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| FORGIVENESS. Image from louiethebunny.blogspot.com |
"Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing."
- Luke 23:34
Forgiveness is an act of love. Unless one loves, he or she cannot truly forgive. That's why it is hard to forgive because when someone sins against us, harms us, hurts us, damages our dignity, reputation and honor, our relationship with that person is also destroyed, we become angry, hate develops in our hearts, and love is blocked for hatred already consumes us providing no room for love.
But God had shown us an example: He who deserves all our respect, praise and obedience but instead we have rejected, dishonored, and disregarded, and yet did something unimaginable because of His great love for us [see John 3:16]. He sent His only begotten Son to be crucified on our behalf and this Son cries out from the cross asking His Father for forgiveness for the people who have done a great evil: crucifying Him instead of listening to His message of repentance, forgiveness and love.
Many people say, "It is easy for Him to forgive: He is God!" while others say, "I cannot forgive, I am not God!" But we have been made in the image and likeness of God, we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ from bondage to sin, and the Holy Spirit has made our bodies as His temple. We are not merely humans anymore: we have become like God. When Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity came into this world, He took on our humanity so that after His triumph over sin, he could lift up our humanity into the level of the divine. We have become children of God and so we should no longer act like slaves: we must be holy like our Father in heaven, and if He could forgive we surely could forgive.
Some might say it is unfair. But what is fair? Fair is this: God did not punish us for our transgressions but gave us the opportunity to repent and be saved through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we too must give those who sin against us the chance to be reconciled with us through our Lord Jesus Christ too for if we only expect reconciliation in the level of humans, we could end up daydreaming!
But what if they don't ask for forgiveness? Let them be. God will do the rest. Important thing is that we who trust in God's mercy and justice will be at peace with Him and with ourselves for we shall be released from our bondage to hatred and anger being freed by a loving and forgiving heart, carrying no burden, living fully alive in God!
But God had shown us an example: He who deserves all our respect, praise and obedience but instead we have rejected, dishonored, and disregarded, and yet did something unimaginable because of His great love for us [see John 3:16]. He sent His only begotten Son to be crucified on our behalf and this Son cries out from the cross asking His Father for forgiveness for the people who have done a great evil: crucifying Him instead of listening to His message of repentance, forgiveness and love.
Many people say, "It is easy for Him to forgive: He is God!" while others say, "I cannot forgive, I am not God!" But we have been made in the image and likeness of God, we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ from bondage to sin, and the Holy Spirit has made our bodies as His temple. We are not merely humans anymore: we have become like God. When Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity came into this world, He took on our humanity so that after His triumph over sin, he could lift up our humanity into the level of the divine. We have become children of God and so we should no longer act like slaves: we must be holy like our Father in heaven, and if He could forgive we surely could forgive.
Some might say it is unfair. But what is fair? Fair is this: God did not punish us for our transgressions but gave us the opportunity to repent and be saved through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we too must give those who sin against us the chance to be reconciled with us through our Lord Jesus Christ too for if we only expect reconciliation in the level of humans, we could end up daydreaming!
But what if they don't ask for forgiveness? Let them be. God will do the rest. Important thing is that we who trust in God's mercy and justice will be at peace with Him and with ourselves for we shall be released from our bondage to hatred and anger being freed by a loving and forgiving heart, carrying no burden, living fully alive in God!
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