God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Christians read that phrase on billboards, inspirational photos, and several times throughout the bible. The thing is, do we really believe it? More so, if God is a God of forgiveness and is unchanging then why did God condemn millions of Israelite people whenever they became unruly?
Many people associate the idea of forgiveness with Jesus and rightfully so. Jesus died on the cross for all our sins to bring us forgiveness and redemption. However, if Jesus is God, and God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow then how come God hasn't always forgiven us for our sins as easily as He does now?
The answer to that is simple. God always has forgiven us. Even in the Old Testament, among all the sacrificial offerings and purifying oils, God forgave His people, even without sacrificing offerings for the cleansing of their sins.
The proof goes back to the Old Testament Ezekiel 18. God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel, "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live," (Ezekiel 18:21-22). In the book of Ezekiel, the Israelites abandoned their Godly ways and chased after the gods of the surrounding people. God sent the prophet Ezekiel to warn the Israelites to turn back to Him in order to receive a softer punishment of the Babylon king seizing the kingdom. The Israelites committed one sin after another, and even when God tried to warn them through countless prophets, they still refused to listen.
In Ezekiel 18:23 and 25, God spoke through Ezekiel, "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal?" God begged the people to realize that even though He created a lot of rules and regulations, God at His center is a forgiving and loving Father.
Many Christians today and many Israelites in the biblical times, have often thought of God as a harsh Father who punishes His children whenever they do something wrong. However that is not who God is. He specifically states that He doesn't enjoy punishing His children. God forgives us without fail, and once we turn away from our sin He will cast away our sin as far as the east is from the west. They will be forgotten and brought up no more because God is forgiving yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
