Forgiveness: Before & after Isa

Forgiveness 

God is sovereign and omnipotent. Is there anything hindering Him from effortlessly forgiving any human’s sins and granting salvation, should He choose to do so? 

Yes, there is! 

It is God’s nature of justice. God does not—and cannot—act contrary to His own essential attributes. Justice and righteousness are intrinsic to God’s moral nature.  

God does not forgive humans who have committed sin or unrighteousness in a manner that violates or contradicts His justice. It is impossible to forgive sinners and remove sin without satisfying God’s justice. To do so would be contrary to both the divine nature and logic!  

The sovereign God does not grant forgiveness for human sins unless a just and fitting price has been paid for them.  

No human being is capable of paying the appropriate price for their own sins. Therefore, out of His love, God Himself paid the just price required for human sins, thereby paving the way for humanity to receive forgiveness. 

According to the revelation of the Bible—the complete divine scripture—this monumental task of securing forgiveness for human sins was embedded in God’s plan from the very beginning of creation. However, when the fullness of time had come, the Word of God became flesh, emptied Himself, and incarnated as the perfect man named Isa al-Masih (Jesus Christ)—the prophet promised to the Israelites and the Savior who atones for the sins of all humanity. 

In Jesus Christ (Isa Masih), God Himself accomplished the work of paying the just price for the sins of all mankind; this was achieved through the sufferings and crucifixion of Isa Masih (Jesus Christ). 

The only way to atone for the sins of all humanity is the sacrificial death of Isa Masih (Jesus Christ) on the cross—a plan devised and executed by the Creator Himself. There is no other way to receive forgiveness for sins! 

Forgiveness and Faith  

True faith in God is the prerequisite for sinful humans to receive forgiveness and be declared righteous. Here, faith does not merely mean believing that God exists or that there is only one God. Even Satan and demons believe that God exists and that He is one; yet, based on that belief, they cannot obtain forgiveness or salvation. True faith involves not only believing in God’s existence and oneness but also unhesitatingly accepting the words or message of the one true God. 

Both before and after the time of Jesus, the divine method of forgiveness has remained the same. That is, placing true faith in God’s message. 

False Teachings 

Satan (Shytaan) is the sworn enemy of this divine plan of forgiveness. Some of the deceptive teachings resulting from his schemes are listed below: 

• Propaganda claiming that “There is no God.” 

• False assertions stating that “God is not one” or “There are many gods.” 

• False teachings claiming that “Divine scriptures/messages have been destroyed, corrupted, or altered.” 

Forgiveness before Jesus 

Believers who lived before Isa Masih (Jesus Christ) were forgiven and declared righteous based on true faith. This means they believed God’s message and submitted to it. Abraham, the father of believers, is a clear example of this. “Abraham believed in the LORD, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Tawraat: Genesis 15:1–6). 

In this context, the meaning is not merely that Abraham believed God exists, nor simply that he believed there is only one God. The truth conveyed by this verse is that Abraham believed the words revealed by God—acknowledging not only His existence and uniqueness but also trusting in the message He communicated.  

Forgiveness after Jesus 

In the present era—that is, after the time of Isa Masih (Jesus Christ)—those who come to God are forgiven and justified not because of their own devotion or righteousness, but by accepting God’s message with unwavering faith. 

People who lived before Isa (Jesus) were able to receive forgiveness, justification, and salvation by believing in the scriptures—the Old Testament message—delivered through true prophets and apostles during their time. Similarly, people living after Isa (Jesus) are able to receive forgiveness, justification, and salvation by believing in the scriptures—the New Testament message—delivered through true prophets and apostles. 

The essence of the divine message proclaimed after Christ, intended to grant forgiveness for human sins and to impute righteousness to people, is as follows: 

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (Injeel: 1 Timothy 2:5-6) 

Note: Unless you experience true repentance and a change of heart regarding your sins, it is impossible to express genuine faith in God’s message!