FORGIVENESS – A MANDATE
May 16th, 2012 by Glen CumminsForgiveness is the main need in most churches. As a follower of Christ, Peter asked Jesus, “How many times do I need to forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy seven times.” Matt. 18: 21-22. We normally like to go to Matthew 18: 15-17 and handle church conflict that way instead of forgiving.
When we think about being a servant, think about the cross. It will help you remember the two dimensions. There is a vertical beam and there is a horizontal beam. In the vertical beam, it is my relationship to my Lord. In the horizontal beam, it is my relationship with others in the family of God. As the servant stands before God two things are true in his attitude as well as in his actions. First, all power come from God. Whatever God allows me to do as an individual on earth I admit openly He gave me the power, He gave me the grace, He gave me the gifts. He gave me the energy. All power is from God. Second, all praise goes back to God. Whatever God allows me to do, whatever impact He makes through my life, He gets the credit for it. He gets the praise – under the control of the Holy Spirit, power and praise come pulsating out of the life as a servant.
But when it comes to the horizontal, it gets sticky. As someone wrote, “To dwell above with the saints we live, oh that will be glory, but to live below with the saints we know, well, that’s another story.” Our problem is down here, horizontally, with one another, and therein is the greatest test of servanthood in all of life. My greatest battles really are not with God. Christ settled those battles. My great battles are with my fellow men and women in church.
At first, we may find comfort in bitterness, but after a time we become slaves to it. Satan renders us powerless and keeps us from experiencing the peace and healing that comes through Jesus Christ’s unfailing love. Yet when we choose to forgive and trust Jesus as victor over our circumstances, the chains are broken, freeing us to live out all that Christ intends for us.
Crystal Woodman Miller survived the massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, CO. in 1999. Crystal was in the library where most of the violence was created that day. For seven minutes Crystal listened to two boys gun down her friends and classmates. For seven minutes, Crystal waited to die and silently prayed to recommit her life to Jesus. In seven minutes, Crystal changed forever.
She left wishing she had died so she wouldn’t have to face the overwhelming suffering and deal with the barrage of emotions she felt. Forgiving the boys was inconceivable. She felt that offering forgiveness would not only be condoning their actions but would somehow dishonor the lives that were lost. Yet, she continued to press into Jesus, her Hope-Giver, and began to experience His unfailing love and gain a deeper understanding of His unmerited grace, and saw transformation begin. Suddenly, the truth of the Gospel was illuminated in a fresh way to her weary heart. For the first time, she recognized that not only was she saved, but forgiven.
She was a mess apart from Christ. “I am a wretched sinner who constantly fails and misses the mark.” But Romans 5:8 tells her, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Despite her sin, He loved her enough to forgive her and wash that sin away. She deserved death and punishment. Sin is sin, and if hatred is present in my heart, she is no difference from a cold-blooded killer. She needed forgiveness as much as anyone else does. Forgiveness was freely given to her, not because she deserved it, but because of the unbiased love and grace of Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross by His blood. She still is striving to walk with Jesus and be more and more like Him every day, and then it is imperative that she forgives other as He has forgiven Crystal and me. (Eph. 4:32)
FORGIVENESS IS NOT AN OPTION – IT IS A MANDATE! Colossians 13:3 Matthew 6:14
