Daily Word
Prepared By: Suzy Naber
07 /11/2006
As we also have forgiven our debtors
One of the areas in our Christian life is to forgive others. Much of the problems in relationship can be resolved if we only practice the virtue of forgiveness which is the most basic Christian virtue. Without forgiveness, we wouldn’t have Christianity as we know it. To "forgive" is to release charges against a defendant for any wrong doing; and to restore him back to the sinless condition. It is one of the toughest things that Christ commands us to do, but it is a powerful tool that will transform our relationship with God, with others and with ourselves.
David wrote in Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He moved our transgressions from us." This is a symbolic description of God’s forgiveness. God doesn't hold sins against us; He forgives and forgets and so must we. When we forgive we must forget as well, otherwise, we have not truly forgiven.
Matthew 6:14-15 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses". Also in Mark 11:25"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions". It is clear that we have to forgive in order to be forgiven; but how many times should we forgive?
In Mathew 18:21-35 Peter asked Jesus "Lord how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times". That makes "four hundred and ninety" times!! In other words, God wants us to forgive as many times as it takes. He wants us to be forgiving persons. Then Jesus tells them the story of the wicked unforgiving servant who was released from a large debt by his master. But he turned right around and made his own poor servant go to prison for not paying him a small debt. When the master heard about he became angry and said "I forgave you all that debts because you begged me, should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?" The master was so angry that he delivered that man to the torturer until he paid all that was due to him. Jesus said, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." If we don’t want to forgive we will be imprisoned by our hatred and tortured by our bitterness.
This is very serious, because we have been forgiven a large debt! It cost Jesus His own blood, He suffered death on the cross for us to pay all our debts and to forgive all our sins. We have no right to be unforgiving of others. Knowing His forgiveness, how can we withhold the same pardon, the same grace from those who have trespassed against us? Forgiveness is not an option or feeling it is a decision we have to make every day whether we feel like it or not. It is commanded.
When we entertain unforgiving thoughts they turn to hate inside us, and Jesus said, "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15). So when we don't forgive we are considered murderers without any eternal hope and shouldn't expect God to forgive us until we have forgiven others. When we choose not to forgive, we end up "walking in the dark"(1 John 2:9-11), we stumble around in confusion, become weak, and bitter. Unforgiving spirit results to other sins such as anger, bitterness, and indifference, not to mention the various illnesses associated with unforgiveness. Therefore, "let us throw off everything that hinders" (Hebrews 12:1) and release ourselves from the prison of unforgiving heart and from the curse of sin. But when we choose to forgive healing will begin to happen and forgiveness will set us free from any guilt and will free us to move into all God has for us. Paul wrote "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:30-32)
Sometimes we have hard time forgiving people, and other times we even have problem forgiving ourselves for things we have or should have done and we live a lifetime of punishment. Other people live their lives blaming God for things that have happened to them. In either case, we have to ask God to help us. We have to pray to God to give us a heart of forgiveness and to allow Christ’s forgiveness, grace and freedom to penetrate to our lives. God will teach us to "be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful". Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy." (Matt. 5:7) We will be amazed to realize how God softens our hearts and releases our anger, resentment and hurt and turns our hearts into love so that nothing could hinder our fellowship with the heavenly Father. David wrote, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3) Bear in mind "Our God is a good and awesome God; He is full of mercy, love and compassion. He is never responsible for any evil or disaster in your life. He will always be there for whoever calls on His Name". Amen
Scriptures to read: Psalms of forgiveness 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness".
Proverbs 28:13 "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
Luke 6:37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven".
Prayer: Lord help me to be a forgiving person. Show me where I am not. If I have any anger, bitterness, resentment, or unforgiveness that I am not recognizing, reveal it to me and I will confess it to You as sin. I don’t' want my prayers to be hindered because I have entertained sin in my heart. I choose this day to forgive everyone and everything and walk free from the death that unforgiveness brings.
Help me walk in the light as You are in the light and be cleansed from all sin. Amen.
November, 08, 2006 12:52 PM