Monday, June 30, 2014

Pastor's Ponderings, June 30, 2014

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)
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.
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.
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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