FORGIVENESS IS A CHOICE
02 September 2010
When John Wesley served as a missionary to the American colonies, he had a difficult time with General James Oglethorpe. The general was known for his pride and harshness. One time Oglethorpe declared, “I never forgive.” Wesley replied, “Then, Sir, I hope you never sin!”
Jesus Christ taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have a forgiven debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) The fact of the matter is that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) and we all need God’s forgiveness. As the old saying goes, “To sin is human, to forgive is divine.”
On one occasion after Jesus had told Peter that we must forgive, “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22) - in other words an unlimited forgiveness, He gave the parables of the Unjust Servant. The servant in the parable would not let a fellow servant off on a very small debt after he had been forgiven an enormous one. As a result, “In anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.” (v. 34) The servant was punished by imprisonment till the debt was paid. When we have bitterness and anger towards others who have offended us, we are eaten up by these and they are “the jailers” that hold us in bondage until we forgive. That is why Jesus concluded, “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (v.35)
True forgiveness does not hold a grudge or seek to get even for the wrong done. “Repay no one evil for evil.” (Romans 12:18) Rather God wants believers to “overcome evil with good.” (v. 21) Bruce Wilkinson in the video series, “God’s answer to AIDS”, tells a story of a young woman in Kenya given AIDS by a man who was bent on taking others with himself in death. When the village ostracized him and he lay dying in a makeshift shelter, this woman, who had truly forgiven him, came to his side to feed him and cared for him until he died. That is forgiveness! Are there people whom you have never forgiven? Our anger and bitterness are often portrayed by our body language, our cool attitudes, our speech, our deliberate avoidance of them. The decision to forgive is a choice and is an act of obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t delay forgiving. If you need to talk to someone about this, I, as well as the elders, am always available.
Please join us this Sunday at 10:30 am for worship and the study of God’s Word.
Bruce Davie, Pastor/Elder