What Do You Confess As Truth – Un-forgiveness, Part 3

We all are all offended on a regular basis and many times the offense can cause bitterness and anger which results in un-forgiveness.  God says to forgive their trespasses and He will forgive you.  “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  Matthew 6:14

Forgiveness means dismissing a debt.  When you grant forgiveness, you dismiss the debt owed to you.  When you receive forgiveness, you debt is dismissed.  (You are released from any requirement for repayment).  When you grant forgiveness, you dismiss the debt from your thoughts.  Jesus expressed the heart of forgiveness when he said “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27).

Forgiveness is dismissing your demand that others owe you something, especially when they fail to meet your expectations, fail to keep a promise, and fail to treat you justly.  Jesus said, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39).

There many misconceptions when the word forgiveness is mentioned.  Some think forgiveness is the equivalent of excusing sin, saying that what was wrong is now right.  To correct any confusion, we need to know what forgiveness is not!

• Forgiveness is not trying to avoid complying with God’s justice.  It is allowing God to execute His justice in His time and way.
• Forgiveness is not waiting for the “time to heal all wounds.”  It is clear that time doesn’t heal wounds.  Some people will not allow healing.
• Forgiveness is not letting the guilty “off the hook.”  It is moving the guilty from your hook to God’s hook.
• Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation.  It takes two for reconciliation, only one for forgiveness.
• Forgiveness is not excusing unjust behavior.  It is acknowledging that unjust behavior is without excuse, while still forgiving.
• Forgiveness is not explaining away the hurt.  It is working through the hurt.
• Forgiveness is not based on what is fair.  It was not “fair” for Jesus to hang on the cross, but He did so that we could be forgiven.
• Forgiveness is not being a weak martyr.  It is being strong enough to be Christ like.
• Forgiveness is not stuffing your anger.  It is resolving you anger by releasing the offense to God.
• Forgiveness is not a natural response.  It is a supernatural response, empowered by God.
• Forgiveness is not denying the hurt.  It is feeling the hurt and releasing it.
• Forgiveness is not being a doormat.  It is seeing that, if this were so, Jesus would have been the greatest doormat of all!
• Forgiveness is not conditional.  It is unconditional, a mandate from God to everyone.
• Forgiveness is not forgetting.  It is necessary to remember before you can forgive.
• Forgiveness is not a feeling.  It is a choice – an act of the will. 

To forgive means to release your resentment toward your offender. 

• To release your right to hear “I’m sorry”
• To release your right to be bitter
• To release your right to get even

 

To forgive is to release your rights regarding the offense.

• To release your right to dwell on the offense
• To releaser your right to hold on to the offense
• To release your right to keep bringing up the offense
• To release the right to keep a record of wrongs they have done to you.

To forgive is to reflect the character of Christ.  Just as God is willing to forgive us, we are called to forgive others.

• To forgive is to extend mercy.  The same mercy God extends to us over and over again.
• To forgive is to give a gift of grace.
• To forgive is to set the offender free.  Most importantly, to set you free.

If you struggle with forgiving others, understand how much God loves you and continually forgives you.  I pray that you will be compelled to forgive others as God has forgiven you.  “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him.”  (Daniel 9:9)

Forgiveness is dismissing, canceling, or setting someone free from the consequences of falling short of God’s standard.  Un-forgiveness is sin and the penalty for sin is spiritual death.  The penalty for sin (our debt) was paid for Jesus through His sacrificial death on the cross. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14). Therefore, instead of being separated from God, we can have our debt dismissed by God and experience eternal life in heaven.

I pray that you would stop what you are doing this very second and ask yourself who you need to forgive so God can forgive you.  Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Again, we need to ask the question, “What do you confess as truth?” 

God’s blessings on you all,

Tony Sanchez

Reference:  Forgiveness – The Freedom To Let Go by Jane Hunt