Here is a thought that I have been pondering and I would like to pose it in a question for you: “Do you withhold grace and forgiveness because you’ve been hurt by others or/and because of who they are?” Let me see if I can explain using myself as an example. (I’m less likely to get into trouble that way) I have been hurt by church members over the years and I withheld forgiveness because I felt justified in my anger towards them because of what they did to me. I withheld grace and forgiveness because of who they were. They hurt me so in turn I did not like them or care for them. I had an “air of superiority” about me, I was drowning in arrogance. My inner Pharisee was showing and he was shouting “Thou shalt not forgive!”.
Then God’s Word convicted me of my sin. Some of you need to read that again.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”. -Colossians 3:12 - 14, NIV 1984
Ugh… really God? C’mon now, let’s be real about it. That’s how we feel about forgiving others and extending grace. We treat God’s commands as suggestions. We get like the liberal/progressive “Christians” (I put Christian in air quotes because there is no such thing as a liberal/progressive Christian) and say things like “Well, God didn’t really mean it that way!” or “Well, that scripture is outdated and does not apply to the church today.”. Yeah, we get like that when we don’t want to obey God.
I am called to forgive as Christ forgave me. That is hard when you have been badly hurt. Trust me, I know. But when I think about the depths of my own depravity and realize that without Christ I’m doomed to hell then the “forgive as Christ forgave you” takes on a whole new meaning. If I deny someone grace and forgiveness then what Jesus am I portraying to the world?
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” -Jesus, John 13:34 - 35. NIV 1984
Did you catch that? “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” A mark of the believer is love, love for one another. You cannot have love without forgiveness. They go hand in hand.
Honestly pastors, we could preach on just two topics for the rest of our lives. Alternate them every other Sunday: Justification by faith and forgiving one another. Why? Because we seem to have amnesia Monday through Saturday on these two biblical truths.
I will close with the singular verse of Scripture that really convicted me of my “hypocritical love”.
“If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot loved God, whom he has not seen.” -1st John 4:20 NIV 1984
A take away for me as the Holy Spirit convicted me: Scott, you are a liar. Repent and love your brothers and your sisters.
So how about you? Are you a liar?
Love. Forgive.