The Lord’s mercifulness is above our understanding. No matter how corrupt we are, He is ready to forgive us if only we repent, if only we want to be forgiven.
After reading the quote of Abbot Nikon Vorobiev I committed to memory these words of Jesus Christ: “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men” (Mth. 12:31). The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a stubborn and conscious rejection of the saving grace of God. Some theologians say these words refer to people who consciously refuse to be with God and don’t want to see the error of their ways and to repent. I suppose it’s because the Lord can’t save us against our will. I heard a supposition that some people will go to hell just because they will refuse to be with our Saviour, they won’t be able to be with the Lord due to their sinfulness and unwillingness to repent, they won’t be able to bear the Light. Clive Staples Lewis wrote that the doors of hell are closed from inside.
To conclude, I’m on the same page with Abbot Nikon Vorobiev here as I also believe that the Lord is merciful and forgives us no matter how disastrous our iniquity may seem. However, God can’t save us if we deliberately reject Him and His saving gifts.
