Curtis
Loyal
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2015
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Forgiveness an act of Faith?
I find it amusing that when Jesus had just finished teaching his apostles about becoming offended (unforgiveness, resentful), and that they should forgive those who offend them, the first words that came out of the Apostles mouth was.
“Lord, increase our faith” (Luke 17:3-7)
I can just hear what they were thinking. “We can't do that!! Lord increase our faith so we can do what you just told us to do!!!” It is very important to know, and understand that these men were not “born again” at this time because Jesus was not yet glorified. The LOVE of God had NOT yet been shed abroad into their hearts by the Holy Spirit, so this sounded impossible for them to do. Even though the four Gospels are in the New Testament, they were still living under the Old Testament. The New Testament had not yet started. We know when it comes to forgiveness ALL things are possible with God.
Once a man/women becomes a child of God, the love of God is shed abundantly into our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5) What does love have to do with forgiveness? If we become offended by what someone might say or do towards us, who is at fault? We are, not the person who offended us. 1 Cor 13 tells us something about “love”
1Co 13:5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; IT TAKES NO ACCOUNT OF THE EVIL DONE TO IT [IT PAYS NO ATTENTION TO A SUFFERED WRONG]. (AMP)
We are supposed to be “controlled” by the “love” of God, and when the love of God is in control, we should never be offended over what anyone might say, or do unto us.
2Co 5:14 FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONTROLS AND URGES AND IMPELS US, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died; (AMP)
Notice what Jesus tells his Apostles about forgiving. He uses Faith as the means to forgive..
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
The " sycamine" tree was the "unforgiveness" that needed to be "removed"!!! How was this to be done? By "commanding" (by faith) to be plucked up, and "planted" into the sea!!! If the unforgiveness is NOT planted in the "sea”, it will wind right back up on the "beach" where you will have to deal with it again in the future!!!!
Jesus died for that person who might have offended us, as it says in this verse, so we should forgive them no matter what they might have done. It might be a mother, father, pastor, anyone or even God that we might have unforgiveness towards!! This is easy to do when the Love of God is in control of our lives!! The Lord does not force us to do anything. If we want the love of God to control us then we must yield that control to him by offering our body as a living sacrifice holy unto him which is our spiritual form of worship.
Rom 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY AND ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. (ESV)
What happens if we do not let the love of God to control us, and we find our self's to have unforgiveness against someone? This is what Jesus said would happen to those who would not forgive.
Mat 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and DELIVERED HIM TO THE TORMENTORS, TILL HE SHOULD PAY ALL THAT WAS DUE UNTO HIM.
Mat 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, IF YE FROM YOUR HEARTS FORGIVE NOT EVERY ONE HIS BROTHER THEIR TRESPASSES.
Those who walk in unforgiveness will be delivered over unto the TORMENTORS until they do forgive.
How does that work?
Example: We might have unforgiveness against a brother or sister in the Lord, and when we see them at “Win-co”, “Walmart” or anywhere out in the world, we usually turn around and go the other direction because we do not want to see or talk to them. This is “TORMENT”, and it is “FEAR” in action. Fear has torment!!!
1Jn 4:18 THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; but perfect love casteth out fear: because FEAR HATH TORMENT. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
He that “fears” is not made perfect in love, because love never keeps track of wrong done to it!!!
With man, this is impossible to do, but with God, all things are possible.
Someone might say, “hey, I forgave them, but I still remember what they did, am I still in unforgiveness?” Jesus said....
Mat 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, IF YE FROM YOUR HEARTS FORGIVE NOT EVERY ONE HIS BROTHER THEIR TRESPASSES.
Forgiveness has nothing to do with our “head”, or “brain”, it has to do with the “HEART”!!! Jesus said we are to forgive from the heart”!!! The human brain remembers pretty much everything that happens, which is why we can not depend upon it for anything spiritual.
Love never keeps an “account” of wrongs that have been done to them. The Bible does NOT say you will forget what someone might have done towards you, it says it does not keep an “account” of wrongs! Recalling someone's offenses is being “resentful”. Being "unresentful" is knowing what others have done, but not holding it against them.
Speaking of “Love”.
