Teach Forgiveness

“Lord, how often should I forgive someone
who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times, ” Jesus replied,
“but seventy times seven!
Matthew 18:21,22
"Forgiveness".. What is it and how would you explain it to a new believer. How would you disciple a babe in Christ to actively put forgiveness to work? Though we know salvation is based not on our work, but the work of Christ, we still have an unspoken expectation that for us to forgive an offense there has to be a work on the part of the offender.
It isn't so according to scripture.
Today as I read through Matthew 18, looking to apply a verse a day actively in my own life, I was set back a bit on how to go about this verse. I don't want to just read the "words" on the page, I want to live them with Christ as my example. But I have to tell you.. Jesus' shoes are hard to walk in! Forgiveness is in my opinion one of the hardest lessons to apply. But it is a New Testament command, it is part of the law of love.
An interesting statement follows in verses 26 and 27. The offender say's to the one whom he has offended, "‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all. 'Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt'.
Compassion, release and forgive! The word pity here in the Greek means compassion, moved to the bowels with an overwhelming feeling of sympathy. The word release means to set free and and to let go, the word forgive means to permit a leave, or bid going away.. put away.
So, what can I share with someone who wants to put into action forgiveness?
"Expect nothing in return from the one you forgive!" I release you from feeling guilty about what you did and you don't have to "DO ANYTHING" to redeem yourself!
What I mean is this; Say you live in a house full of girls, better yet in a home comprised with a family of six, like mine. We can all pretty much play out scenarios that come with sharing bathrooms, closets, laundry rooms and food. This will be an example close to home. I am a foodie, I have a food blog and I write professionally about food and also write food product reviews. I often receive food items from gourmet sources. This week I received a box of goodies from a major food distributor of yummy delicacies that has yet to be released on the grocers shelves. My job is to try the product, rate it, create a recipe for it and write about it. No sooner than I opened the package one of my kids was tearing open one of the selections and devouring the contents within. Argh! I can't replace that item, and I won't be able to write about that particular flavor. My reaction? Disappointed, yes, but also I recognize what made them do what they did. I was in earnest also so why would it be any different for them.. a child who may not have known the importance this item was to me. I had compassion. The next step was for me to tell them I understood. It's important when dealing with offenses that we tell the offender that we might have done the same thing. We are not to gloat and puff ourselves up in their hearing.. making them feel they are alone in offenses, because they are not! We have been forgiven much, and we will continue to have need of Christ's forgiveness as well as our neighbors. Next step is to release them. There is no obligation to replace what has been lost. This is so important! If we live expecting a repayment we will always be disappointed! Let's face it, we have high expectations and no one will ever be able to live up to our own personal way of identifying a replacement of loss. Do not make the offender feel they have to prove themselves and work to be forgiven, restoration will come in time, but the more mature christian will use this situation to extend Christ's love. The way He drew us into His bosom with open arms.
It is our job as mature believers to restore the one who has offended. I love this passage written by Paul, it speaks of restoring the offender back into the fold. It is the responsibility of the one, or ones offended to do the restoring. This is such a misconception in the church today. There so often is a lapse in restoration because the offended ones are waiting to see a change first in the one who has offended. This is not how Jesus responds to us! Look with me here at this verse in 2 Corinthians;
2 Corinthians 2;
5. If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. 7. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9. The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11. in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Wow.. that is such a heavy verse! Do you want to inflict pain on a sister or brother who has offended you? Do you want them to be overwhelmed in sorrow and grief for what they have done? Are you still laying a guilt trip on them, which doesn't even need to come by words, it will come by your lack of action on the restoring part. Did you notice Paul ask in verse 8 whether you would overcome the test? Are you being tested by the Lord? Did you also notice that Paul leaves them with the thought that the "ACT" of un-forgiveness could open doors for the enemy to trample the work of Christ in the body.. one of the devils schemes is to divide the church, to divide believers! Embrace the one whom you said you forgive.. that is the true test of forgiveness.
Have compassion, release them from guilt, forgive without expectation and embrace them with Christ's love!
You will be so surprised at the restoration of fellowship!
Blessings to you my dear sisters in Christ!
Laurie m. Vengo...





















