Nuff said, yet…why do we still hold on to it?
We sometimes wonder, does God forgive all sins, or do we really live like ONLY God forgives, or do we like like God forgives, but I don’t.
Deep down, we know the truth of that, and I would bet my house that no one believes we are to only forgive someone 490 times;
But this scripture does give some people the impression that there may be a limit to how much they ‘have’ to forgive.
☆ Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
• Matthew 18:21-22
We know the statement Jesus made was more satirical or ironic as to the endless bounds we have in our faith to act with a heart of forgiveness.
They knew that then, just as we do now, that Jesus is not asking, but HE is TELLING us to not have any limits to our forgiveness.
Plus, HE does that many times!
☆If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withold your shirt from them.
• Luke 6:29
☆ And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
• Mark 11:25
I could go on and on.
But we know what this means…
This means we must be thinking of others besides ourselves.
But even worse than that;
We need to think of others MORE than ourselves!
For us to forgive, means for us to relinquish our
• Need to be right,
• Need to be justified
• Need to make a point
• Need for us to defend ourselves
Because,
– Even if we were right
– Even if we were unjustly treated
– Even if we could prove our point
– Even if we could easily defend our position;
That would only be us thinking about ourselves first, and not having room in our heart to be compassionate to forgive and let go.
But we must.
We must replicate our Father, who when HE was,
• Right (But wrongly persecuted)
• Justified (But relinquished His power)
• Truthful (But didn’t need to argue HIS point)
• Violently Attacked (But didn’t need to defend Himself)
His very first words from the cross were;
☆ “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
• Luke 23:34
Well, I say ‘forgive them even if they DO know what they do.’
For if we asking God for forgiveness, we must show the same for those who are asking for forgiveness from us as well.
I love you guys!
