant ones in hell?”
“And such were some of you.” Yes, God is just. Yes, God will render to each one according to his works. And so yes, if you have failed to live according to God’s standard, then you deserve death.
But even if you were sexually immoral – even if you were an adulterer – even if you were a practicing homosexual – even if you were a thief or a swindler – even if you were a drunkard – even if you participated in a genocide – God will have mercy on all those who repent and believe in Jesus.
“Such were some of you.”
Paul’s point is that you were such – but that’s not you anymore. These things are inconsistent with the Christian life. You are God’s children. If you want to inherit God’s kingdom, then you need to live in a manner that is consistent with that kingdom....
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