REAL FORGIVENESS

February 6th, 2012 | By admin

By Kevin Williams

Forgiveness is a biblical doctrine with which we are all familiar. We understand that we need forgiveness when we sin. We know that Jesus is the One Who provided the only means by which we can be forgiven, His blood that was shed on the Cross. And, we are fully aware that we receive full pardon from our sins when we contact His blood in our obedience to Him. What a feeling to be forgiven!

Forgiveness is not only desired from God, but also from those against whom we sin. We will go to great lengths at times to make sure that people know how sorry we are for offending them. We might go great distances, stop what we are presently doing and immediately take action, ask several times for forgiveness, and possibly spend much of the rest of our lives trying to “make up” for what we have done, out of a sense of deep guilt, because we feel so bad about our actions.

Forgiveness is not only desired from God and those whom we offend, it is also to be extended by us to others when they sin against us. Many times this is
where Satan catches us. He tempts us to NOT forgive others because we were so hurt by the offense, or because of our pride, or because we focus on the
betrayal of our trust in them, or for a host of other reasons. What does real forgiveness look like?

♥ Like an action from the heart because we have really forgiven from the heart
♥ Like we are not holding a grudge because we have really decided that we would treat others as if they had never offended us
♥ Like we are sympathetic because we really do understand that each of us
sins and how bad our sin makes us feel
♥ Like we are friends because we really do value our relationship as brothers and sisters in Christ too much to let inappropriate feelings hinder us
♥ Like God’s forgiveness of us because we know that He forgives us out of His great love for us and we really want to be like Him

Now, that’s real forgiveness!

Kevin Williams is the minister of the Walnut Grove Church of Christ in Benton, KY.