For "give"
I actually wanted to post this post on Thursday, but tiredness overcame. So, I'm writing it today. I have this little book entitled "The Passion of Jesus Christ" and happened to flip it open to the chapter entitled "For the Forgiveness of Our Sins". There were some good points, ones that I must write!
"When we forgive a debt or an offense or an injury, we don't require a payments for settlement. That would be the opposite of forgiveness. If repayment is made to us for what we lost, there is no need for forgiveness. We have our due.
Forgiveness assumes grace. If I am injured by you, grace lets it go. I don't sue you. I forgive you. Grace gives what someone doesn't deserve. That's why forgiveness has the word give in it. Forgiveness is not "getting" even. It is giving away the right to get even.
...with God's justice. All sin is serious, b/c it's against God. He is the one whose glory is injured when we ignore or disobey or blaspheme him. His justice will no more allow him simply to set us free than a human judge can cancel all the debts that criminals owe to society. The injury done to God's glory by our sin must be repaired so that in justice his glory shines more brightly. And if we criminals are to go free and be forgiven, there must be some dramatic demonstration that the honor of God is upheld even though former blasphemers are being set free.
That is why Christ suffered and died. 'In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses'. Forgiveness costs us nothing. All our costly obedience is the fruit, not the root, of being forgiven. That's why we call it grace. But it cost Jesus His life. That is why we call it just. Oh, how precious is the news that God does not hold our sins against us! And how beautiful is Christ, whose blood made it right for God to do this.
"When we forgive a debt or an offense or an injury, we don't require a payments for settlement. That would be the opposite of forgiveness. If repayment is made to us for what we lost, there is no need for forgiveness. We have our due.
Forgiveness assumes grace. If I am injured by you, grace lets it go. I don't sue you. I forgive you. Grace gives what someone doesn't deserve. That's why forgiveness has the word give in it. Forgiveness is not "getting" even. It is giving away the right to get even.
...with God's justice. All sin is serious, b/c it's against God. He is the one whose glory is injured when we ignore or disobey or blaspheme him. His justice will no more allow him simply to set us free than a human judge can cancel all the debts that criminals owe to society. The injury done to God's glory by our sin must be repaired so that in justice his glory shines more brightly. And if we criminals are to go free and be forgiven, there must be some dramatic demonstration that the honor of God is upheld even though former blasphemers are being set free.
That is why Christ suffered and died. 'In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses'. Forgiveness costs us nothing. All our costly obedience is the fruit, not the root, of being forgiven. That's why we call it grace. But it cost Jesus His life. That is why we call it just. Oh, how precious is the news that God does not hold our sins against us! And how beautiful is Christ, whose blood made it right for God to do this.
posted by Lynnster at 8:23 PM
1 Comments:
Great posting, Lynn!
Right this moment, I'm not feeling very forgiving! I have a sister-in-law who has lost control of herself, her children, and her self respect. While she acts completely ignorant to the fact, she intentionally tries to throw abuse towards me & my other sister-in-law. This has been going on since the moment I've met her. I've forgiven her every time, and have prayed that God's Will be done in her life. But I still feel as if I've been drug over sand paper. I have stated to the whole family that I want nothing to do with her, and yet...
Grace. I pray that I am able to move past the hurt. I don't have contact with her, so I fail to understand the whole reasoning behind her motivation. Other than bitterness that others did not choose the destructive path she has.
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