What is the Message of the Gospel? Love, Salvation, Christ dying for our sins, and the New Birth are all elements, but it all boils down to forgiveness. Forgiveness is the fundamental aspect of the Christian faith, demonstrating God’s grace and love to us, BUT MORE THAN THAT – it’s also from us to others – through our words, deeds and actions.
Ephesians 4:2-3 reminds us to “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.”
You can’t truly become a Christian without the forgiveness of your sins, and repentance to New Life. You can’t truly experience the fullness of the Christian Walk if you hold unforgiveness towards someone else in your heart.
This is a fundamental aspect of the Christian faith. The dictionary definition of FUNDAMENTAL – an essential part, foundation or basis, a primary source
As God’s people – Our Purpose is to understand the FOUNDATION of forgiveness as taught in the New Testament……….. and practice it – so it can transform our lives and relationships.
To practice something means to do it over and over again until it becomes a habit to us.
Billy Graham once said something that I wanted to share. I saw this in an interview, and they said they asked him during the Monica Lewinsky situation, that Bill Clinton asked Billy Graham to sit next to him during some event after that happened.
And people asked him, — “why would you use your reputation spreading the love of God and sit with a man who cheated on his wife and give Him the glory that God gave you?” “Why would you do that? Why would you sit there and participate in that?”
And his answer was beautiful. Billy Graham said, “first, Jesus came down to love and forgive”. He goes on, “the Holy Spirit came down to convict us.” And then Billy said, “the Father is the one who judges. “
A lot of people want to do all three of God’s jobs when he asked us only to love and forgive others.
What is forgiveness?
Forgiveness is acknowledging the other person has misbehaved…. sinned against me. They have done me wrong, they have hurt me. From our old nature —- Justice cries out. Get them back, pay them back. They’re in debt to you.
Sometimes our response is…. turn away from them, ignore them, defriend them, shun them, shut them out of your life.
On the other hand……Forgiveness is saying, I give up my right to get back from you what you took from me. Forgiveness is saying, I will absorb the hurt that you inflicted upon me, and Sometimes….I do not want to inflict hurt upon you. But it’s difficult to forget the pain. Sometimes forgiveness feels like a dirty word.
- If that’s the case in your life, then I am so SO SORRY for the pain you have experienced.
- I am truly sorry for all that’s happened to you, and
- I am truly sorry for any pain that my calling has inflicted on you.
- This is not a judgement on anyone. I don’t know all the details.
BUT I NEED TO TELL YOU THAT THE MORE OUR PAIN CONSUMES Us, THE MORE IT WILL CONTROL US!
FORGIVENESS THEN, IS THE TAKING AWAY OF THE PAIN AND POWER OF SIN AND WRONG. We can’t let pain from our past interactions and experiences rewrite our memories or ruin our future. We have to learn to say……I will respond to you in Christ’s love, even though I hurt. The processing of forgiveness, and pain, is a journey where you can rediscover what Jesus himself went through, when HE bore all our sins and griefs on the cross!
There is a Biblical foundation of forgiveness. Forgiveness is possible, even when it doesn’t feel possible. None of us is perfect. We are all a work, in progress. (Say it to yourself outloud – I’m a Work in Progress!)
When God saves us, we are not yet perfected. We still have a sinful nature. We make mistakes, especially in the early years of our walk with Christ. But when God saves us, He puts a Robe of Righteousness on our back – it is a gift from God, whereby we are able to stand before God despite our shortcomings. Otherwise, we could not stand in His presence. God is showing us that forgiveness is not an option, it is a commandment.
- It isn’t an act of desperation.
- It is only possible when I cooperate
- In fact, cooperation is what we have been missing
- God knew that we could not do this on our own.
- We need HIS HELP, and we need each other’s help
God made forgiveness a cornerstone of the Christian life. We learn to forgive, because HE Forgives us. This is the REVELATION of JESUS CHRIST to the WORLD!
On the other hand, unforgiveness is the carrying around of a great weight! A heavy burden that eats away at you. Forgiveness does not come naturally. It’s hard to do!
Philosopher C. S. Lewis once said that “everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.”
But remember, God forgave you when you were unlovely and sinful. Who do you need to forgive?
–Pastor Scott Gabrielson, Craig Valley Baptist Church
Craig Valley Baptist Church, at 171 Salem Ave in New Castle, welcomes you to visit and share in the forgiveness we have experienced. We meet Sundays at 11AM, with an upbeat service of music, sharing and preaching. You don’t need to dress us, and you won’t be asked to speak, so just come and hang out and meet new and old friends! Questions? Call 540-864-5667 or email pastor@cv-bc.com.