The Holy Apostle, Evangelist, and Theologian John assures us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His Only-begotten Son, that whoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.... For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." This is good news indeed! For if any of us were to be judged strictly according to how successfully we have invested that talent entrusted to us at our Baptism, it is unlikely that we could hope to be saved.
Consider, if you will, the gospel account of the woman caught in adultery: according to the letter of the Jewish Law, she should have been stoned to death, thereby reflecting a harsh and uncompromising understanding of God's justice still enforced in Muslim countries unto this day. (And it should be noted that nowhere in the Koran is love an attribute attributed to the falsely conceived Muslim God, Allah). But when, in the fullness of time, our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ reveals Himself in the flesh, he imparts to His disciples a New Commandment that supersedes (or rather, fulfills) the Law of Moses: that we love one another, even as He has loved us. For truly, as St. John the Theologian assures us, God is love, and therefore it follows that "He desires not the death of the sinner, but rather that the sinner should turn from his way and live."
A perfect example of God's ardent desire for the salvation of the sinner is recorded in His encounter with the woman caught in adultery. The Jewish rulers expect our Lord to uphold the decree of condemnation, to support the letter of the Jewish Law. But as on previous occasions, He surprises them. He pauses, while writing something in the dust of the ground with His finger. Or is He merely doodling, trying to gain time while thinking through His response--or perhaps for the sake of a dramatic effect? Not at all! According to tradition, he is revealing in bold terms the past sins of those hypocrites who are seeking to bring the woman to justice. Only then does He proclaim, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
Does this mean, however, that Jesus excuses--or even condones--sin? Is He, in effect, telling the woman that what she did is no big deal after all, that all is automatically forgiven through the superabundant love of God? Definitely not! He says, rather, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more." Indeed He does not condemn. It is rather we who condemn ourselves to eternal separation from God by our failure to sincerely repent of the multitudinous sins we have committed every day of our lives--whether by thought, word, deed, or desire. By rejecting the commandment of love, we reject God, thereby separating ourselves from true and eternal life in His heavenly Kingdom.
So while it is true that God's love is unconditional, His forgiveness is not. He forgives us our debts only to the extent that we forgive our debtors. And while He assures us that those who believe in Him will be granted eternal life, mere belief obviously isn't enough. For if we truly believe in Him, we will strive day and night to abide by His commandments--and above all, the commandment of love--for as it is written, even the devils believe... and tremble.
His desire for our salvation far exceeds our own. If it were other wise, we would strive and struggle unto the very end to increase whatever talents God has entrusted unto us. We would be diligent in prayer and every form of self-denial, ever seeking to acquire a genuine spirit of repentance, that through God's grace and mercy, we might be found worthy on that dreadful day of judgment to inherit those eternal good things God has in store for those who love Him.
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