The forgiveness of God is gratuitous liberation from guilt. Paradoxically, the conviction of personal sinfulness becomes the occasion of encounter with the merciful love of the redeeming God. "There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting.." (Luke 15:7). In his brokenness, the repentant prodigal knew an intimacy with his father that his sinless, self-righteous brother would never know. . Brennan Manning
About This Quote

"The forgiveness of God is gratuitous liberation from guilt. Paradoxically, the conviction of personal sinfulness becomes the occasion for encounter with the merciful love of the redeeming God" This quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer provides insight into how God can be merciful and forgiving. As we sin, we are guilty and we see ourselves as deserving of punishment. However, when we repent and confess our sins to God, we receive forgiveness and His mercy and compassion towards us and others. Rather than seeing ourselves as deserving of punishment and punishment is what we receive, we experience mercy and grace from God.

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More Quotes By Brennan Manning
  1. Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.
  2. The story goes that a public sinner was excommunicated and forbidden entry to the church. He took his woes to God. 'They won't let me in, Lord, because I am a sinner.'' What are you complaining about?' said God. 'They won't let Me in either.
  3. We unwittingly project onto God our own attitudes and feelings toward ourselves... But we cannot assume that He feels about us the way we feel about ourselves -- unless we love ourselves compassionately, intensely, and freely.
  4. Imagine that Jesus is calling you today. He extends a second invitation to accept His Father's love. And maybe you answer, "Oh, I know that. It's old hat." And God answers, 'No, that's what you don't know. <span style="margin:15px; display:block"></span>You don't know how much I...
  5. The Word we study has to be the Word we pray. My personal experience of the relentless tenderness of God came not from exegetes, theologians, and spiritual writers, but from sitting still in the presence of the living Word and beseeching Him to help me...
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