Last Sunday our Pastor preached on forgiveness and how it is not an option in a believers life. Taking his cue from the one of Jesus beatitudes , he focused on the need to forgive in order to be free from the burden and weight of holding onto a grudge or vendetta .
Is was clear that to forgive is not something we are left an out for. Now some hold that in order to forgive another , certain hoops must be jumped through. They put barriers up to find ways to withhold forgiveness. Yes , we need to encourage a life of repentance and going to another we have harmed and ask for forgiveness but we do not live in a perfect world. Sometimes we can be hurt without the other party realizing what they have done. We can guilty as well and if we think we are not , we are deluding ourselves.
Sometimes we must forgive one another purely to release the burden of animosity and anger we can easily harbor when we hold on the pain of being hurt. To allow it to fester and infest our souls will only lead to a soul in turmoil. Our Pastor used 2 illustrations . One that everywhere we go , the other person goes with us,like they are handcuffed to us and by not forgiving , the weight is like a burden we carry , that will only leave us weary and tired.
But lets be honest we can say forgive , but to truly forgive another is also to release the other of their debt to you. It must be put away , forgotten. If we say , I can forgive but not forget , then the truth is we have not forgiven . That wall of hostility will be clearly there.
The question is if we are to forgive one another then first we must grasp how great a forgiveness we have been given in Jesus. To grasp the depth of our own sin , that we were dead in sin , a vial cosmic rebel against a holy God. That it took the holy ,sinless Son of God to take our place to satisfy God's holy justice to be satisfied that we may be forgiven. If we get this , then forgiving no matter what the offense will come easier , not without its struggles , but it can be possible because of God's grace.When we understand how much we have been forgiven , we can forgive much as well.
[14] For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, [15] but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
(Matthew 6:14-15 ESV)
[25] And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
(Mark 11:25 ESV)
[4] and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
(Luke 17:4 ESV)
[13] bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
(Colossians 3:13 ESV)
[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(1 John 1:9 ESV)
Well you get the picture . A forgiving attitude and heart is not an option if we follow Christ. Thanks Pastor Bob for really shaking my heart up .
1 comment:
I guess neither one of us was sleeping, during the sermon, on Sunday. I've all ready talked about it with one good friend of mine. Somebody I consider a very forgiving soul. But, I guess we've got all got the capacity to be hurt and hold on to it.
It might surprise Pastor Bob to know that I routinely quote him, but only if he hits it out of the ball park. He's been known to do that, a lot. Especially, since he practices 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."
Keep up the good work, Pastor Bob.
We're a very blessed congregation, in spite of our occasional grumbles. Of course, when you get a bunch of acknowledged sinners together, what do you expect? Love you, Mrs Reg
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