Conditions of Forgiveness

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14 (King James Version)

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek  my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive  their sin, and will heal their land.”

Albert Einstein once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.  How many of us have been doing life all wrong and knowing that it was wrong and expecting it to turn out right? Many of us keep living life in the “I know I shouldn’t go here zone” expecting God to bless our mess. 

       Being a follower of God has benefits and rewards but turning from Him brings suffering, punishment and destruction.  God’s answer to Solomon was based on conditions.  God’s answer was directed towards a specific audience.  “If my people.”  The “if” here is the beginning of the conditions that God is looking to be met before He will act.  It is clear that God is issuing a conditional promise to His people - do these things and I will respond. God has an expectation of specific things before He brings forgiveness.  These promises are only for those who place their faith in God. God is speaking to His people and no one else here. We must understand that this is an exclusive requirement that God only offers to His people.

       Then he clarifies who His people are.  He says, “Who are called by my name.” God calls us out from among the world.  Being a Christian means that we are meant to stand out from the rest of the world.  We must live holy lives because we value what God values.  Christians value an eternal promise and we value a lifestyle of holiness.  We are called to be a holy priesthood.  Every believer has the responsibility for ministry, not just the pastor, ministers, or deacons. We are all called to be Christ’s witnesses in this world, to share His truth, and to boldly seek His power.

        We are known by a new name.  Whenever we are saved we are a new creation we are given the opportunity to live a transformed life. When we came to Christ we became associated with His name, we became Christians as they were first called in Acts 11:26. 

Who are the people of God?  We are those who have confessed our sins, asked for forgiveness of that sin, and believed in our hearts that Christ was hung, and died on Calvary and on the third day God raised Jesus from the dead. We are those that are named Christians.  We are the church.  God is not looking for the sinners to be loyal to Him but He’s looking for those who have been called by His name to reverence and honor Him.  God’s response leads me to believe that those who are supposed to be called by His name are not reverencing Him for who He is.  How do you have kinship and not have the character of the one in which you are kin?  God is looking for His people who are called by His name to act like their Daddy.