All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out – John 6:37
On its surface, the title of 2004’s Man on Fire accurately describes an ex-CIA operative’s unrelenting quest to severely punish all those involved in the kidnapping of the young girl he had been hired to bodyguard. However, a deeper dive tells a story of John Creasy, an alcoholic tormented by his past, who reads the Bible and even speculates: “Do you think God’ll forgive us for what we’ve done?” Yet, despite his protective walls, John succumbs to the warmth of a nine-year-old named Pita. Their strong bond becomes John’s redemption to live and love again, and the reason for him to ransom his life for Pita’s.
John’s question reflects the doubt many people have about certain past behaviors and whether their sins have disqualified them from salvation. Unfortunately, even if they have read the Bible as John Creasy had, uncertainty continues to linger, whereby the life-changing answer is missed. It’s found in several verses, specifically in Romans 10:13: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” which was authored by someone who deserved God’s wrath, but instead received His grace.
Just as none of us will ever be able to deny having not sinned, neither will anyone seeking atonement through Jesus Christ be denied salvation. The answer to any questions about God’s willingness to forgive has already been answered at the cross.