This one is great. I visited a church last year and everything was going great- the worship music rocked! Then the pastor came up and delivered a sermon of God's conditional love for us. Forgive others or God won't forgive you...if you don't forgive you are out of fellowship with God. The oxygen left the room. Did you ever sit in a sermon just to be nice? I so badly wanted to stand up a scream out "God's love is unconditional!" It is out of his unconditional love towards us that we can move into true, freeing forgiveness towards others. Forgiven from God means it is done- finished for Him.
Having gone through horrific abuse for many years by an ex-spouse, I have had some well-meaning Christians counsel me that "I am not quite sure you have truly forgiven' when I have spoken truth and maintained healthy boundaries. He has never repented. Then I would be hit with the lie that I was now "not forgiven by God." I physically deal with the pain of that abuse continually. It is only by the grace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, that I have forgiven but it has been a process. Keeping my focus on Christ's love towards me- no matter how I might sin- is so refreshing. I find myself even loving those who, by their words, have added additional hurt. Additionally, trying to measure "how well" I have forgiven is futile.
@jeanette, in addition to what you've said, ppl should recognize that the bible never calls on us to forgive unrepentant sinners. nowhere does god offer forgiveness and remission of sins for the unrepentant sinner. we must confess our sins, then he forgives them...true forgiveness is a dialogue, not a monologue.
I respectfully disagree with DKC. Unforgiveness is poison to us. When Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them" from the cross, nobody there was repentant. We forgive because we have been forgiven by God. Jeanette - I do believe that, while it brings healing to forgive offenders, that doesn't mean we are to allow them to abuse us. We can forgive and still stand firm in order not to be abused again.
Brandon - Jesus spoke those words before the cross. After the cross, all the verses in the NT that speak to the matter of forgiving others teach that we forgive *as we have been forgiven.* Under the New Covenant, things are different than they were under the Old. The New Covenant began upon the death of Jesus. His public ministry was speaking to those still under the Old.
This one is great. I visited a church last year and everything was going great- the worship music rocked! Then the pastor came up and delivered a sermon of God's conditional love for us. Forgive others or God won't forgive you...if you don't forgive you are out of fellowship with God. The oxygen left the room. Did you ever sit in a sermon just to be nice? I so badly wanted to stand up a scream out "God's love is unconditional!" It is out of his unconditional love towards us that we can move into true, freeing forgiveness towards others. Forgiven from God means it is done- finished for Him.
ReplyDeleteHaving gone through horrific abuse for many years by an ex-spouse, I have had some well-meaning Christians counsel me that "I am not quite sure you have truly forgiven' when I have spoken truth and maintained healthy boundaries. He has never repented. Then I would be hit with the lie that I was now "not forgiven by God." I physically deal with the pain of that abuse continually. It is only by the grace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, that I have forgiven but it has been a process. Keeping my focus on Christ's love towards me- no matter how I might sin- is so refreshing. I find myself even loving those who, by their words, have added additional hurt. Additionally, trying to measure "how well" I have forgiven is futile.
ReplyDelete@jeanette, in addition to what you've said, ppl should recognize that the bible never calls on us to forgive unrepentant sinners. nowhere does god offer forgiveness and remission of sins for the unrepentant sinner. we must confess our sins, then he forgives them...true forgiveness is a dialogue, not a monologue.
ReplyDeleteI respectfully disagree with DKC. Unforgiveness is poison to us. When Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them" from the cross, nobody there was repentant.
ReplyDeleteWe forgive because we have been forgiven by God.
Jeanette - I do believe that, while it brings healing to forgive offenders, that doesn't mean we are to allow them to abuse us. We can forgive and still stand firm in order not to be abused again.
What about matt 6: 15 ? If we don't forgive others, God won't forgive us. Because how we treat others if how we treat God.
ReplyDeleteBrandon - Jesus spoke those words before the cross. After the cross, all the verses in the NT that speak to the matter of forgiving others teach that we forgive *as we have been forgiven.* Under the New Covenant, things are different than they were under the Old. The New Covenant began upon the death of Jesus. His public ministry was speaking to those still under the Old.
ReplyDelete