Many Christians believe that because of Jesus’s death on the cross they are forgiven of their sins. Nothing could be further from the truth and this constitutes the subject of this month’s As It is Written column.
It is true that the Christian model of forgiveness was a radical departure from the prevailing Judaic model(s) of forgiveness. Because of Jesus’s death and resurrection, the early Church held that God no longer required a sinner to be punished or otherwise suffer for his/her sins. It was enough that the sinner turn away from sinful behavior and acknowledge and confess the sin.