August 19, 2020 KEYS TO FORGIVENESS
Hebrews 12:14-15 “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.
Colossians 3:12-13 “And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”
Forgiveness is central to the gospel; without God’s forgiveness, we could not be reconciled to Him or to each other. We know that God is a God who forgives, but let us not overlook the fact that we are called to be ones who forgive just as He forgives. Tragically, countless books could be written about relationships that have been destroyed because of unforgiveness. Refusing to forgive when wronged does in deed allow ‘roots of bitterness to spring up, causing trouble.’ Some say that forgiving others who have hurt us is hard to do. That viewpoint of forgiveness is a tell-tale sign of a deeper issue in the one who finds it difficult to forgive. The insight found in Luke 7:47 is amazing; it gives an important key to forgiveness. “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” The crucial point we must get is that of realizing how much we have been forgiven; being conscience of how much God has forgiven us makes it ‘easier,’ and even natural, to forgive others. Knowing how much we have been forgiven produces in us a love for others, even for those who have wronged us and it takes away a judgmental spirit in us. Love and forgiveness are hand and glove-they go together. Not forgiving others puts us in an emotional and spiritual prison and causes trouble and hurts all close to the situation. Not only are we to forgive others if we are to be spiritually healthy and enjoy good relationships, we must also forgive ourselves for the wrongs we have done. Perhaps we are not guilty of some ‘great’ sin, but sin is sin and we were born with a sin nature, separated from God and in need of forgiveness. Unless we know how much we have been forgiven, perhaps forgiving ourselves is more difficult than forgiving others. It is our pride that stands in the way of us not forgiving ourselves; we simply do not like to ‘mess up’ and we do not like admitting we have done wrong. Many live with the memory of past sins and wrongdoings, and many have to live with some of the consequences of bad choices of the past. Even though forgiving ourselves does not erase all consequences of bad choices and past sins, it does free us to admit our wrongs and to own our wrongs. The response that God would have for us is “Yes I sinned, and I regret it, but God has forgiven me and I am no longer in bondage to my past.” There is great liberty in ‘owning our stuff’ and living with the knowledge and the experience of God’s forgiveness.
Colossians 3:13 “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgives you.”
Ephesians 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as Christ also has forgiven you.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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