Introduction.
The command to forgive others is often repeated in the scriptures yet it seems to be the most difficult to obey or comply with.
Consequently, many struggle with:
· Bitterness
· Hatred and anger
· Resentment
· Heartaches
· Fear
· Rage. And others
It is said that many patients in hospitals can actually go home if only they can get rid of bitterness, resentment, hatred, anger, and many other emotional pains brought by their UNFORGIVENESS.
Withholding FORGIVENESS is
· Like allowing a TUMOR to spread aggressively throughout our body.
· It is an unbending suffering that ruins
o Not only our emotional health
o But our spiritual health as well.
In addition to the difficulty of FORGIVING, we are faced with questions like:
1. Should I minimize the sin so it will be easier for me to forgive?
2. Am I obligated to be reconciled with the person who did me wrong?
3. Should I wait till someone has repented before I forgive?
Most often what we are missing is the origin of FORGIVENESS. The very reason Christ suffered and died is to give us FORGIVENESS of sins. In Christ we have become a new creation, separated from the world. Let us observe a few scriptures:
· In Christ everything is new – 2 Corinthians 5:17
· We have been raised with Christ. Colossians 1:1
· In Christ we can put on the new self. Ephesians 24
These are just a few scriptures that tell us that in Jesus Christ we have received that virtue of forgiveness by the Spirit he has given us. Our best human effort to forgive without the grace of God is will not work.
With these encouragements in mind, let us focus on the following steps to forgiveness that could be helpful.
1. Forgiving is giving up the right to get even.
2. Forgiving is an act of Love
3. We forgive to be forgiven0`. `
Main Points.
I – Forgiving is giving up the right to get even
1. We do not seek revenge
· When we are WRONGED our immediate reaction is to seek revenge.
· This situation calls us to turn to our new nature as spiritual people in order to avoid seeking revenge. In Christ, we can give up the right to get even.
· God said “It is mine to avenge” Romans 12:19
· God will give trouble to those who trouble us. 2 Thess 1:6
· One day God will settle the score
· Let it go. Who can do a better job? You or God?
· Let go of all the bitterness, resentment and anger. This is possible if we give up the right to get even and let God settle the score.
· This is achieved through our fervent prayers
2. Question. Should you just minimize the sin so it will be easier to forgive?
a. Minimizing the offense cheapens grace. Remember that it is God who enables us to forgive. He does not want us to make the sin small. It is by his grace that we can forgive.
b. Besides, in minimizing the sin, we lose our self-respect, as if we deserve to be wronged. No one deserves to wronged.
3. Do not repay evil for evil but repay evil with good.
a. Repay evil with blessing. 1 Peter 3:9
b. Do what is right. Romans 12:17
Whenever I feel that my flesh is taking control of my actions, I always go to Galatians 3:3 Where it says:
“Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?”
II - Forgiving is an act of Love
1. God said: “ I will forgive their sins and will remember them no more”
· God is all knowing. He knows all our sins. Forgetting our sins simply means that God does not count our sins against us when we obey the Gospel.
· Similarly, by forgiving others, we should not count their sins against them anymore.
2. Love does not keep a cord of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:5
· If we keep a record of wrongs, these will always come back to hurt us.
· Why should we keep on hurting when the person who wronged us may not even care?
· Forgiving is for our sake. Not for the offender
3. Question: Are we obligated to be reconciled with those who sinned against us?.
· Our duty is to forgive. Being reconciled is a matter of trust.
a. Reconciliation and restoration depends on the sinner.
b. He must show genuine repentance.
c. There must be an evident change in his lifestyle
d. Restoring trust needs to be developed over time.
e. Restitution may also also required.
III – We forgive to receive forgiveness
1. Question: Should I wait for the offender to repent before I forgiv4e?
2. God’s forgiveness is CONDITIONAL. One needs to obey the Gospel to be forgiven.
3. We sometimes hear members say: “I will never forgive that person.”
· To this I say, I hope they will never sin because their sins will not be forgiven.
· Forgiveness is the bridge to eternal life.
4. Our duty to forgive others is UNCONDITIONAL. We forgive whether the offender repents or not. . If we wait for a sinner to repent before we forgive them, they may never repent, and that leaves us with an UNFORGIVING heart.
5. Observe the following scriptures:
· Matthew 6:12 “Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors.”
· Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.”
· Colossians 3:13 “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.
6. However, as Christians, it is our moral duty to repent and be reconciled with the person we have wronged.
· The offending member should initiate the reconciliation. Matthew 5:23-24.
· It is also the duty of every Christian to confront or rebuke the offender. Matthew 18:15-17
i. The purpose is not to humiliate him
ii. The purpose is to restore him to the faith
iii. If he does not repent, treat him as an unbeliever
6. If the offender is not a member of the body, exercise your better judgment. Confronting him may lead to quarrels or violence and you may commit a sin in the process. It is always better to just forgive and pray for that person.
CONCLUSION.
Forgiving is a part of our daily life. There will always be instances when we are wronged. But the grace of God will keep us forgiving those who sinned against us.
· Let us forgive and not count their sins against them just as God has forgotten our sins by not counting them against us.
· Let us be mindful that forgiveness is the ultimate test of our Love
· Let us forgive in order to be forgiven.
When you finally are able to pray for those who sinned against you and bless them, you know that you have truly forgiven them.
