Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Grace”
Our Bible verse for today: “Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.” Colossians 3:13 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Grace leads to forgiveness.”
Last Sunday in our evening Bible study we had a great group discussion about forgiveness. There were some tearful testimonies about the power of forgiveness – given and received. We talked about times someone forgave us, and times when we forgave someone, and of course we also discussed how much God has forgiven us.
That’s where Paul starts us in Colossians 3:13, with the fact that God has forgiven us: “Just as the Lord has forgiven you …” The Bible also says, “For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.” Jeremiah 31:34. And, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12.
Yes, God has forgiven us. His forgiveness is an essential element of His grace freely and abundantly bestowed upon us – our sins forgiven and remembered by Him no more.
And then, as Paul continues his teaching in Colossians 3:13, he tells us that we must forgive in like manner. Jesus told us this too in Matthew 6:12, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Unfortunately forgiveness is often easier in theory than it is in actual practice. Very often we are too slow to forgive ourselves and to forgive others. Philip Yancey writes,
“Many years ago I was driven to the conclusion that the two major causes of most emotional problems among evangelical Christians are these: the failure to understand, receive, and live out God’s unconditional grace and forgiveness; and the failure to give out that unconditional love, forgiveness, and grace to other people.”
If you live in regret for past sins you have committed, even after you have confessed them to God and have received His forgiveness, then you are wallowing in unnecessary misery – you have failed to forgive yourself for the things that God has already forgiven you for.
And if you are harboring an unforgiving spirit towards someone else – holding a grudge and nursing bitterness – you have failed to extend to them the grace God extended to you. Not only is that wrong Biblically, but you are also harming yourself. An unforgiving spirit holds you captive to that past offense. It has been often said that the act of forgiving sets a prisoner free and that prisoner often turns out to have been you.
Forgiveness is an essential element of God’s grace – received and given. Have you accepted forgiveness? Have you given it? I encourage you to set the prisoner free.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 