LET THAT OFFENSE GO!

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

Today, we are going to bring up a subject that has been talked about by many preachers and teachers over the years. I don’t believe anyone reading these devotionals have not heard some kind of sermon on forgiveness in their life. But, coming as close to the end as I believe we are, this age old, often discussed topic, many don’t take to seriously will become one of the most important things to have and to give.

I think our scripture reference speaks for itself, don’t you? How much plainer could Jesus have gotten than this statement? If you hold back your ability to pass forgiveness on to someone who has done you an offense, then your many trespasses you have probably in your life are simply, not forgiven. There are many aspects of forgiveness we could touch on, but I want to focus on just this facet of it for right now. We seem to have, in the body of Christ, the biggest problem with this side of forgiveness. And we as, as representatives of Jesus on earth, trip up on 2 points specifically with this giving forgiveness to others:

1. Giving “forgiveness” to the other means not only forgiving the wrong done, quite a huge act for us, but forgetting the transgression took place at all in our minds!

I know you have heard by many teachers forgetting the offense is impossible, but have we forgotten with God, All things are possible? With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can totally forget the wrong done to us. Instead, we seek to build a shrine in our minds to the offense, and visit it daily to offer sacrifices of self pity and “woe is me” so we can hold on to being the “victim” and blame everyone else but ourselves for our predicament. Hear me, you must not only forgive the person, but you must forget as well. Otherwise, the enemy will continue to have a stranglehold on your life. Let the thing go.

2. Giving forgiveness means you not only forgive them, but you “accept” them back into the family again.

This portion of forgiveness we trip up on the worst in church. We are quick to judge a brother or sister unforgivable. But even if we somehow make that quantum leap of forgiveness, we quickly make this statement; “Well, I forgive him/her, but I don’t want to ever see them in my home/church again!” You might as well stay in your rebellious state, when you make a statement like that. This is the same problem proposed between the prodigal son and his brother. Luke 15 and verse 29 records these words; “And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:”. We are all familiar with this story, but simply, the other son was angry that the father accepted him back in the house, and restored his place, not that he forgave him for leaving.

How many times have you thought a sister or brother, who fell into offense, should be forgiven, but not allowed to ever come back in the fold? Dear saint, if you have thought that, may God have mercy on your soul! A repentant brother or sister, who has made things right, has every right to be restored back into your church, your family, and any where else they once stood. It is a good thing God doesn’t think that way, or you probably wouldn’t have your nice cushioned seat in church last Sunday. God help us to restore true forgiveness back into the body of Christ. I believe those who refuse to do this; will find their self lost, on the way to Heaven in these end times.