Introduction
In this section, let us look at the Teaching of the Bible on forgiveness. We all know someone who refused to greet another. What should you do when someone is offended ? How do I learn to forgive? What is forgiveness? Is it necessary to forgive?
Let us start with the foundation: we must know the basis of our forgiveness before God, before we consider how to forgive others.
God is a righteous judge. It demands justice and punishes injustice.
If we are not right before God, we are only waiting for His judgment.
We know that there is another problem: we are not righteous according to Romans 3:10 «depending on whether it is written: There is no righteousness, not even one.”
Even our works of justice are like clothes stained before God.
Isaiah 64:5 “We have all become unclean as (an object), and all our acts of justice are like a polluted garment.”
And one more problem: “the wage of sin is death” (Romans 6.23), that is, eternal separation from God. They will throw all those who are not forgiven by God into the lake of fire.
But there is also good news: The Righteous Judge has provided a solution for our problem of sin. He gives us a means of forgiveness that maintains his righteousness and demonstrate his love. The judge made the judgment on himself. He took our place. But God offers forgiveness only to those who believe in this provision of forgiveness.
How did God pay the salary of our sin?
The basis or foundation of our forgiveness.
- How can I forgive?
- Who should I forgive?
- The need for forgiveness.
1. The basis of our forgiveness: the work of Jesus Christ
Here are the words of the prophets before the birth of Jesus:
Isaiah 53:5 “But he was pierced because of our crimes, crushed because of our faults; the punishment that gives us peace is (fallen) upon him, and it is through his bruises that we are healed. 6 We were all wandering like sheep, each following his own path, and the Lord made the fault of all of us to fall upon him. »
Listen to the word of Jesus himself:
Before his death, he said,
Matthew 26:28 “for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is spread for many, for the forgiveness of sins.”
After his death, he said,
Luke 24:44 “Then he said to them, “That is what I told you when I was still with you, that all that is written of me must be fulfilled in the law of Moses, in the prophets, and in the psalms. 45 Then he opened his mind to them so that they might understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said to them, “So it is written that Christ would suffer, and that he would rise from the dead on the third day, 47, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be preached in his name to all nations, beginning with Jerusalem. “
The apostles’ conclusion:
Hebrews 9.22 “without bloodshed there is no forgiveness.”
Acts 10:43 “All prophets give him the testimony that anyone who believes in him receives by his name the forgiveness of sins.”
Colossians 1:14 “in whom (Christ) we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Ephesians 1:7 “In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the richness of his grace.”
- We have a burden; it must be removed.
- We have a stain; It must be washed.
- We have debt; we must pay for it.
- We have a mountain; it must be removed.
The greatest mark of life in Christ is its remedy, its solution to sin. It is the glory and excellence of the gospel.
- Yes, your sin is a burden, but in Christ, it is removed.
- Yes, your sin stains you, but Christ has washed you with his precious blood.
- Yes, your sin is a great debt, but Christ paid the total salary of your sins.
- Yes, your sin is a mountain between you and God, but Christ has removed this mountain, and now you have access to God.
If Christ did all this for you, how many of you should forgive others, too?
2. How to forgive
You cannot forgive others if you have not understood God’s forgiveness for you.
(1) Knowing God’s Forgiveness
Ephesians 4:32 “Be good to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, as God forgave you in Christ.”. »
When we see what God has done for us, we can see what needs to be done to others. We must forgive others because God has forgiven us. Let us look at how God forgave us.
When God forgives us, he gives us a promise of his forgiveness. So forgiveness is a promise.
Isaiah 43.25 “It is I who erases your crimes for the love of me, and I will no longer remember your sins. (see also Jeremiah 31.34). »
Explanation: How can God forget our sins? No, He never forgets, but He may not remember. He may decide not to raise our sins against us in the future. Similarly, when we forgive, it is a promise not to raise a sin to someone in the future. We can bury their sin and no longer talk about it and not use it against it. It is a decision. You may decide not to raise someone’s sin against him. This is forgiveness: a promise to the one who has offended you not to raise this sin again to use it against him.
