MY FRIENDS, HOW MANY TIMES HAS CHRIST FORGIVEN YOU?

Sep. 30, 2014

MY FRIENDS, HOW MANY TIMES HAS CHRIST FORGIVEN YOU?

“FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DO.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. Before this point in time the world was not justified for Salvation, But at the cross, Satan was defeated, and even the centurions who were part of his crucifixion were included in the saving grace and power of Jesus Christ.

In Luke 23:47 (NKJV) it says So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” The unimaginable power of forgiveness that day on Calvary. Those ten words spoken by our Master, the hope of violence is overcome by peace, hatred is conquered by love of the Master’s grace.

Even under the greatest pressure while enduring the most gruesome and humiliating pain, Our Savior responded to Hatred with love, “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DO” Matthew 5:44 says ” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” forgiveness is a choice of a child of God that we make through a decision of our own will, motivated only by being obedient to God and his commission to forgive as He forgives.

Colossians 3:13 (KJV) tells us to “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” By possessing the attitude of forgiveness, you will also embrace the characteristic of love, peace, joy, hope, and gratitude. My friends, forgiveness is The greatest gift each of us who seek the kingdom of God can give.

“It’s the gift that keeps on giving.” In addition, forgiveness doesn’t minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life in the loving arms of our Savior and Him crucified who took it upon Himself to set an exemple for us to follow throughout our life.

Matthew 6:14-15. (NKJV) tells us “if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. “In a dream, Martin Luther found himself being attacked by Satan. The devil unrolled a long scroll containing a list of Luther’s sins, and held it before him.

On reaching the end of the scroll Luther asked the devil, “Is that all?” “No,” came the reply, and a second scroll was thrust in front of him. Then, after a second came a third. But now the devil had no more. “You’ve forgotten something,” Luther exclaimed triumphantly. “Quickly write on each of those scrolls, through ‘the blood of Jesus Christ God’s son, I have been forgiven and now I am cleansed of all sins.”

As we look over our life think on all the abominations we have brought before our Savior Jesus Christ, and now think of all the times He has told us too “go, and sin no more,” only for us to repeat the process of sin over and over again. So today, we are to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. Peter come to Christ with the question.

“How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” Christ taught that we are never to become weary of forgiving so He tells Peter “until seventy times seven.” “Man was under the condemnation of the broken law.

He could not save himself, and for this reason Christ came to this world, clothed His divinity with humanity, and gave His life, the just for the unjust, He  gave Himself for our sins, and to every soul He freely offers the blood-bought pardon.” (E.G. White)

In Matt. 10:8 (KJV) Christ tells us “freely you have received; freely give.” We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. At the very heart of Christ ministry was a simple concept and that is to love one another as we love one’s self.

So How are we to love others, as we love ourselves? well first we start with a compassionate and contrite heart as we focus on the words of our Savior as he was Dying on that cruel cross “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DO.”

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY