- If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:14-15)
How important is forgiveness?
Over the weekend, I have been reflecting on Matthew 18: 21-35. Great parable which I won't add to my post but please read when you have a chance. I haven't been able to get it out of my head.
In life, there will be people who cross your path--some close to you and some not--who will hurt you. Either intentionally or unintentionally, they will attack your very being. Perhaps they don't like the color of your skin or your faith. Maybe they don't agree with your convictions. Or maybe they're a family member who's been holding a grudge for oh so many years and lashes out at you.
And then you get hurt.
And you hold on to that hurt and let it fester inside of you. It starts to control you and soon, when you see that person who hurt you, you lash back at them to "even the score."
Is that what we should do? Is that what God wants?
No.
God wants us to forgive--the way He forgave us. We put Him on a cross and nailed Him to it. The Jews didn't kill Jesus. We did. All the sinners who have ever walked on this planet. Every person who has ever said, "Thanks God for the advice but I'm doing it my way." With every sin we commit, we pound that nail into His flesh harder and harder. With every sin, we make Him scream louder and louder in agony.
And yet, He still forgives the penitent.
When someone hurt us, I can assure you, we don't feel the same pain that Jesus did on the cross. Forgive them as He forgives us. Don't dwell on the pain and the hurt. Don't let it control your life.
As Christ acknowledged His pain while hanging naked on a cross to die, we too must acknowledge our pain when someone hurts us for we cannot forgive without acknowledging that we've been hurt. Take the pain and the hurt and nail it to the cross and forgive whoever it is who hurt you.
What if we don't? What if we let it fester inside us? What if we let it eat away at our soul?
How important is forgiveness?
Our salvation depends on it.
7 comments:
good post theden,
Forgiveness is vital, its the oly way for us to get to heaven, through His forgiveness of us. The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant is a brilliant parable and one I have been thinking about lately too.
Notice how forgiveness and confession go hand in hand. Not to say that we can't or shouldn't forgive someone who hasn't confessed of wrong and apologised but that they are both vitally important.
"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years."
- James 5:15-17
I believe this passage is talking both about physical and spiritual healing.
Hey MDM,
Thank you very much for the comment.
It's interesting that you mention confession and that passage as that's one of the passages that the Catholic Church uses to show how the sacrament of confession works. (I'm not saying that you as a Protestant need to do this...just saying that it's the Catholic argument.)
I know that you will be investigating the claims about the Catholic Church that were made on your web site. I am not going to give you any sites that defend my position (the way that Mike Pendleton gave you the ones that defend his position.)
One of us is right. Either the Catholic Church is wicked and evil...or it's not. One of us is speaking the truth and one of us is misinformed.
I am going to trust that God will lead you in your research. Please, ask Him for His help.
And then trust Him.
God bless you.
Dennis
theden,
if the Catholic church was correct in all its doctorine then there would have been no need for the reformation.
Just as you hold to the teachings of the Catholic Church to be true, I hold that the 5 points of the Refomation are true.
1-“Sola Scriptura”: Scripture Alone.
2—“Sola Gratia”: Salvation by grace alone.
3—“Sola Fide”: Salvation through Faith Alone.
4—“Solus Christus”: In Christ Alone.
5—“Soli Deo Gloria: For the Glory of God Alone.
I do not know where exactly the differences lie in the above points but there must be some as they are the 5 points which caused the break away from Catholocism.
Where I deffer from Puritan Belief and Michael though is I do not see that the Catholic Church is in oposition to Christianity. I do not believe that there are no born again Christians who are also Catholics. Where I especially differ from Puritan Belief is that I do not believe that being Catholic makes you wicked.
All people are in the same need of God's saving Grace, Without it we are all in the same boat and headed for destruction. I also do not pretend to have all my theological understandings down pact, the purpose of my begging to blog was to learn more about Him through studying and discussing His word.
I hope you will contine to vist me at Modern Day Magi as I will continue to visit you here. I know we will not agree on some things but I do believe that we have in common the desire to "seek first the kingdom of God" and then the rest will be added to us.
God bless
MDM
Good thoughts, Dennis.
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Please forgive him or her who says "Forgive those..." and
in the Lord's Prayer for Heaven's sake. I know He didn't speak the Kings English but King James' authors got it right.
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