Need Forgiveness
Need Forgiveness
1…let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
2For You Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on You.
God would never have made provision for forgiveness if there wasn’t a need for it. Even as Christians we are in constant need of forgiveness. 3The spirit will continually be warring against the flesh. When I’m strong in the Spirit my spirit wins and I don’t sin. And when I’m weak in the Spirit my flesh wins and I sin. 4The Bible says sin has pleasure for a season. We wouldn’t sin if there was no pleasure in it. But what happens when that season is over? God’s judgment! Yet, God is always ready to forgive us. 5In the Bible story of the prodigal son, the son has left home with his inheritance to live sinfully. He runs out of money and now is eating with pigs. (That’s us living in sin). He decides to go back home to seek forgiveness from his father, (That’s us going to God). The Bible says when the father sees the son “yet a far off” he rushes to the son to receive, embrace, and forgive him. What a picture! God anxious, running to, and always ready to forgive us. We should be the same toward others who have sinned against us. And they should be ready to forgive us when we are in need of their forgiveness.
When we have sinned against someone, we should humbly and sincerely go to them to apologize. I have a friend who hurt someone very deeply with her words. She went and apologized and asked for forgiveness and that person “said” that she was forgiven. But, that person did not forgive and has been spreading gossip and lies ever since! What do we do in such case? First off, we forgive them. And second, we continue to pray for them. We are now clean before God. The blood of unforgiveness is on their own hands. Forgiveness is a two-way street. 6I heard a Bible teacher say that the one who apologizes first, is actually the more spiritual. Touché.
God loves holiness and obedience. Unfortunately, our flesh does not. The next best thing to obedience that God has created for us is reconciliation. What a beautiful plan for such an ugly and disloyal people. But that’s our God!
7“But all things are of God; who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation…” As Christians we have a ministry of reconciliation to God and to others.
Matthew 5:23-24 deals with two Christians:
“Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and then remember that your 8brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” God always puts the responsibility on us to go to the other person to make things right. They likewise should be feeling that same way towards us. We should be bumping into each other, in a rush to reconcile. But sadly, that is not usually the case. Luke 17:3 says, “so watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.” We must be led by the Holy Spirit when to rebuke and when not to rebuke. It would be very easy for grace to fall back under the law and an “eye for an eye.” Human nature says, “I have been wronged and you should apologize to me.” There is a satisfaction in the flesh to rebuke the one in the wrong! And yet, 9Jesus a lamb dumb before His shearers, said not a word.
10“Who, when He (Jesus) was cursed, didn’t curse back. When He suffered, didn’t threaten but committed Himself to Him (God) who judges righteously….”
We must listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit case by case and not be in such a rush to rebuke. So, let us practice the ministry of reconciliation while there is still time!
6 Joyce Meyer – Enjoying Everyday Life