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Pastor Chris White says to all of you: HELLO MY FRIENDS. May the Lord bless you today. HOLA MIS AMIGOS. Que el Señor los bendiga.
Everyone has been wronged, offended, and
sinned against at some point. How are Christians to respond when such offenses
occur against them? According to the Bible, we are to forgive others. Ephesians 4:32 declares, “Be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God
forgave you.” Similarly, Colossians 3:13 proclaims,
“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one
another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” The key in both Scriptures is that
we are to forgive fellow believers as God has forgiven us. Why do we forgive?
Because we have been forgiven! Our forgiveness of others should reflect God’s
forgiveness of us.
In order to forgive those who sin against us, we must first of all understand
God’s forgiveness. God does not just forgive everyone automatically with no
preconditions—if He did, there would be no lake
of fire in Revelation 20:14–15. Forgiveness, properly
understood, involves repentance on the sinner’s part and love
and grace on God’s part. The love and grace are there, but the repentance is
often lacking. So, the Bible’s command for us to forgive one another does not
mean we ignore sin. It means we gladly, gracefully, lovingly extend forgiveness
to those who repent. We are always willing to forgive when given the
opportunity. Not just seven times, but “seventy times seven” times (Matthew 18:22, KJV). Refusing to forgive a
person who requests it demonstrates resentment, bitterness, and anger, none of
which are the traits of a true Christian.
To forgive those who sin against us requires patience and forbearance. The
church has the command to “be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). We should be able to
overlook personal slights and minor offenses. Jesus said, “If anyone slaps you
on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also” (Matthew 5:39). Not every “slap in the face”
needs a response.
To forgive those who sin against us requires the transformational power of God
in our lives. There is something deep within fallen human nature that thirsts
for revenge and urges retaliation in kind. We naturally want to inflict the
same type of injury on the one who injured us—an eye for an eye seems only
fair. In Christ, however, we have been given the power to love our enemies, do
good to the haters, bless the cursers, and pray for the abusers (see Luke 6:27–28). Jesus gives us a heart that is
willing to forgive and will work to that end.
Forgiving those who sin against us is made easier when we consider the extent
to which God forgives our transgressions. We who have been lavished with grace
have no right to withhold grace from others. We have sinned against God
infinitely more than any person can sin against us. Jesus’ parable in Matthew 18:23–35 is a powerful
illustration of this truth.
God promises that, when we come to Him asking for forgiveness, He freely grants
it (1 John 1:9). The grace we extend to those who
seek our forgiveness should be just as readily available (Luke 17:3–4).
Thank you to Got Questions Ministries
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