God has forgiven you only if you have repented and trusted in Christ
because it was for our sake he was made sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God
(2 Cor 5:21)

If you have believed on Him (Jn 3:16-17) then you have eternal life, now,
but if you reject this only way to heaven (Acts 4:12)
then the wrath of God is still on you (Jn 3:36b),
you stand condemned (Jn3:18)
and
God will pour out His wrath upon you
on the day you are judged
(Rev 20:11-15)

Surely all men are Lost, but
this abandons the words of Christ for a doctrine controllable by authority.

God has forgiven you if you have repented and trusted in Christ.

We are all sinners, bound for eternal torment;
but that sin can be forgiven by God's appointed anointed.

If you confess and repent, attend the church's Mass,
you can avoid the depths of hell, end up in heaven instead.

Masses can be said for you ensuring your salvation
in your absence, even after death,
but that costs money.

It all costs money,
which you need to pay so that
the mediating church may prosper
and your eternal salvation by assured.
By thus adding financial support into the package
the church strayed further from the teachings of Christ.

Support of the mediating church ensured a follower's forgiveness.

A Logical Approach(close)

God is good - We are not
God is separated from us by our sinfulness.
God can not touch us. It would sully Him.

We need an intermediary;
a High Priest, a Sacrifice;
Someone between God and us.
Christ became that intermediary,
stands for us in heaven's court,
died to cleanse us from our sin

But Christ is also God, the divine son of divinity
sacrificing himself to himself, to save others from His judgement,
the penalty He would impose were it not for his sacrifice

But is there really any logic here?

Does sacrifice of self to self
to avoid a self imposed penalty make sense?

God of Love?(close)

How have we come to imagine that the God who is Love
needs an excuse to forgive?

Jesus did not die to save us from the just penalties of sin.
He came to save us from slavery to ancient superstition
and the religious domination that we have reimposed.

Dominant religion was applied by the church
through a selective reinterpretation of his teaching.
His death, rather than his life, became the focus.
It all went back to where it was really,
before Jesus interfered.

An imagined divine commercial transaction
replaced the message of subversive love.

What then is forgiveness?(close)

Can there be forgiveness without love
and love without forgiveness?

Can we only truly forgive, if the offer is accepted
and remedial action taken
OR
is forgiveness unilateral,
acceptance of others as they are, warts and all ?

Forgiveness can stem from the self-righteous, leaving obligation,
as does a gift from rich to poor, master to slave.
Forgiveness can become a tool of the powerful,
manipulating and controlling the forgivable;
those whose sins, guilt, can be exploited

Love can not lie in such forgiving
but in acceptance of another as they are,
valuing them as they are. Unchanged.

This is the loving option;
the way of divine love that Jesus offered;
freely accepting and loving all people,
valuing them as they are.

We are called to love our neighbour,
accept them as they are; value them as they are.
We are called to love as God loves,
without strings.

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