April 6 | Daily Devotion | If God Is So Good, Why Can't He Forgive Everybody? | Zac Poonen

Zac PoonenApril 5, 202510mWatch on YouTube

CFC Daily Devotions - Zac Poonen Excerpt from the message: For Children: God's Love And Justice Are Both Seen At The Cross - Zac Poonen To listen to the complete message click here : https://www.cfcindia.com/sermon/for-children-gods-love-and-justice-are-both-seen-at-the-cross Visit our website for more information: https://www.cfcindia.com

Summary

The speaker addresses the question of why God cannot forgive everyone, explaining that divine justice requires accountability, much like a teacher cannot give full marks to a student who did not study. He emphasizes that God's perfect love is demonstrated through the principle of substitution, using the example of Jesus taking the punishment for our sins on the cross. The central message is that our salvation and clean lives are due to Jesus' sacrifice, and we must live thankfully by not dirtying the 'clean shirt' of his atonement.

Outline

The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.

Why can't God just forgive everybody?People often wonder why God cannot be as forgiving as a human parent who easily overlooks a child's mistake.

The principle of justiceGod operates on a principle of righteousness and justice, which means wrong must be recognized as wrong.

The school exam illustrationUsing an example of a student who studies and one who fails, a teacher cannot give both full marks without being entirely unrighteous.

God cannot give everyone a passing gradeBecause God is just, He cannot put someone who did wrong in the same category as someone who did right, meaning sin must be addressed.

Understanding substitutionSubstitution means someone taking your place, which is what Jesus did by taking the punishment we deserved.

The family picnic sacrificeIf a child has to stay home from a picnic as punishment, a loving brother or sister might volunteer to stay behind in their place.

The story of the identical twin brothersAn innocent twin brother takes the blood-stained shirt and the punishment of his guilty twin who committed a murder.

Jesus taking our punishmentJust like the brother who went to jail, Jesus stood before the Father and willingly took our judgment upon Himself.

God's love likened to a mother's loveThe Bible compares God's steadfast love to a mother who would gladly take her sick child's suffering upon herself.

Jesus taking our sickness and punishmentJust as a mother would trade places with her suffering child, Jesus took our punishment on the cross so we could be spiritually healthy.

Living a life worthy of the sacrificeBecause Jesus gave us His clean shirt, we must never dirty it again by telling lies, fighting, or disobeying.

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April 6 | Daily Devotion | If God Is So Good, Why Can't He Forgive Everybody? | Zac Poonen

Zac Poonen · April 5, 2025 · 10m

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