Hi how are you all? I am good and my hand is starting to heal. I had the stitches out last week. So back to typing slowly. I can’t believe we are at the end of October. This year has gone fast.
This week I want to talk to you about forgiveness. This is such a reassuring word. Being forgiven makes us feel good, so why is the process of repentance hard.
We know that the Bible states in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This means we have all missed the mark of good.
So, is all hope lost? No!!!! Romans 10: 9 and 10 give us the solution. In the Passion translation it reads:
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
This verse tells us to say that Jesus is Lord and to believe that He died upon the cross and that God raised Him from the dead. Then salvation will come to you. Is there another way to reconcile with God? No, because in John 14:6, it states Jesus is the only way. ‘Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
So, once we become a Christian, will we still sin? One hundred times yes!! It tells us this in 1 John 1 verses 8 and 10. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves it tells us in verse 8. And in verse 10, it tells us that if we say we have no sin, we call God a liar and His Word (Jesus) does not live within us.
So then how do we get right with God. In verse 9 of 1 John 1, it tells us. We confess our sins (not to a priest but to God) and God is faithful and just to not only forgive us but to cleanse us of all the guilt and shame and any other unrighteousness.
Does this mean, there are no consequences? No, it doesn’t mean that. We still have to face the consequences. If we get angry and hurt someone, we need to seek Gods forgiveness and then theirs. Jesus is strong on forgiving others and seeking others forgiveness.
In Matthew 6 verse 13 and 14, Jesus addresses the issue. This was just after Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. So this is really important. Verse 14 states that if we forgive others, God will forgive us. But in verse 15, it states that if we don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive us.
Why? The price that Jesus paid on the cross to forgive yours and my sins is greater than the cost to us of forgiving someone. Unforgiveness to others is ( as someone said) drinking poison and hoping the other person will die. It destroys us but often has no effect on the other person. So we forgive for our sake.
But what if they did something terrible? God will avenge us because He promises to.
This week, let’s search our heart and invite God too as well to ensure we are not hiding any sin or unforgiveness. God wants us to walk free and not be bound. This is one way we can live an abundant life.
Repent, forgive and keep living the life God intended for you.
Bless you
Karen
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