Forgive As You Are forgiven In Christ

June 25, 2022

Devotions:

“looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” ‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

What is the joy that was set before Jesus? It was the joy of forgiving us. He counted it a joy to pay the price for our forgiveness and restore us to our Father. This is the life that is in us. The one who counts it a joy to forgive. When we do not walk in forgiveness we are violating who we are because as He is so are we in this world. 1John 4:17. Forgiveness is the key to the kingdom. The whole purpose that Jesus came was to be the sacrifice that would bring forgiveness to the whole human race and restore us to our right standing before the Father. We are forgiven and thus we should forgive even as God has forgiven us. That means even if the one who offended us does not ask us to forgive we should, in our hearts, forgive them.

Unforgiveness holds us at the point of the offense, the point of the pain that was inflicted. Unforgiveness then hurts the person who was offended and not so much the one who caused the pain.

“and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” ‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:32‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” ‭Colossians‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