Forgiveness

Forgiveness, a strange word that evokes many emotions in people, especially Christians.

Many have been taught, "Well sure forgive them, for that is in your best interests; however, never give them the chance to do it again, only a fool would stick his finger in the light socket twice. God gives us good sense and we should use it," they and we often say.

Jesus speaking to His disciples in Luke 17:1-4 concerning things that are less than important, but that have the propensity to become very important in our Christian growth said: "It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 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."

NOTE: You cannot forgive and avoid the person from then on and live by the above scriptures. Jesus is saying forgive them and if they repent and come back at you and wrong you again and repent again, forgive them.

If you avoid them and drop out of the relationship you will never get the chance to be the mature Christian that God is calling you, and us all, to be; and to be sure He is calling us into a deeper walk than which the way the world sees things.

If you want to know more, read on.

Forgiveness, From the Heart

Robbie L. Rogers

I must confess... I am convicted. While reading the scriptures over again as I have done many many times before, new things pop out and I know them to be revelations from God, through Holy Spirit.

Avoidance is a worldly viewpoint, easily accepted and adopted by a fearful Christian; but we are called to a different walk, a walk in victory which includes forgiveness not fear.

Father forgive me, I have been guilty of following wrong teachings and not the scripture's true meaning. Out of my desire to stop the pain, I have withdrawn from those who offended me. Yes I forgave, but I took the route that I was taught, "from now on you cannot hurt me for I will not give you the chance." I was a good student and learned very well, for it fit my flesh very nicely, thank you; but I was wrong and those who teach it as a way of forgiveness are wrong too, help them too, to understand.

Jesus in Luke and elsewhere, and in His life shows us that forgiveness means you do not distance yourselves from those who offend you. Tell them what they did to you was wrong, in your eyes, or whatever the case, then you go on justified, whether they repent or not. As long as they repent you must forgive them and go back into the same relationship as was before the offense. If they do not repent, seek the Lord and do accordingly. Note, however, that the above scripture is speaking to situations within the brotherhood of Christ, those not yet matured. Nevertheless, we should do much the same with those on the outside, for we too were once where they are, and should we be so presumptuous as to withhold the same forgiveness that Christ gave to us, knowing He loves them as much as He loves us?

Now, what I believe God is not saying, if a robber or thief always stands on the same corner so he may rob and steal that you should let him do so every time you pass that way. I believe you have the right to defend yourself or go another way, whether he has repented or not. Still, if he repents, give him your extra shirt?

Now that being said, if you know who your sworn enemy is and you see him coming, what should you do? If the Lord leads you to, you will confront him again, and again with the truth, knowing how to be wary of him as your sworn enemy, you learn from the past forgiving him anyway; but never, never be yoked along side such a sworn enemy, one of the two must die and to be sure the ministry will suffer the most.

Is an unrepentant person then your enemy? God forbid, no. Jesus said you are either for or against Him... no one can be both ways. So then those who are against Christ are His enemies, not necessarily yours and we have many who would fall in those categories within the church, the Body of Christ.

So while there are those who we could deem through our eyes as an enemy, only Christ can say, and we should be very wary of treating someone within Christ's body as a sworn enemy. Let God be God and the servant be the servant. Forgiveness is the backbone of Jesus' ministry and the scriptures.

This is the spirit of the scriptures in Luke and in Jesus' life story, that we should forgive them always, even those who do not ask for forgiveness and repent. Still, if they repent, we must not only forgive, we must act like it never happened, even knowing inside that the person has the propensity to harm you again, and you must remain as you were before, and if the need be, forgive them seven times seventy.

How can this be you say... only with God's help, only with God's help.

From now on I will try to be different, and with the Lord's help I will get better at keeping those relationships active that He has called me to, using Luke 4, "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." as a guide.

If you desire to know more about this Jesus Christ who loves you, and you want to ask Him into your heart, receiving His Saving Grace please click on this Salvation Prayer