Forgiveness must come from the heart!
If your brother trespasses against you
and you chose to forgive him with resentment it isn’t true forgiveness. Imagine
if the Lord Jesus had bitterness to a lost world, blinded by their sin and then
He chose to forgive with resentment. How would that resemble true love? It
wouldn’t! There would always be a nagging indictment attached to it. The one
forgiven would always be in debt, which in itself is conditional forgiveness. This
epitomizes the human heart; it only ever forgives on condition. We cannot avoid
this reaction as we are sinful creatures; it is part of our character. Test
your own hearts and then decide if what I say carries any weight?
This is what true forgiveness looks
like; "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) - Once forgiven there would be no debt attached to
that truth. God has such a gracious heart that when forgiveness is devoted to
His mercy, His perfect love becomes our amazing reality! We are freed from any
form of guilt and only true forgiveness can carry such power. Forgive someone
of a debt but continue to remind them at every turn and what do you have? A
recipe for disaster! God’s forgiveness removes
our sin from our guilty consciences, and He does it in this fashion; He removes
our sin “as far as the east is from the west, remembering them no more.” He has
the ability to forgive and forget, WOW!
Consider your life, examine it and
find some event in your life that repulses you and consider that becoming
public knowledge. How would you feel about having one of you weakest moments
exposed for all to see. Those who once held you in high regard now losing all
respect for you. If I am honest, which I shall be, I have moments in my life
that repulse me and yet I know that God has forgiven me for all my sins. What
an amazing relief! To be forgiven for something that I have done and not been
charged for it and yet someone had to pay for my sin, this is a requirement for
a perfect God. The Lord Jesus paid for my folly! That seems very unfair and yet
it is the reality of all things considered. WOW!
What I find even more amazing is that
God hasn’t only forgiven me for my transgression, but was willing to forgive me
for such hideous actions. That blows my mind! Regardless of you sin God is
willing to forgive you if you call out to Him, seeking His forgiveness. Why
would he offer such a pardon? Like A.W.Tozer so accurately breaks it down for
us in His book “The attributes of God”; God is perfect and because He is
perfect, even His grace is perfect and therefore God has a measure of perfect grace
that He has offered to all of mankind. Part of His character oozes mercy and
grace. But in the same breath He is also perfect in justice and wrath. Reject His
mercy at your own peril! For all who discard His mercy will be on the receiving
end of His wrath!
I am pleased with my considerations this
morning and I hope they will give you food for thought. The beauty of
approaching such a magnificent God, who cannot lie, has declared that whosoever
comes to the Lord will be received. So Come! Cry out unto Him for He cares for
you, He, may be the only one who does. Nothing more will ever be needed in any
individuals life because He is the finally authority on all things. Let that
reality resonate deep within your heart.
Signing off
Tyrone.
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