Tuesday, August 25, 2009

What is Forgivable?


ksdk.com (St. Louis) : Imperial church billboards ask, "What's forgivable?"

Jefferson Hills Christian Church in Imperial is asking a series of serious questions on billboards along Interstate 55 south of St. Louis. Those billboards ask whether God or people should forgive a certain list of offenses, such as: sex offenders, suicide, cheating on your boyfriend, and little white lies.

"As Christians, we believe there is no unforgivable sin," said Pastor Benke. "Jesus Christ is our perfect savior, and that means there's not a single sin a person can't turn to God with and find forgiveness."

One driver, Keith Murphy, was asked if sex offenders and people who commit suicide are forgivable.
"It all depends on the situation and what happened, how it all went down," he said.

Another commuter, Erica Downs, said three out of four of the sins in the new billboard campaign are forgivable. Which one is not? "The sex offenders," she said. So what does Downs think about the campaign?

"I guess it's a good one," she said. "I guess that's what the Bible says, that you're supposed to forgive everyone, but I don't think human nature really goes along with that all the time."

Benke said it's important people understand what's contained in Christian scripture.

"And then, quite frankly, the church gets that message wrong, as well," he said. "But the Bible teaches there is no sin that isn't forgivable in Jesus."

To see the billboards visit www.whatsforgivable.com; for more information about Jefferson Hills Church, visit their website at www.jhchurch.org.