Forgivenes: A Piece of the central message of our church!
May/02/2023
Forgiveness is crucial for us to walk together as a church. Jesus taught his disciples to forgive those who have wronged them, and the Bible is filled with examples of forgiveness. Forgiveness is so important that it is often referred to as the central message of Christianity. But is forgiveness central to our church today? In this blog post, we will explore this question in light of 1 John 1:5-2:2 and what it teaches about forgiveness.
First, let us read the passage from 1 John 1:5-2:2:
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
In this passage, John makes it clear that forgiveness is central to our relationship with God. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But forgiveness is not just something that happens between us and God. John also says that if we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another. In other words, forgiveness is not just something that happens vertically between us and God, but it also happens horizontally between us and our brothers and sisters in Christ.
So, is forgiveness central to our church? The answer is yes. Forgiveness is essential to our relationship with God and with one another. Without forgiveness, there can be no true fellowship with God or with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
But what does forgiveness look like in practice? How do we forgive those who have wronged us? Jesus gave us the ultimate example of forgiveness on the cross. Even as he was being crucified, he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Jesus forgave those who were putting him to death. If Jesus can forgive those who were crucifying him, then surely we can forgive those who have wronged us.
Forgiveness is not always easy. Sometimes, it requires us to swallow our pride and let go of our anger and resentment. But forgiveness is also liberating. When we forgive those who have wronged us, we are freed from the burden of bitterness and resentment. Forgiveness allows us to move on and to experience the joy and peace that come from a right relationship with God and with one another.
Forgiveness must be central to who we are as a church. It is essential to our relationship with God and with one another. Forgiveness is not always easy, but it is liberating. Let us follow the example of Jesus and forgive those who have wronged us, so that we may experience the joy and peace that come from a right relationship with God and with one another.
