You are right, of course. I was angry that this woman felt bad about what she had done but not enough to refrain from doing it two more times, and now she wants us to feel something for her. Sorry, I don’t have the right or the power to forgive sins against God.
I was judging her and I don’t have that right, either. I believe that what the Holy Spirit has taught me, by way of my upbringing and my church, is that I do have the right, and the obligation as a Christian, to be discerning. It’s a little confusing so I borrowed an explanation from one William H. Adams who really seems to have handle on the difference between judgement and discernment:
“Were not supposed to judge; were not supposed to make a call on what is wrong OR right based on our own internal moral code. Were supposed to discern, with the guidance of the Spirit, what God has already judged. To do otherwise is to say you believe youre smarter than the creator of the universe. So give up your gavel to God and leave the judging up to Him, but dont neglect discernment; those with the spirit can discern all things.”
I thought about what I posted later and realized maybe I should've added a little bit more. What that women did was reprehensible; however, she came to know Christ and express true sorrow for her sins and to desire forgiveness.
Had she not been given God's courage to speak out about her sins and her salvation, you and I probably would've never known about. Nor, would many of other women struggling and tempted to have abortions of their own. The devil and his minions line up to tell them how "brave" they are.
If we bash the saved and criticize them, we #1 lend credibility to the argument that Christians are hypocritical and shut off non-believers from or message
#2 Tell non-believers that it doesn't matter, so go ahead and have an abortion anyway
#3 Come off as cruel and critical, so non-believers should fall into the welcome arms of the kind, compassionate, and understanding abortionists
#4 Set the perceived "bar" unattainably high in that we portray to weak believers or non-believers that there is some arbitrary threshold of sin that once you reach God will no longer show you Grace or Salvation in the name of Jesus......at that point how is a weak believer or non-believer to know when they've reached that threshold? What if they already have? Why bother with the church on Sunday bit if there is a good chance I've already crossed that threshold when I can cave to all my temptations and desires since it doesn't matter anyway?
Anyhow, my point to my original post was to provide a Scriptural response to yours. I will say that had she been my wife or girlfriend, I would have a nigh impossible time forgiving her. I would also find myself having a near impossible time trying to forgive myself for allowing it happen (ie if I knew etc)
I pointed out to you that God can and will still save this woman if she has faith in Him.......I also took from your post about discernment. - As steel sharpens steel, so one man sharpens another....Ecclesiastes (4?).