1 John 3:14
‘We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another, anyone who does not love remains in death.’
I read recently, Corrie ten Boom’s account of her time in a Nazi concentration camp and the post war reconciliation efforts in Europe. She tells of how she struggled to forgive a particularly mean German soldier, when she met him in church after the war.
Gods grace was sufficient, and as she held the man’s hand and prayed for God to help her forgive and love Him, she was flooded by a warmth and she immediately felt no ill for the man.
We all struggle to love, because unconditional love isn’t innate in humans. But the good news is that God would never ask you to do what He won’t help you do. He can help you love and forgive the most unloveable people. I know, because He has helped me too.
I shudder to think that one could, over seemingly little sins like envy, hatred, enmity and forgiveness, end up in the same hell as purely evil Hitler. Because to God, there are no big sins or small sins; sin is sin!