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THE FORGIVEN, FORGIVE…

The verses for today are taken from the Lord’s Prayer. We are so familiar with it that if we’re honest, we would admit that it really doesn’t mean all that much to us when we read or say it. I know I have felt that way. But the Lord’s Prayer is full of theological truth and practical application, and in the midst of this prayer lie some hard words – like those found in verse 12:

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Did you catch it? When we pray those words we are asking God to forgive us of our sins just like we have forgiven those who sin against us. How good are we at forgiving others?

What do we do to others? Do we forgive or do we resent? Do we love or do we harbor bitterness? Do we pursue reconciliation or grudges?

For some reason it is very easy for us to forget the kind of forgiveness we have in Christ. We are a people who have offended God more than we’ll ever know, but we also have been forgiven to a degree that we can hardly comprehend. The magnitude of our forgiveness must lead us to extend forgiveness to others.

The Call to Forgive Others

C.S. Lewis wrote:

No part of his teaching is clearer: and there are no exceptions to it. He doesn’t say that we are to forgive other people’s sins provided they are not too frightful, or provided there are extenuating circumstances, or anything of that sort. We are to forgive them all, however spiteful, however mean, however often they are repeated. If we don’t, we shall be forgiven none of our own. (Fern-seed and Elephants)

More hard words! There are no exceptions anywhere in the Bible that allow us to get out of extending forgiveness to others.

It is easy to view the sins done against us as worse than the sins we commit against God and this can lead to many refusing to extend forgiveness. The scary thing is that God speaks to this and what He has to say is straightforward and hard…

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” – Matthew 5:7

Who is receiving mercy? Those who show mercy.

“… if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:15b

Just to be clear, we do not earn our forgiveness by forgiving others, but it is a sign of our salvation. Those who have been forgiven will forgive others. It is a test of our spiritual health. If we constantly struggle with forgiving others, we harbor bitterness, or holding a grudge is common in our lives, then we do not really understand the heinousness of our sins towards God and the amazing forgiveness we have in Jesus.

The Power to Forgive

Because of God’s mercy and grace there is always good news! Forgiving others is not easy and not really possible without the power of God. We are new creations and this means we have been given the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11) and the ability to love and forgive those who sin against us. Don’t believe the lie that you can’t. You can! 

It is easy? No way! God never said it would be easy. But because God is always with us, and for us, and in us, we are able to be victorious over anger, bitterness, grudges, and all other forms of unforgiveness.

We belong to a God who asks us to do hard things – never in our strength, but always in His! We also belong to a God who gives us the power to do more than we could ever have imagined.

Looking To Jesus,

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Jen Thorn

Jen Thorn

Jen Thorn grew up in Germany and then spent her teenage years in Africa, where her parents were missionaries. She moved to the United States for college and attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago where she met her husband. They have been married for twenty-two years and have four children. Jen lives in the suburbs of Chicago, where her husband is the pastor of Redeemer Fellowship. Jen is passionate about theology and the connection to daily living.

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