Forgiveness
Recently in Iran, a man named Balal was sentenced to hanging for
killing Abdollah Hosseinzadeh. The
victim’s mother, Maryam Hosseinzadeh, forgave the murderer and took the noose
off his neck freeing him from his death sentence. This was an amazing example of forgiveness
when she would have been justified if she had simply allowed justice to
prevail.
Since the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23), when we are
disobedient to God we are not really looking for justice, we are looking for
forgiveness. We must know that Christ has forgiven us from our past, present,
and future sins. We simply have to ask
Him for that forgiveness (1 John 1:9).
Jesus tells the parable about a man who was forgiven for a huge
debt that he could not possibly pay.
Sadly, he forgot about the forgiveness that he just received and did not
forgive another who owed him a relatively small amount and had him cast into
prison. Because of his ungrateful actions,
his original debt was reinstated and his master had him tortured until he could
pay that debt (Matthew 18:21-35).
Let us remember to forgive our
brothers and our sisters like Christ has forgiven us. Please commit below and share how you have forgiven others so that you can encourage others to do
the same.
Romans 6:23
New International Version (NIV)
23 For
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
1 John 1:9
New International Version (NIV)
New International Version (NIV)
9 If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.
Matthew
18:23, 24, 27-30, 32, 34, 35
New International Version (NIV)
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle
accounts with his servants.
24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him.
24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him.
27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him.
‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with
me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into
prison until he could pay the debt.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.
34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.
34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
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