(2) Go alone to the one who offended you
Matthew 18.15 “If your brother has sinned, go and take it back between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you’ve won your brother. »
Luke 17.3 “Beware of yourself. If your brother has sinned, take it back, and if he repents, forgive him. »
When you go, you must give your brother an opportunity to explain what happened. Maybe it is just something misunderstanding. Many people do not talk to each other because they have misunderstood a situation that has happened to them. If it is not a misunderstood or a mistake, encourages his repentance, the recognition of his fault. You do not have to forgive someone who does not seek forgiveness or accept his fault. If he does not listen to you, he must follow the advice of Jesus in Matthew 18:15-17. You must take someone else with you and confront them again. The one who is with you and there to determine the problem and confirm that the other has sinned. If he refuses to listen to them, it is the leaders of the church who also come seeking his repentance.
(3) Go to the one who was offended by you
Matthew 5.23 “If you present your offering at the altar, and there you remember your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering before the altar, and go first to reconcile with your brother, and then come and present your offering.”
Both recommendations are important: you must go and the other should go. Ideally, you must meet on the way.
You must go, because your brother might not understand that his actions offended you or by what he said. Maybe we misunderstood.
Is there anyone you refused to forgive?
Is there anyone who offended you, but you did not take the time to look for him? Start by asking God to forgive you for your refusal to reconcile.
When you say, “I forgive you,” it is a promise not to remember his sins. Sin is buried. God does not raise our sins that are forgiven, nor should we. We promise not to use their sin against them as soon as we forgive.
3. Whom should I forgive? You must forgive those who ask for forgiveness.
Matt 18.22 “Jesus said to him, “I do not tell you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven times.”
How do you do that? Think of how many sins Christ has forgiven you.
Read Jesus’ example of two debtors (Matt 18.21-35)
The key to this example is in verses 32-33: “Then the master called this servant, and said to him, “Bad servant, I had given you your full debt, because you had begged me; 33 Shouldn’t you also have pity on your companion, as I have pitied you? »
We must never forget God’s forgiveness for you. From the basis of this forgiveness, you will be able to forgive others.
God forgives us all our sins; we must also forgive others.
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all injustice.”
4. The need for forgiveness: Forgiveness is a requirement, not an option.
What does God say about those who refuse to forgive?
(1) If you refuse to forgive, God refuses to forgive you!
Matthew 6:14 “If you forgive men for their sins, your Heavenly Father will forgive you too, 15 but if you do not forgive men, your Father will not forgive you for your sins either.”
(2) If you refuse to forgive, you have not understood God’s forgiveness.
Look again at the example of two debtors (Matthew 18.21-35).
(3) If you refuse to forgive, you are disobedient to God.
Colossians 3.12-13 “So, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, take on feelings of compassion, goodness, humility, gentleness, patience. Support each other, and, if one has about to complain about the other, forgive each other. Just as Christ forgave you, forgive yourself, too. »
Do you know the forgiveness of your sins? Think of all that God has forgiven you. If you are in Christ, all your sins are forgiven. Also, think about how God forgave you. It is not through your works, your prayers, or your way of repenting. The grace of God forgives you through the precious blood of Christ.
Conclusion:
Do not delay, if you have offended someone, go to them and ask for forgiveness. If someone offended you, also go to them and tell them what is in your heart. Do not go for insignificant faults (Proverbs 17.9; 1 Peter 4.8), leave if you are offended, that is, the sin of the other has troubled you to the point where you keep thinking about it. May the Lord give you the heart to forgive others as He has forgiven you.
If your sins are not forgiven by God, seek his forgiveness now. God desires your repentance and gives the promise of his forgiveness to all who invoke it.
Isaiah 1:18 “Come and plead!” said the LORD. If your sins are like crimson, they will become white as snow; If they are red like purple, they will become like wool. »
Psalms 130:4 “But forgiveness is with you, so that you may be feared.”
Matthew 6:12 “forgive us our trespasses, as we too forgive those who have offended us”