Forgive as you have been forgiven

Report after report about the hurts and needs of individuals in our culture point to the need today for forgiveness, reconciliation, and connection between people. The crisis of loneliness cries out for a Savior who alone can make things right between God and man, and man to man. Forgiveness, as shared this morning, comes at a cost to the offended, but it also comes with fulfilling our created purpose of community with one another than glorifies God.
The act of harboring an unforgiving spirit poisons not only that relationship, but results in a root of bitterness that grows and infects surrounding relationships. It cuts us off, makes us unapproachable, short-fused, angry, walled in by our unwillingness to forgive. Hebrews 12:14-15 gives us wonderful instructions: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord; looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”

Forgiveness frees not only the offender of their wrongness towards us, but it also frees us. I read an article last week by Chuck Lawless that listed ten ways forgiveness helps us. Read through these and be encouraged that though the cost can be high to forgive, the dividends are tremendous (apart from bringing glory to the Lord and building Christlikeness into our lives):

1. We experience and extend the love of God. God is a forgiving God, compassionate and slow to anger (Ps. 86:15). When we forgive as He has forgiven us (Col. 1:13), we reflect His heart.
2. We stand up for righteousness. That’s because forgiving someone doesn’t mean that you approve whatever happened; rather, forgiveness means we “consciously choose to let God be the one who determines the appropriate course of action in dealing justly with the offending person.” We don’t ignore the sin when we forgive.
3. We welcome the Holy Spirit’s continuing process of conforming us to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). To forgive is to be like Jesus, and forgiving others is evidence of our ongoing sanctification.
4. We break one of the enemy’s holds on our lives. Satan and his forces want us to be angry, bitter, unforgiving, seeking revenge. When we do forgive, though, we dislodge him in our lives.
5. We experience the heart freedom of grace. Frankly, it’s painful and consuming to hang on to heartache. On the other hand, there’s nothing quite like the freedom and joy we experience when we release yesterday’s pain.
6. We let go of one idol in our lives. If we choose to hold on to unforgiveness when the Bible calls us to forgive (Luke 11:4, Col. 3:13), we’re walking in disobedience. Choosing to hold on to our anger is idolatry.
7. We open the door to God’s forgiveness. Jesus is clear that if we don’t forgive others, our own relationship with God is hindered (Matt. 6:14-15). Thus, our granting forgiveness is not only a mark of God’s love in us, but it’s also a means to experience God’s grace.
8. We pray more effectively. Jesus cautioned us to deal with forgiving others as we pray (Mark 11:25), and it’s right to recognize that broken relationships hinder our prayers.
9. We witness to the world. Few things show the transforming power of the Gospel like forgiving an enemy does. Folks can’t understand a love that genuinely forgives.
10. We sleep better. At least I do. Other things may keep me awake, but it won’t be my bitterness toward others and my own disobedience toward God.

Lastly, if you need help in taking the step to approach, to forgive, please reach out to me or an elder of our church in obeying Christ to forgive as you have been forgiven.

Pressing on…

Ron Tipton, Senior Pastor