I am so thankful to be a part of our Sunday School class. Although we continue to be in the beginning stages of becoming a close, tight group - still getting to know one another, the learning process has already begun and I'm reveling in the journey. Each Sunday I become more confident that the Lord brought Kelly and I to this class, and we are going to walk together as a group in the faith.
Today we talked about The Discipline of Forgiveness. The class had more people show up than "big" seats available, therefore the people were plenty and the conversation and input was abundant. It was awesome! :)
A quote from our study sheet stated: Christians are not called to be disciplined; we are called to be disciples. And disciples of Jesus do not love the discipline of forgiveness; they love the people they are forgiving.
Through the Biblical readings (Matthew 6:11-15), the stories and experiences we shared, and the facilitating of the topic by Jay, we hashed out our feelings about forgiveness and how we effectively or ineffectively practice the discipline. Jay put our motivation for forgiveness in perspective by saying that it's not about us or the other person. Rather, forgiveness is about our love for God. Because we love God, we're going to do this, we're going to forgive those that wrong us, and humble ourselves to ask for forgiveness when we wrong another. It's not because we have to, or because we're told to, we should forgive because we love the Lord and want to glorify Him.
After some tough, convicting words out of our Sunday School class, we then made our way into the church service where Dr. Frey preached the Word again. Using Matthew 18:21-35 as a reference, Dr. Frey challenged us to forgive those that offend us and keep on forgiving them because Christ has forgiven us for even greater debts.
In Romans 3:10-12, we are reminded that no one does it right, no one is perfect. We all need forgiveness and we all will need to offer others forgiveness. "As it is written, None is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one. No one understands [no one intelligently discerns or comprehends]; no one seeks out God. All have turned aside; together they have gone wrong and have become unprofitable and worthless; no one does right, not even one!"
I'm humbly reminded again today that I am so thankful for the Lord and His Grace, for without it I wouldn't be able to stand. I do not have it right, and rarely do. I am a sinful woman, but I am thankful that I can crawl back to the foot of the cross and be reminded that I am forgiven.
I found myself needing to write what I learned today. More words penetrated my heart than is written here, but I've learned that when I write something down, and take notes of the key points, I am more likely to hold onto that truth... I hope that to be the case today.
9 comments:
I as convicted yet troubled during the sermon. I am wrestling with, "We must forgive as Christ forgave or he will not forgive us." This is a complete re-neg in my opinion. Not that I am trying to get out of forgiving people. It just can't be right.
After reading the passage again, it seems quite clear. Verse 35 says, "This is how my Heavenly Father will treat each of you unless your forgive your brother from the heart." So if I don't forgive unconditionally, I get flogged and thrown in jail? I know I am being to literal but I am really troubled by this.
The beginning of the sermon and the worship songs spoke of asking forgiveness and having them forgiven as far as the east is from the west. If God can re-neg on that and go, "Just kiddin!" then I'm going down hard. How can we be forgiven by Christ's blood, yet still have the possibility of not being forgiven?
I could use some guidance here.
I consulted a couple of thick books from my Crichton days, and the consensus seems to be that Jesus is talking about a daily need for relational forgiveness here, not salvific forgiveness. Jesus is obviously talking to believers here and in the Lord's Prayer. Just as we feel a distance between us and other people when we sin, that same relational distance exists between us and God when we sin. Until we acknowledge it, the relationship just isn't what it should be. I have even heard it said that sometimes God will not let our relationship with him be restored until we forgive others, citing Matthew 18. Interesting.
All of these comments still leave me troubled. Can God really re-neg on forgiveness if we don't keep his commandments; not just on forgiveness but everything as a whole.
This could lead to other things like losing salvation. I understand what Kelly is saying about relational forgiveness, but is there really a difference in God's eyes? Sin is sin. Forgiveness is forgiveness. God didn't come to die for certain sin, but for all sin.
I am very very troubled this morning.
I don't view it as God re-neg. Because of his nature, God simply cannot be near sin. So when we saved people sin, he can't be near it, even if/though he wants to. As long as we have not repented and confessed to God, that sin is still in our hearts, so God can't be. Our confession is enough to restore the relationship because the atonement for that sin has already been given in Jesus. I don't know if that helps at all.
I think it's the chronological order that gets me. The parable seems to say the following:
1- We sin.
2- We ask for forgiveness
3- He grants forgiveness (combining this with the verses that state "as far as the east is from the west".
4- Someone wrongs us
5- We don't forgive them
6- God removes the original forgiveness.
That is a re-neg to me. Now if he just didn't forgive us for not forgiving someone else starting in step 4, then that's one thing. But it appears God goes back to step 3 and wipes it out.
Forgive people and this wont be an issue. If there are things that have been done against us, then forgive that and move on. Stop dwelling on whether or not that person deserves forgiveness, and just do as God does. It may be hard sometimes, but what better way to show someone what God has done for them, than to forgive them for the miniscule thing they have done to you. If they dont see forgiveness here on earth, how in the world can they have faith that they are forgiven by God for their sin? Forgive others and we shall be forgiven. Your struggle here is that you dont think everyone should be forgiven all the time. As soon as we realize that we need to forgive all the time as Christians, then this issue will not be an issue.
Very thought provoking topic. I don’t know about the posts on re-neging forgiveness. I don’t think that God re-negs as much as we have a false sense of forgiveness based on either misunderstanding or false teaching or whatever it may be. Christ said himself that many will do works in His name (which if you are doing so one would presume that that person is working under the assumption that they are forgiven) and He would say to them “Away from me I never knew you.”
Also, to think that Christ’s forgiveness of our sins is based upon our ability to forgive seems to be based on our merit, which goes against grace and to an extent the teachings of the gospel. I believe that once we are forgiven and understand what that means, our ability to give forgiveness and grace ought to outweigh our own sinful tendency to harbor bitterness. However, since we still live in the flesh, this will always be a constant struggle this side of Heaven, and anyone who says otherwise is either far more pious than I or an idiot… - Alex
Micah,
I completely disagree because of exactly what Alex is saying. Because we are human, we struggle with forgiveness. Is can't be a non-issue, because it is. I can't be perfect and forgive everyone. That's why this is scary.
I think it is misguided to assume I don't think people SHOULD be forgiven. I know they should, because God did. The issue is CAN I. Because of my fallen nature, sometimes its hard.
Elian- I am not as well written as I wish I was. I think we are on the same page and I agree with Alex as well. I guess what I should have cleared before is that yes, we are not going to be just as Christ because we are human and sinners. Just like good deeds don't get us into heaven, strictly forgivness to others wont either. It is God's grace only. That said, my comment was to mean that after embracing God's grace and forgivness, then we must act according to the act of forgiving others. It isnt easy alot of the times, but I guess I was emphasising that since we are forgiven for forsaking God through sin, then we can mearly forgive others as well. Again, I agree that we are saved through God's grace and it isnt "taken back" if we do not forgive, but also it is our duty to forgive if there is anything needing forgiveness. Its just a very important part of being one of God's servants. Just like the debtor in the lesson on Sunday. He was forgiven of his debt but then in return demanded his debtors to repay. It just doesnt sound right or fair. So with that, I guess I was just emphasising how important forgiveness is and how not to wrestle with whether we should or must forgive all. Hope that makes since..
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