Forgive

We are commanded to forgive a sinner if he repents.  Jesus said this to Peter in

Matthew 18:21-22, “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

Christianity is one religion that believes in forgiveness for our enemies.  God’s Word says to love your enemy, please read Matthew 5:43-48, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

If we are commanded to forgive our enemies, how much more should we forgive our brothers and sisters in the Lord that hurt us and sin against us, if they ask for our forgiveness?  Forgiveness is easy to talk about, but very hard to do in many cases and I don’t take this lightly; it is very hard at times depending on the circumstances.  But with the Lord all things are possible!  How could the Lord even ask us to forgive our enemies or our brothers or sisters that sin against us?  It is because He is a forgiving God.  

Remember you were enemies of God at one time, living in sin, totally separated from Him, dead in your sins and trespasses with no possible way to be right with Him.  I know some people think that their good works will make them right with God, but it can never happen.  Read what God’s Word says about this in Romans 3:9-12, “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

None of us deserve God’s forgiveness, but because of His great love for us he chose to provide a way that we can be made right with Him.  Please read what it says in that same chapter in verses 21-26, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

It is only by God’s mercy, love and grace that we can be made right with Him, please read Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”

If God forgave us when we were His enemies, dead in sins and trespasses, by providing a way for us through the death and resurrection of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, when we repent and tell Him we are sorry and ask Him for forgiveness; then when we, who are His children, are asked to forgive, we should always forgive and forgive from the heart.  It is much easier to say we forgive than actually do it but it must be more than just lip service.  Read what Jesus said in Matthew 18:35, “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.”

We need to be careful that we don’t give people just lip service when we say we forgive but that we truly forgive from the heart.  When we forgive, we not only release the offender but it sets us free also.  Something to think about and have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!  Don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord!!