Forgiveness: The Power To Change The Past

Back to series
By Lewis B. Smedes on January 1, 2010 ,

Forgiveness: The Power To Change The Past

TWO ANXIETIES DOMINATE, most of our lives. We are anxious in the face of our unchangeable past; we long to recreate segments of our private histories, but we are stuck with them. We are anxious in the face of our unpredictable futures; we long to control our destinies, but we cannot bring them under our management. Thus, two basic longings, lying at the root of most others, are frustrated: we cannot alter a painful past or control a threatening future.

God offers two answers to our deepest anxieties. He is a forgiving God who recreates our pasts by forgiving them. He is a promising God who controls our future by making and keeping promises. By forgiving us, he changes our past. By promising, he secures our future. . .

Click here to read the full article (READ PDF).

 

Lewis B. Smedes

Professor

Lewis Benedictus Smedes, Professor, (1921 — 2002) was a renowned Christian author, ethicist, and theologian in the Reformed tradition. He was a professor of theology and ethics for twenty-five years at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. In addition to many articles, Smedes wrote many popular books including Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve, Standing on the Promises, Choices: Making Right Decisions in a Complex World, Mere Morality: What God Expects From Ordinary People, A Life of Distinction and My God and I, a Spiritual Memoir.

 

Notice: This material is made available for limited use to participants of the C.S. Lewis Institute Fellows programs. Please do not reproduce any of the materials in the Fellows Resources other than for your personal use.

0 All Booked 0.00 All Booked 0.00 All Booked 21581 GLOBAL EVENT: Conformed to His Image Study Course (Chicago) 6:30 PM CT https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/?event=local-event-conformed-to-his-image-study-course-chicago&event_date=2024-07-18&reg=1 https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr 2024-07-18
Next coming event
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

GLOBAL EVENT: Conformed to His Image Study Course (Chicago) 6:30 PM CT

On July 18, 2024 at 6:30 pm
Register

Explore our Study Courses this Summer

Full details Get Directions

Print your tickets