For-Giving

Matt.5:38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” [with emphasis]

The word forgive is a two part word “for” and “give”. “Give” means to bestow upon while “For” primarily means completely. Forgive means to completely bestow upon in advance. To forgive someone of a debt owed is to completely write off the debt. Forgiveness is not writing off ninety percent of the debt or to take part payment and then cancel the outstanding. To forgive is to completely write off. Even how Jesus forgives is in advance, the Bible says, “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us and forgave us…”.

Forgiveness is a decision that you make and not a feeling; the feeling follows the decision. Once the decision to forgive is made, eventually it stops the feeling of anger and resentment. It is the decision that stops the feeling but many times we get this confused. We think because we are struggling with feelings of anger and resentment, then it means we have not forgiven totally. Your feeling is not your forgiveness; your forgiveness is your decision. When you decide to forgive and you stick to that decision, your feelings will follow.

The concept of forgiveness is common in the different methods of worship. I say methods of worship because Christianity is not a religion. Christianity is a way of life. Jesus did not come to start a religion. Jesus came to start a movement. He said, “I will build my church”. The word church there is “ecclesia’ and it means an assembly. Jesus says, “I will build my assembly, my people and the gate of hell shall not prevail against it. Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship with God.

The concept of forgiveness is not strange to the different forms of worship. In Judaism for instance, you are encouraged to forgive but you are not required to forgive. Infact in Judaism, it is an eye for an eye. In Islam, they struggle with the concept of forgiveness. The concept of forgiveness is not universal but as Christians sometimes we take it for granted. All the other forms of worship agree to a concept called karma, which is rooted in an eye for an eye. But Jesus came and messed up the whole concept [please read Matt. 5:38-44]. If you really want to be a follower of Jesus, you have to love.

Prayer: Jesus, I declare Your Lordship in my life – only You are God, in Jesus Name. Amen!