Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday January 27, 2009

Someone asked me why I speak and write on the subject of forgiveness so much. I suppose if my writing and speaking ministry is unbalanced it would be in this area. There are two reasons for this.

Reason #1 is simple. I am sinner who stands in awe of the Love of God toward me in Christ Jesus, a sinner who is forgiven and joins the saints as a joint-heir of God with my elder Brother Christ. In 47 years of experiencing salvation, I can't get over the magnitude of God's forgiveness.

Reason #2 is that God through His example and Word has commanded me to forgive, in the same completeness with which he has forgiven me, all who trespass against me. I have a lot of trouble truly forgiving those who have done me wrong.

Sunday evening past, a visitor to the service at our church gave a testimony to the impact of our church sign, which has two new sayings on it, one on each side, each week or so. I was amazed when I heard this very dignified saint state:

"After years of turmoil over a sin committed against me, the saying on the sign set me free."

She then opened her Bible and on the margin had written:

"Forgiving means giving up the right to hurt back."

Folks, it doesn't get any simpler than that. It doesn't get any tougher either.

The right to hurt back. Give up this right? I have talked to ministers of the glorious gospel of Christ, who, while they preach this truth, cannot give up the right to hurt back. They still carry a grudge of some sin against them when they were children, or some member left the church years ago and told lies, or more painful, truth about them, and more often than not, a mixture of lies and truth.

An observable truth within practicing Christendom is the ability to forgive those who trespass against us from afar, the famous Christian's who are caught in some sin, yet the same people lack the ability to forgive someone who sins against them, who is close, such as the wife, husband, children or a fellow church member. If true Christian love were fully activated we would be able to more readily forgive those whom we love the most, rather than the opposite.

One of my favorite passages on forgiveness is Ephesians 4:30-32, many read it and fail to grasp the truth God is teaching us to, as did Christ, give up the right to hurt back. Check and see for yourself.

"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Eph. 4:30-32

Bitterness, anger, wrath, clamour and evil speaking are weapons used to "hurt back." Lay them down. Now.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2009 Use with credit.

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