It Is Time We Forgive

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. [2 Corinthians 5.16-21]

In a nutshell, all that Jesus did while on the earth can be wrapped up in one word: forgiveness. 

Jesus reconciled believers to God. Jesus' miracles were all acts of forgiveness. Jesus' teachings were all extensions of forgiveness. Jesus' death on the cross was the purest picture of forgiveness. Jesus' resurrection from the dead and His place at God's right hand completed this forgiveness.

Look at this closely. Jesus reconciled us to God. Jesus forgave on behalf of God.

Our duty, as believers in Jesus, is also to forgive on behalf of God! Our duty is to also reconcile people to God! We have been tasked with this. We are ambassadors of Christ Jesus - we represent God - the same God Jesus represented on earth! Jesus showed us exactly what representing God looks like, and He commissioned us to do exactly the same!

And how did He do the works of God on earth? He forgave.

So, how important is it that Jesus, while living on earth, taught His followers to pray, "Forgive us as we forgive..."? 

Forgiveness is paramount. 

Forgiveness is not an option. It is not just a good idea. Forgiveness is the only reason we exist. 

Christ's true followers live to forgive. Our purpose is simple: forgive. Our goal is straightforward: reconcile others to God. And, we will accomplish this task in no other way than Jesus did. We reconcile others to God through our forgiveness.

If Jesus' forgiveness opened the eyes of the blind, healed the sick and raised the dead, then our forgiveness will accomplish no less.

It is time we stop making excuses for our current powerlessness in the world. It is time we forgive.

Father, help us to let go of our lives, our pride, our self-infatuation ...and forgive, as we have been forgiven.