Forgiveness

That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” [John 20.19-23]

I guess somehow I never realized that Jesus said the words recorded above on at least one other occasion.

John 17.18 says, "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." (Jesus is praying for His followers).

And, although the general attitude of what Jesus spoke about forgiveness here is seen throughout His life and ministry, here it is spoken with crystal clarity: "If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

I really don't if any more powerful words are recorded in the Bible!

What if, in an earlier conversation with Peter recorded in Matthew, forgiveness is what Jesus was directly referring to? "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” [Matthew 16.19]

The implications of John 20.19-23 are serious. My main concern is that, for the most part, we really don't 'look like Jesus' in our lives here on earth. Oh, to be sure, many have succeeded well in looking like religion! But religion and Jesus have very little to do with each other!

If Jesus said, "...he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also..." [John 14.12], I am guessing He meant that. What were Jesus' works? He preached the Good News, healed the sick, raised the dead - He declared the Kingdom of God.

Okay, stay with me... So if we are not seeing Jesus' works in our lives (As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you), could it be possible that we are in shortcoming on what else Jesus addressed in this same discussion (If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.)?

How important is forgiveness? I mean really?

I believe if Jesus taught us how to pray (Matthew 6), then the way He taught us to pray is all important. But how much more important is an element of way Jesus taught us to pray if He came back to that one element (in His teaching) and repeated it? And what did He repeat Himself about? Forgiveness: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." [Matthew 6.14-15]

Forgiveness is all-important. It is all-important for us as individuals and it is all-important for all around us. It is all-important in our homes, our church (and churches), our city, our county, our state, and our nation!

Think about all that is wrong around us... sickness, disease, disasters, chaos, turmoil, hatred, wars, etc... All of these (and more) are declared by God to be the result of sin (Deuteronomy 28). They are all curses upon the world because of disobedience.

Jesus made no distinction between forgiveness and healing. Matthew 9.5 says, "For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?" This is portrayed in Mark's and Luke's gospels as well. But if that alone does not seal the deal about the question about forgiveness and healing, read on: "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” [Matthew 9.6]

OK, so if Jesus "had it" on earth, WE are to have it on earth! What is IT? THE POWER TO FORGIVE!

And, how do we forgive? By the power of the Holy Spirit! What is the most profound display of the Holy Spirit at work through our lives? Is it speaking in tongues? Is it words of knowledge? NO! The MOST profound display of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives is FORGIVENESS!!!!

Do you want to see someone saved? Forgive them!

Do you want to see someone healed? Forgive them!

Do you want to see people's circumstances change? Forgive them!

We have the authority (God's authority) to forgive! We better get to forgiving!

And how will we know we have forgiven? People will be saved, healed, and circumstances WILL change! That is how Jesus did it, and that is how we will look like Jesus in this world!

It is simply not enough to say, "God forgave the world and so its all good." We must LIVE and GIVE God's forgiveness for the world. That's what Jesus did and we are expected no less than to do the same.

Father, I have been so unforgiving - please forgive me and then find me forgiving as I have been forgiven!