YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN. PART 3. FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER

Your sins are forgiven part 3. Forgiving one another.

Forgiveness of sin is what we have in Christ.  To be forgiven of sin is to be released of the bondage of sin as if you never sinned as we saw in part one of this series. We also saw in part  2 that we are forgiven not because we confess but only because of what Jesus has done. Click here to read PART 1 AND PART 2  of this series if you have not read them. It is necessary you read them first for the proper understanding of this part.
In this part, we will be looking at forgiving one another.   The first thing I want to establish is that we forgive because we are forgiven not because we want to be forgiven.  We know that in Christ forgiveness of sin is strictly unconditional.
Colossians 1 :14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Ephesians 1: 7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
The above scriptures clearly show that we have forgiveness of sins in Christ. It is according to the riches of God’s grace not based on us. God out of His grace and mercy  do not impute sins. This means that the man in Christ is not treated by God according to his sins. This is how God forgives us.
Ephesians 4
32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Looking at the admonition above we see that we are to forgive one another as God has forgiven us. It is not so that God will forgive us. God models forgiveness to us in Christ. The  question is how did God forgive us in Christ?  It is unconditionally according to the riches of his mercy and grace. Therefore we should forgive others unconditionally too. We should not be found dealing with people according to their sins. In Matthew 18:21-22, Peter asked Jesus how many times we should forgive people, is it seven times? Jesus said seventy times seven times  in a day.  This is four hundred and ninety times a day. It is practically impossible for one individual to offend you for four hundred and ninety times a day. Jesus was saying to Peter by implication that we should always forgive people no matter how many times they hurt us.
People will always hurt us as long as we are in this earth. We must ensure we do not treat them according to the wrong they do us. Notice we are to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. Christ forgives us not because we confess but out of His Grace and mercy. This implies that we should  not wait for people to beg us before we forgive. The model of forgiveness you see of God is the same you reflect to others. This is why many times, people that have the wrong believe that God forgives them because they confess always wait for people to acknowledge their fault  before they forgive. Unforgiveness many times has more harm than good. But you say man of God, can I just forgive  like that? Yes. You can. In Christ we have the ability to show forgiveness to others. We are told to do so and we can always forgive people. This is why for the man in Christ, any time he says I will never forgive someone, inside he feels uncomfortable. This is because unforgiveness is contrary to the righteous nature we have within us. Unforgiveness is not an In Christ reality.  We must never allow it.
One evil with unforgiveness is that it can lead to other sins. Once offence steps in, other evils are bound to follow. We must therefore watch against offence. Anything that will bring offence and unforgiveness should be avoided. We are forgiven so that we can forgive one another. We should not treat others according to their faults even as God in Christ does not treat us according to our sins.
Colossians 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
If any man has  quarrel against you, you should forgive the person even if you were right and he is wrong.
One reason why people  find it difficult to forgive is because they do not want to suffer for the right. You know it is good when you know you are wrong and you are in for it. Question, what if you were right by all standards and the person you had the issue with don’t seems to realise his fault? Peter spoke of this.
1 Peter 2
19  For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. note
20  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 
21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.
It so godlike to suffer wrongfully. Go over the above scriptures again. You see that if you suffer for your faults there is no glory in it. But, if you suffer even when you are right then you are like Jesus who suffered for others. You have to learn to be like your master. Many times people don’t forgive because they want to claim to be right.  Yes you are right, but you still have to accept suffering for it. This does not in any way portray you as weak but as strong. Real strength is in letting people go even when you know you are right. Just like our master Jesus, He died and suffered for mankind even when He is without sin.
Note that forgiving people does not mean you will give them another opportunity to hurt you. It just means that you are not treating them according to their offence.  You still have to do good to them as if they never did any thing to you.
Yes, that person you have held in your heart for his fault, set the person free now. You are better than that in Christ. Forgive always for that is your nature.

Declare THIS BOLDLY

CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN ME ALL MY  SINS AND TRESPASSES,

THEREFORE, I FORGIVE OTHERS.

I AM GIVEN TO FORGIVING PEOPLE.

I AM A LOVE BEING

I DO NOT FIND IT DIFFICULT TO FORGIVE PEOPLE

I FORGIVE ALWAYS EVEN WHEN I AM RIGHT.

Glory to God. Enjoy the life of forgiveness. Forgiving one another always even as Christ has forgiven you.

By OBIAZIKWOR EMEKE MODESTY
www.emekemodesty.com