Forgiveness
Washed, Sanctified, & Justified
The Past It can be difficult to let go of the past. Books have been written and songs recorded about dwelling in or on the past. The concept has permeated movie scripts and television programming. We all know the folly of it, but the past compels us. It whispers and calls to us. Many of…
Read MoreThe Victory is Yours
In the twenty-sixth chapter of the book of Acts we find Saul/Paul standing before Agrippa, recounting his journey to Damascus to rage fury against the believers there. It is on this infamous journey that Jesus fell upon Saul as a bright light, knocking Saul to the ground and blinding him for three days. Toward the…
Read MoreForgiveness: It’s Always About Me
In an attempt to appear fair, the man suggested we flip a coin. “Heads I win, tails you lose,” he said as he tossed the coin into the air. Since I was only five years old, it took me a moment to catch on to his humorous deception. There was no way I could win,…
Read MoreWhen You Pray . . . (Part 6)
Debts, ὀφειλήματα (opheileimata). This is not an act of wrongdoing. This is an obligation of payment to another. This is something owed, and in our case, because of our sin, it is a debt we owe to God. Forgive Us Our Debts The Jews hearing Jesus teach this may have thought of the year of…
Read MoreWill You Forgive Me?
While attending a speaker conference in Arizona, I made a request of a friend and in doing so, unknowingly put her in a difficult, awkward position. When I realized what I’d done, I pulled my friend aside and began apologizing, tears in my eyes, genuinely sorrowful for what I’d done. When my friend saw how…
Read MoreFaith, Forgiveness & Difficult Commands
This past week, I was engaged in a lively Twitter discussion that revolved around the importance of, effect of, and motivation for obedience – specifically, obedience to the commands of Christ. Obedience is not optional, but neither is it the end in itself. Jesus never said, “Obey me, and here’s the outcome of that,” but…
Read MoreForgive and Forgive and Forgive
A Hypothetical Tom and Jack are co-workers on the swing shift at Dirk’s Doumafladgie Manufacturing. Two weeks ago, a horrible explosion at the plant left Jack trapped in an interior room with a wall of fire blocking his only exit. Further complicating the matter, the explosion caused sufficient injury to Jack’s legs that he was…
Read MoreThe Advent of Forgiveness and Reconciliation (Part 3)
This week is our final look at the advent of Jesus and how he ushered in an era of forgiveness. Today, we will look at the idea of mandating bilateral activity for forgiveness to occur. There is a concept which holds that for person A to forgive person B, person B must repent, and perhaps…
Read MoreThe Advent of Forgiveness and Reconciliation (Part 2)
Last week, we looked at the incarnation, the birth of Jesus, as a bold move on God’s part to spread forgiveness to humanity, and to reconcile the human race to himself. Last week’s assertion was that in our striving to be conformed to the image of Christ, forgiveness and reconciliation is integral to that striving.…
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