THE PRINCIPLES OF FORGIVENESS
LUKE 11:4
I. INTRODUCTION
WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY THAT REQUIRES US TO LIVE BY CERTAIN PRINCIPLES. PRINCIPLES ARE PUT INTO PLACE IN ORDER THAT STANDARDS AND RULES MAY BE MAINTAINED. HOWEVER, MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT SOMETIMES THE PRINCIPLES ARE NOT ADHERED TO AS THEY SHOULD BE. THE GOVERNMENT IS FOUNDED ON PRINCIPLES WHICH DECLARE THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, BUT ALL MEN ARE NOT TREATED EQUAL. THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY ARE PRAGMATICALLY DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT JUSTICE IS MEASURED AND METED OUT WITH FAIRNESS, IN THAT ALL MEN ARE INNOCENT TILL PROVEN GUILTY, BUT SOMETIMES THE PRINCIPLES GET TWISTED AND LADY JUSTICE IS GUILTY OF PEEKING THROUGH THE BLIND FOLD, AND CONSEQUENTLY THE SCALES AND THE PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE DON’T TILT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE POOR OR THE INNOCENT. YES MY BROTHERS AND SISTER, WE LIVE IN A WORLD GOVERNED BY PRINCIPLES. WHILE PRINCIPLES ARE NEEDED, THERE IS ANOTHER PRINCIPLE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND THAT IS THE PRINCIPLE OF FORGIVENESS. YES, FORGIVENESS. WE SAY WE DO, BUT THEN WE DON’T. WE SAY WE WILL, BUT THEN WE WON’T. AS CHRISTIANS, WE MUST ADHERE TO THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF FORGIVENESS.
II. THE TEXT
JESUS, AS WAS HIS CUSTOM, HAD BEEN ENGULFED WITH PRAYER. AS HE FINISHED HIS PRAYER, ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES MADE WHAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE AN UNUSUAL REQUEST IN THAT HE ASKED JESUS TO TEACH THEM HOW TO PRAY. IT WAS A HEBREW TRADITION THAT THE RABBIS TAUGHT THEIR STUDENTS THE PRINCIPLES OF PRAYER. THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PRAYER LIFE. MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, WE SHOULD BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE METHOD IN WHICH WE PRAY. THERE ARE SOME PRINCIPLES THAT APPLY TO PRAYER THAT MAY BE THE DIFFERENCE IN HAVING OUR PRAYERS ANSWERED OR HINDERED. I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT WE LIVE IN AN AGE WHERE PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO BE TAUGHT OR TOLD THAT THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO PRAY FROM A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE.
JESUS GAVE THEM A MODEL IN WHICH THEY COULD PRAY. THIS PRAYER IS FILLED WITH SEVERAL FRUITFUL PETITIONS, BUT THE ONE PETITION THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED IS THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE CONCERNING FORGIVENESS. THE WORD FORGIVE APPEARS 56 TIMES IN 48 VERSES, WHICH IMPLIES THAT IT IS SOMETHING OF GREAT VALUE AND SIGNIFICANCE.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE NOTICE THE WAY THIS WORD IS SITUATED WITHIN THE TEXT. IT IS BOTH PRESENT AND FUTURE. LORD FORGIVE ME IN THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE WHEN I SIN AGAINST YOU, OR MY BROTHER OR MY SISTER. THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE INDEBTED TO US BY SIN, MEANING THAT THEY HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO OFFEND US, AND WE MUST BE WILLING TO FORGIVE THEM.
THE REASON THAT THIS PRINCIPLE IS VITAL IS THAT IF WE DO NOT FORGIVE OTHERS, GOD WILL NOT FORGIVE US. MATT. 6:14-15 TEACH, “FOR IF YE FORGIVE MEN THEIR TRESPASSES, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL ALSO FORGIVE YOU: BUT IF YE FORGIVE NOT MEN THEIR TRESPASSES, NEITHER WILL YOUR FATHER FORGIVE YOUR TRESPASSES.” JUST AS WE ARE INDEBTED TO OTHERS, AND OTHERS ARE INDEBTED TO US, ALL OF US ARE INDEBTED TO GOD. THE PERSON THAT IS UNFORGIVING, IS NOT READY TO RECEIVE THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YOU’D BE SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO THINK THAT GOD IS SHOWING FAVOR TO THEIR PRAYERS, AND THEY HAVE YET TO FORGIVE OTHERS. YOU’D BE SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT GOD IS HEARING THEIR PRAYERS, BUT THEY HAVE YET TO ASK HIM FOR FORGIVENESS.
