Colossians 3:12-14; Luke 7:40-50 – Forgiveness
When Peter asked the Lord Jesus Christ how many times he should forgive his brother he was told that forgiveness was to be without limit, ‘seventy times seven’. Matthew 18:21,22. This should not be surprising for forgiveness is at the very heart of the Christian faith. It is precisely because God forgives his people in the Lord Jesus Christ, that sinful men and women can have any hope for heaven. Just as the Lord has forgiven us so we are to forgive those who offend us v.13.
The heart of compassion must be accompanied by a heart of forgiveness. Not only is the Christian not to react to provocation, he is to be willing to wipe the offenses from his mind. The apostle Paul highlights three aspects of the forgiveness that is necessary.
1. There is to be a tolerance of the weakness of others. It is sometimes hard to put up with people who annoy us or who ‘rub us up’ the wrong way, and yet this is what we are required to do. If we remember that perhaps our personality or attitudes annoy other people, we would be more likely to ‘bear with one another’.
2. How often do Christians say, ‘I could never forgive him/her for that’? It may be that somebody has deeply hurt us or offended us, and yet the Scripture here tells us that ‘whatever grievances’ are to be forgiven. Forgiveness can never be partial or half-hearted.
3. Just as Christ has forgiven us, so must we forgive others. When Jesus was teaching his disciples to pray he said ‘forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors’. The forgiveness that we receive from God is full and free; all the sins of God’s people have been ‘cast into the depths of the sea’ Micah 7:19, and as He has dealt with us, so we must deal with others.
Questions
- If there is unforgiven resentment against anyone, how can you put it right?
Prayer Points
- Pray that you would have a forgiving heart.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.