In this article, we explore how the gospel shapes our understanding and practice of forgiveness. True forgiveness is not simply a feeling or a one-time act—it is a gospel-shaped response that releases the debt, entrusts justice to God, and reflects the mercy we have received in Christ.

This week’s article explains propitiation—a term that captures how Jesus took our place, turned away God’s righteous anger, and secured our forgiveness. Understanding this truth reveals not only the seriousness of sin, but also the immeasurable love of God.

A very sensitive and often pondered question is, “Do babies who die go to heaven?” Along the same lines, an additional question could be, “Do special needs individuals who do not possess the mental capacity to understand the gospel or profess faith in Christ go to heaven?” Beyond those, someone may ask, “Could this include a young child who was too young to grasp a genuine understanding of salvation?”

Like all generations throughout church history, one of the primary focuses we need to be pre-occupied with today is taking the gospel to those who have never heard it before. However, as apostasy increases and seemingly faithful men and women go rogue theologically, we’ll need not only “outreach” (to those who’ve never heard the gospel), but great emphasis on “inreach” (to those believing in a false gospel).