III. WHAT IT MEANS TO FORGIVE
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WHEN WE PRAY, WE ASK GOD TO FORGIVE US. I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT SOME EMPTY WORDS THAT WE SAY JUST TO SAY THAT WE HAVE ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS, BUT DEEP DOWN, SOUL STIRRING SINCERITY. WHEN WE ASK GOD TO FORGIVE US, THAT IS INDICATIVE OF THE FACT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE WRONGED HIM, AND WE WANT TO BE RECONCILED AGAIN.
WHEN WE FORGIVE OTHERS, WE ARE SAYING I WON’T HOLD WHAT YOU DID AGAINST ME OVER YOUR HEAD. IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE FORGIVEN SOMEONE, THEN WHEN WE SEE THEM, OUR BLOOD BEGINS TO BOIL, IT IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT WE HAVE NOT FORGIVEN THEM. FORGIVING SOMEONE DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE BECOME FOOLISH, FICKLE, AND FRETFUL, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT WE ARE FAITHFULLY DISCHARGING OUR DUTY TO OUR FELLOWMAN.
WHEN WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO HAVE WRONGED US, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE FORGET THE OFFENSE, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT IF FOR SOME REASON THEY KEEP OFFENDING US, IF THEY ASK FORGIVENESS IN SINCERITY, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO FORGIVE THEM. SOME OF US WOULD SAY, ”NOW I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU ONCE, DON’T ASK ME AGAIN.” LUKE 17:3-4 TEACH, “TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES: IF THY BROTHER TRESPASS AGAINST THEE, REBUKE HIM; AND IF HE REPENT, FORGIVE HIM. AND IF HE TRESPASS AGAINST THEE SEVEN TIMES IN A DAY, AND SEVEN TIMES IN A DAY TURN AGAIN TO THEE, SAYING, I REPENT; THOU SHALT FORGIVE HIM.”
WELL REVEREND, WHAT ABOUT THOSE THAT I HAVE AN OUGHT AGAINST. THEY HAVE DONE ME WRONG AND I JUST CAN’T FORGIVE THEM. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN A PERSON MAY NOT KNOW THAT THEY HAVE WRONGED US, THEREFORE, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BRING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION. I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT MANY OF US BRING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION WITH SUCH A MEAN SPIRIT, THAT WE DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD, AND IF THEY WERE NOT ANGRY WITH US AT FIRST, THEY ARE ANGRY AFTER WE HAVE SAID WHAT WE HAVE SAID.
IV. CONCLUSION
THERE ARE FOUR POINTS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE APEX OF OUR ATTENTION. ONE, FORGIVENESS, WHICH IS REPENTANCE LEADS TO THE RICH BLESSINGS OF GOD. 2 CHRONICLES 7:14 TEACH, “IF MY PEOPLE, WHICH ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, SHALL HUMBLE THEMSELVES, AND PRAY, AND SEEK MY FACE, AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS; THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN, AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND.” 1 JOHN 1:9 TEACHES, “IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” TWO, FORGIVENESS IS ROOTED IN COMPASSION. JESUS HAD ENOUGH COMPASSION ON THOSE THAT CRUCIFIED HIM, THAT HE PRAYED, “FATHER FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.” WE MUST BE MOVED WITH COMPASSION. THREE, GOD’S FORGIVENESS OF US IS CONDITIONAL. HE FORGIVES US ON THE CONDITION THAT WE ASK HIM. IF WE NEVER ASK HIM, HE NEVER FORGIVES US, AS OUTLINED IN 1 KINGS CHAPTER 8. EZEKIEL 14 TALKS ABOUT THE PEOPLE INCURRED THE WRATH OF GOD FOR REFUSAL TO SAY I’M SORRY. FOUR, FORGIVENESS DEMONSTRATED THE GRACE OF GOD. IT IS NOT THAT WE DESERVE IT BUT HE GIVES IT TO US GRACIOUSLY WHEN WE ASK HIM. GRACE IS GETTING WHAT WE DON’T DESERVE, AND NOT DESERVING WHAT WE GET.
SO MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, IF WE WANT TO RECEIVE THE BLESSING OF GOD AND NOT THE WRATH OF GOD, WE MUST LEARN TO FORGIVE. IT IS NOT OUR TASK TO TRY TO FORGIVE, BUT WE MUST DO WHAT THE LORD HAS INSTRUCTED US TO. FORGIVENESS OPENS THE DOOR TO A NEW BEGINNING AND ANOTHER CHANCE.
