Sin

Dear Reader, we can often confuse what forgiveness looks like. I am not talking about forgiving others in this post. I am talking about those who ask for forgiveness. Is it genuine, how can you tell?

The world has long learnt that saying "sorry" is a required expression for extrapolating oneself from consequence, and it has been employed many times. In the media, this has become a chosen profession with "Spin Doctors" hired by celebrities who have made unpopular actions.

Barely a week goes by without some high profile person apologising, promising to change, and then running off to some clinic or other to clean themselves up. Do not misunderstand me, those who have erred, particularly about drugs and alcohol need help. Yet we need to look deeper than the world would go.

A follower of the Christ has come to understand two truths. First, that their life and their failings of sin bring about a sense of sorrow. This is a deep heartfelt understanding of what pain their actions have caused others, and most importantly, the Christ Himself.

The second is that their sins are forgiven, they are comforted by Jesus. He knows who we are, He allows us to understand our depth of sin, and when we react in sorrow, He brings the comfort of forgiveness to us.

The last aspect is humble, decisive action. We orientate our lives away from the things which brought us down. A follower of the Christ, turns away from their life of sin, but also towards a life of Christ. This is the ultimate way of seeing if the forgiveness sought was genuine.