Do you forgive?
At the end of what is commonly known as the Lords Prayer in which Jesus is teaching his disciple how to pray, Jesus states,
“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:32-34.
The key is here for Christians to note is that irrespective of what people do to us we are to forgive.
Matthew records Jesus as saying,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45.
John’s gospel records the apostle Peter talking about forgiveness,
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21,22
When Jesus said seventy seven times he meant believers in Christ should forgive those who sin against them all the time.
It goes back to what Jesus says in Matthew 7:12.
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12.
Think about it if you sinned against others would you not want to be forgiven?
As C. S. Lewis noted,
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” C.S. Lewis.
Please think about it.
At the end of what is commonly known as the Lords Prayer in which Jesus is teaching his disciple how to pray, Jesus states,
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive men when they sin against you,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men their sins,
your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Matthew 6:12-15
We as believers in Christ Jesus are called to forgive. We are called to follow the example of Jesus who even when on the cross for a crime he didn’t commit forgave his persecutors. Luke’s gospel recording.“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:32-34.
The key is here for Christians to note is that irrespective of what people do to us we are to forgive.
Matthew records Jesus as saying,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45.
John’s gospel records the apostle Peter talking about forgiveness,
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21,22
When Jesus said seventy seven times he meant believers in Christ should forgive those who sin against them all the time.
It goes back to what Jesus says in Matthew 7:12.
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12.
Think about it if you sinned against others would you not want to be forgiven?
As C. S. Lewis noted,
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” C.S. Lewis.
Please think about it.
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