FORGIVENESS
-When people offend us letting go of grudges, bitterness, anger, and resentment is something most believers find difficult doing. Jesus commands us to forgive one another no matter the offence committed. Forgiveness is a vital part of Christianity. God’s complete unconditional love forgives us when we confess our sin. Forgiveness must stem from love for the offender. Forgiveness is not based on the magnitude of the offence committed but on the magnitude of the forgiver’s love.
-Every true believer of Christ must have the heart of forgiveness all the time. Forgiveness may not be always fair or easy but it is always worth it. We must forgive whether we desire to or not. We must learn to forgive and not try to seek revenge for the offences committed against us.
-We have to forgive others so that God would forgive us of our short comings. Matthew 6:14-15 reads “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions”. Not forgiving can hinder your prayers to God. Mark 11:25 also reads and “when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins”. We end up hurting ourselves the more when we hold on to bitterness and anger that comes with unforgiveness. We must try and forget when we forgive Proverbs 17: 9says “He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends’’. We must avoid judging others sins when they offend us, Luke 6:37 says “Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven”.
-Forgiveness is a commandment of God. Colossians 3:13 says “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.” Forgive as the Lord forgave you. We pray you do forgive any grievance you have against anybody. Matthew 18:21-22 reads “Then Peter came and said to Him, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? up to seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven”. Luke 17:3-4 Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him. This shows how often we must forgive the offender. We must also learn to pray for the offender. Let go of all grudges, bitterness and anger. When you forgive bury the hatchet completely do not leave the handle hanging or you can easily pull out the whole hatchet again. Please let go of any grudge after reading this tract. Ephesians 4:32 “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Forgiveness must not depend on whether the person asks for it or not.
-I Peter 3:8-9.Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
