"Forgiveness"

“Forgiveness”

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your Heavenly Father will forgive you.  But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”     Matthew 6:14-15



FORGIVENESS: The act of CEASING to feel resentment against another.



FORGIVENESS is a very intricate attribute. It is intertwined with LOVE, MERCY and GRACE for all that are in need of it.  God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only son, so that ANYONE who believes in Him, and is WILLING to FOLLOW Him, would be FORGIVEN of their sins and have ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.   FORGIVENESS is in the HEART of God, and it is one of the CHARACTERISTICS that we as the CHILDREN of God MUST POSSESS and PRACTICE, in order to be CHRIST-LIKE.



FORGIVENESS, can sometimes be very difficult for MANKIND to put into practice.  The KEY here is:  If one CANNOT or DOES NOT FORGIVE others, who may have WRONGED them, this might be an indication that they have NOT TRULY been a RECIPIENT of GOD’S FORGIVENESS.  Remember, Jesus, after being HUMILIATED, BEATEN to a BLOODY PULP, and CRUCIFIED, asked His HEAVENLY FATHER to FORGIVE THEM, for they KNOW NOT what they do.  And if you are a TRUE CHRISTIAN, meaning to be CHRIST-LIKE, you too, MUST have a FORGIVING SPIRIT.



The TRUE BELIEVER, must POSSESS POSITIVE RELATIONAL ATTRIBUTES towards others, even when they have WRONGED you.  Being LOVED by God, we too are to LOVE each other, with a GODLY LOVE, because “He has given us this command:  Anyone who LOVES GOD MUST also love their brother and sister.” (1 John 4:21) In order to POSSESS FORGIVENESS, we MUST LOVE one another. 



Along with FORGIVENESS is FORGETTING.  I’ve heard a lot of people say, that they might be able to FORGIVE, but they can NOT FORGET.  The Apostle Paul told the BELIEVERS in Philippi, this: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of my goal.  But one thing I do:  FORGETTING what is BEHIND and STRAINING toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to WIN the PRIZE for which God has called me heavenward in CHRIST JESUS.  (Philippians 3:13) If you claim to FORGIVE, but you aren’t WILLING to FORGET, then you REALLY haven’t FORGAVE, because you are DIGGING up what you were suppose to FORGIVE.  In order to RECEIVE GOD’S FORGIVENESS, you MUST BE WILLING to FORGET also, and like Paul PRESS ON TOWARDS the PRIZE GOD has CALLED you to.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you have NOT been FORGIVEN, but are DESTINED for an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPING, after you are there.  In order to RECEIVE God’s FORGIVENESS and to CHANGE your DESTINY to an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, you MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become a RECEIPTANT of God’s FORGIVENESS, and FORGIVE and FORGET.  Do this NOW, while you still can.   He’s waiting and COMING SOON!!!