1Co 13:5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; IT IS NOT TOUCHY OR FRETFUL OR RESENTFUL; IT TAKES NO ACCOUNT OF THE EVIL DONE TO IT [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
I find it amusing that when Jesus had just finished teaching his apostles about becoming offended (unforgiveness, resentful), and that they should forgive those who offend them, the first words that came out of the Apostles mouth was.
“Lord, increase our faith” (Luke 17:3-7)
I can just hear what they were thinking. “We can't do that!! Lord increase our faith so we can do what you just told us to do!!!” It is very important to know, and understand that these men were not “born again” at this time because Jesus was not yet glorified. The LOVE of God had NOT yet been shed abroad into their hearts by the Holy Spirit, so this sounded impossible for them to do. Even though the four Gospels are in the New Testament, they were still living under the Old Testament. The New Testament had not yet started. We know when it comes to forgiveness ALL things are possible with God.
Once a man/women becomes a child of God, the love of God is shed abundantly into our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5) What does love have to do with forgiveness? If we become offended by what someone might say or do towards us, who is at fault? We are, not the person who offended us. 1 Cor 13 tells us something about “love”
1Co 13:5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; IT TAKES NO ACCOUNT OF THE EVIL DONE TO IT [IT PAYS NO ATTENTION TO A SUFFERED WRONG]. (AMP)
We are supposed to be “controlled” by the “love” of God, and when the love of God is in control, we should never be offended over what anyone might say, or do unto us.
2Co 5:14 FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONTROLS AND URGES AND IMPELS US, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died; (AMP)
Notice what Jesus tells his Apostles about forgiving. He uses Faith as the means to forgive..
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
The " sycamine" tree was the "unforgiveness" that needed to be "removed"!!! How was this to be done? By "commanding" (by faith) to be plucked up, and "planted" into the sea!!! If the unforgiveness is NOT planted in the "sea”, it will wind right back up on the "beach" where you will have to deal with it again in the future!!!!
Jesus died for that person who might have offended us, as it says in this verse, so we should forgive them no matter what they might have done. It might be a mother, father, pastor, anyone or even God that we might have unforgiveness towards!! This is easy to do when the Love of God is in control of our lives!! The Lord does not force us to do anything. If we want the love of God to control us then we must yield that control to him by offering our body as a living sacrifice holy unto him which is our spiritual form of worship.
Rom 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY AND ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. (ESV)
What happens if we do not let the love of God to control us, and we find our self's to have unforgiveness against someone? This is what Jesus said would happen to those who would not forgive.
Mat 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and DELIVERED HIM TO THE TORMENTORS, TILL HE SHOULD PAY ALL THAT WAS DUE UNTO HIM.
Mat 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, IF YE FROM YOUR HEARTS FORGIVE NOT EVERY ONE HIS BROTHER THEIR TRESPASSES.
Those who walk in unforgiveness will be delivered over unto the TORMENTORS until they do forgive.
How does that work?
Example: We might have unforgiveness against a brother or sister in the Lord, and when we see them at “Win-co”, “Walmart” or anywhere out in the world, we usually turn around and go the other direction because we do not want to see or talk to them. This is “TORMENT”, and it is “FEAR” in action. Fear has torment!!!
1Jn 4:18 THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; but perfect love casteth out fear: because FEAR HATH TORMENT. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
He that “fears” is not made perfect in love, because love never keeps track of wrong done to it!!!
With man, this is impossible to do, but with God, all things are possible.
Someone might say, “hey, I forgave them, but I still remember what they did, am I still in unforgiveness?” Jesus said....
Mat 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, IF YE FROM YOUR HEARTS FORGIVE NOT EVERY ONE HIS BROTHER THEIR TRESPASSES.
Forgiveness has nothing to do with our “head”, or “brain”, it has to do with the “HEART”!!! Jesus said we are to forgive from the heart”!!! The human brain remembers pretty much everything that happens, which is why we can not depend upon it for anything spiritual.
Love never keeps an “account” of wrongs that have been done to them. The Bible does NOT say you will forget what someone might have done towards you, it says it does not keep an “account” of wrongs! Recalling someone's offenses is being “resentful”. Being "unresentful" is knowing what others have done, but not holding it against them.
Speaking of “Love”.
1Co 13:5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; IT IS NOT TOUCHY OR FRETFUL OR RESENTFUL; IT TAKES NO ACCOUNT OF THE EVIL DONE TO IT [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
