Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/1775

1775 Forgiveness of sins.... "If you see no sign, you will not believe...."

January 13, 1941: Book 27

Deep remorse must precede the forgiveness of the guilt of sin; it is the precondition that must be imposed in order to make the earthly child realize the magnitude of his wrongdoing in having sinned against God. He who loves God above all things cannot sin, so sin is always a lack of love, and out of this man transgresses against God. At the same time, however, sin is the fulfilment of the will of the adversary, who always wants what is contrary to God's will. So man has placed the will of the adversary above the divine will, he has obeyed him but resisted the divine will. The human being must therefore recognize the magnitude of his wrongdoing, then he will also regret it if he has love for God, and then he will also be able to ask God for forgiveness in his heart so that he will now also be forgiven. The confession of sin, the request for forgiveness, is not a formal act, but it rises from the bottom of the heart to the ear of the heavenly father.... And that is the divine in man, that he can recognize when he is good, that he does not grope in ignorance if only his will is turned towards God. He is mentally made to recognize what is right, and if he now acts in accordance with this recognition, then he acts in accordance with the divine will. If the evidence of forgiveness of sins is demanded before the world, before the eyes of fellow human beings, then this is a sign of too weak faith in God's love. For God looks into the heart and He truly does not need to give outwardly perceptible confirmations of the forgiveness of sins.... His love often gives visible signs that He has forgiven the earthly child's sins, but the signs must not be taken as mere proof of forgiveness. "If you see no signs, you do not believe," says the lord, "but blessed are those who do not see and yet believe." Whoever begs God for mercy in spirit and in truth recognizes his unworthiness and lifts his hands up to the father in prayer. He will be helped out of the distress of his soul, for he wants to go to God, and so God will always help him in the way that serves him. Insofar as man takes his path directly to God, God also comes to meet him. His servants instruct him and show him the right way, and it is better that the human being leaves himself to the spiritual beings in God's service than that he seeks help from those on earth who call themselves God's servants and who are still far removed from true divine service. For not all of them are real servants of God, who indeed fulfil the office of such. And if they are truly men after God's own heart, they must nevertheless not condemn the earthly child who entrusts himself directly to the heavenly father in complete faith.... And this faith will also make him recognize his sinfulness, his lowliness and his need for help.... and he will ask the father for mercy from the bottom of his heart. And that is why God now obviously approaches him and allows His grace to flow to him as a sign that no prayer sent up to Him in spirit and in truth will go unanswered....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers