The Scandal of Grace: Why God’s Forgiveness Defies Human Logic
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Many people struggle with the idea that bad people can be forgiven and enter heaven. They ask, "How can God let someone who has done terrible things into His Kingdom? How is that fair?" Others question why death, which feels so tragic to us, can be seen as a blessing in God’s eyes. I will not pretend that i did not struggle with this in the beginning of my understanding of God, thinking myself wiser and leaning on my own understanding did not help me understand God better. Once I surrendered my thinking and started pursuing the Word of God more than my own understanding, revelation happened. I no longer considered those far from God impossible for Him to reach or those that had done terrible things unworthy of his Grace and Mercy. He is after all, a Good Good Father.
But the reality is these questions arise because we often think with human logic—a logic that demands fairness based on performance. But God’s justice and mercy do not function like ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). He sees beyond human actions into the transformation of the heart, offering a level of grace that is unfathomable.
This article will explore:
- Why God forgives even the worst sinners
- Why transformation, not past sins, determines a person’s future
- Why death is not a tragedy for those in Christ
- Why religious works cannot replace what Jesus already fulfilled
Let’s dismantle human perceptions and step into the truth of the Kingdom of God.
1. The Scandal of Grace: How Can Bad People Be Forgiven?
Many people see heaven as a reward for good behavior and hell as punishment for bad behavior. This is not what scripture teaches. Salvation is not based on our works but on faith in Jesus.
God’s Mercy Is Not Earned
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Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
→ No amount of good deeds can earn salvation. It is a gift. -
Romans 3:23-24 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
→ Everyone has sinned. No one is righteous on their own. Grace is given freely.
Jesus Came for Sinners, Not the Self-Righteous
When religious people complained that Jesus ate with sinners, He gave a sharp response:
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Matthew 9:12-13 – “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick… For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
→ Jesus didn’t come for the morally perfect—He came for the broken, the lost, and the worst of us.
One of the greatest proofs of God’s mercy is the thief on the cross.
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Luke 23:39-43 – One thief mocked Jesus, while the other admitted his guilt and said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
→ Jesus forgave him instantly, saying, "Today, you will be with me in paradise."
That thief had nothing to offer—no good deeds, no chance to change his ways. Yet, because he believed, Jesus saved him.
This is the scandal of grace.
If we think bad people shouldn't be forgiven, we have misunderstood the gospel entirely.
2. Transformation: The True Mark of a Believer
Some struggle with the idea that someone who did evil things can suddenly be a saint. But God is not just about forgiving sin—He transforms the sinner into a new creation.
Biblical Examples of Radical Transformation
- Paul (Saul of Tarsus) – He persecuted Christians, dragging them to their deaths. Yet God used him to write most of the New Testament (Acts 9:1-22).
- Mary Magdalene – She was possessed by seven demons, but became one of Jesus’ closest followers (Luke 8:2).
- Peter – He denied Jesus three times, yet Jesus made him the rock of the church (John 21:15-19).
When someone chooses God and continues to walk with Him, they are no longer who they were.
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2 Corinthians 5:17 – “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
→ Once saved, your past no longer defines you.
A transformed heart produces transformed actions. The evidence of salvation is not religious behavior, but a changed life.
3. Why Death Is Not a Tragedy for Those in Christ
Most people fear death. We see it as the worst possible outcome. But Jesus and the apostles taught that this world is not our home—our true life begins when we leave these bodies.
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Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
→ Paul understood that leaving this world is not a loss—it is gain. -
Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
→ This world is filled with suffering, but what comes next is beyond our imagination. -
2 Corinthians 5:1 – “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”
→ Our bodies are temporary, but what is coming is eternal.
This is why heaven rejoices when a believer dies. While humans mourn, God welcomes His children home.
Death is not a tragedy for those in Christ—it is liberation into the fullness of life.
4. Religion Cannot Replace What Jesus Fulfilled
Many people replace the old religious system with a new one—they try to earn salvation through good works, religious rituals, and self-punishment.
How People Create a “New Religion” Today:
- Performance-Based Faith – Thinking they must “earn” God’s love by doing religious works.
- Self-Punishment – Feeling they must suffer before they are “worthy” of forgiveness.
- Legalism – Following church rules more than Jesus Himself.
What the Bible Says:
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Hebrews 10:10 – “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
→ Jesus’ sacrifice is enough. Stop trying to add to it. -
Galatians 5:1 – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
→ Religion enslaves, Jesus sets free.
We do not need rituals or works to be saved. We need Jesus.
How Do We Get Out of This Religious Cycle?
Instead of replacing one dead system with another, we need to step fully into what Jesus has already provided:
✅ Rest in His Finished Work
→ Hebrews 4:10 – “For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.”
→ You don’t need to work for what He has already given.
✅ Pursue Relationship, Not Rituals
→ James 4:8 – “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
→ No special process, just intimacy.
✅ Walk in Your Identity as a Child of God
→ Galatians 4:6-7 – “Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child.”
→ You are loved, chosen, and empowered.
✅ Live in the Freedom of the Holy Spirit
→ 2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
→ Religion enslaves—Jesus sets you free.
Conclusion: Living in the Truth of the Gospel
The Kingdom of God does not operate by human logic. It is not about:
- Good vs. bad people—it’s about transformation.
- Earning salvation—it’s about faith in Jesus.
- Holding onto this life—it’s about knowing eternity is far better.
When we step into true relationship with Christ, we are freed from fear, striving, and religion.
Jesus did not die to create another religious system. He died and rose again to make us one with Him.
It is finished (John 19:30). Walk in that freedom.