GRACE-FORGIVENESS (part-6)
We need to understand that in order to receive God’s forgiveness,
we must be willing to forgive others. When Jesus gave us a model
prayer (known as the Lord’s Prayer), He included this phrase,
“forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us”.
That two-letter word “as” in this scripture means “in the same manner”.
In other words we are saying,
“Lord forgive me in the same manner
and proportion that I forgive others”
We aren’t asking God to help us forgive, we are asking Him to
treat us in the same way we treat others, and especially in the
area of forgiveness. So, if we want to receive a full measure of
God’s forgiveness, then we need to ‘fully’ forgive others.
God’s forgiveness is in response to our actions, isn’t it? It begins
with us. If we are not willing to forgive others, then why would
we expect God to forgive us? Look at these verses in God’s Word:
For if you forgive other people when they sin
against you, your Heavenly Father will also
forgive you. But if you do not forgive others
their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
(Matthew 6:14-15)
We can say the words, “I forgive you”, but when we read
God’s Word, we can see that these three words have to be
said with sincerity, and as often as needed.
Note:
Read what Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:21-35.
Which one should be more important to us, forgiveness or worship?
These words from Jesus tell us that before we can truly worship, we
must forgive others. Why? Probably because it frees us to sincerely
worship and praise the Lord with no restraints.
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything
against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father
in heaven may forgive you your sins.
(Mark 11:25)
As an example for us to follow, Jesus was still
forgiving those who were crucifying Him on the cross.
When they came to the place called the Skull, they
crucified Him there, along with the criminals—one
on His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, “Father,
forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.
(Luke 23:33-34)
Knowing how difficult it is to forgive others, it is an amazing
expression of love by Jesus when He asked God to forgive those
who were in the process of causing His death. Forgiving others
is not ‘natural’ for many of us, is it? Why? Because we feel that
justice is more important.
We may decide to forgive someone, but we still want to see them
punished. That doesn’t have the sound of forgiveness, does it?
As they were crucifying Jesus, He didn’t say anything about
them receiving punishment; instead He asked God to forgive
them. Forgiveness is spoken from the heart and not from head,
(the head focuses on the actions of someone as a higher priority
than considering them as one of God’s creations).
When we forgive others, we are saying to God, “I accept them as
You do, because they are Your creations, the same as I am”. It is
confirmation that we are in agreement with God’s justice system,
even though we might not fully understand it. It is an expression
of our faith and trust in the Lord in all things.
When we pray, if we ask God to forgive us in the same way we forgive
others, then it changes our perspective regarding forgiveness, doesn’t
it? If we fail to forgive others, life goes on for us, but if we do not receive
God’s forgiveness, it will affect where we spend eternity!
Look at how Paul stressed the importance of being forgiven by God.
“Blessed are those whose transgressions
are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”
(Romans 4:7)
Could anything be more beneficial to us than receiving God’s
forgiveness? When Paul uses the word, “blessed”, we cannot
think of any greater blessing than spending eternity with the
Lord. We would probably be correct if we assumed Paul meant
that in addition to being blessed with an eternity in Heaven, we
would also be blessed while we live today, prior to eternity.
(watch for part-7 of the series tomorrow….)
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