…bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Colossians 3:13 ESV)
Starting with Forgiveness
I think more about playing the guitar than playing the mandolin. Because I am a better guitarist than mandolinist.
I think more about reading Science Fiction than reading Physics textbooks. Because I am a better SciFi fan than a Physics analyst.
I think more about using my lawn mower than driving a backhoe. Because I am a better mower than a backhoe-er.
In my life as a Christian, I readily think about Biblical translation, crying when I privately pray, and writing sermons. Because I think I am fairly good at those things. But there are a number of Christian practices, attributes, and attitudes that I do not think about. Because I am not very good at them.
I pretend to be good at them. I try to be good at them. I notice when I am NOT good at them.
But I do not really consider them, because I tend to consider those things at which I am better.
But we need to think about, consider, and dig in to those things that we are NOT very good at. That is our part of the process of Sanctification.
And so, for the next while, let us consider something that we are not very good at.
Forgiveness.
Forgiveness is at the core of every Christian’s relationship with God. It is at the core of God’s relationship with us. It is foundational to our relationship with each other.
But we are not very good at it. We do not forgive others as we were forgiven. We do not accept forgiveness when it is offered. We build excuse-walls that make our NON forgiving seem reasonable, wise, and even Spiritual.
Forgiveness, though… when we receive it AND we when perform it, changes our lives.
Forgiveness touches on every Christians’ thoughts, words, and deeds. Forgiveness touches on every aspect of our daily activities. Forgiveness is the dough of our Christian bread.
And I am observing and believing more and more that our misunderstandings about forgiveness are a root cause of all that plagues the church, the Church, and individual Christians.
This is not going to be an easy set of brief studies. I expect I am not going to like it. I expect it to encourage AND challenge.
I hope we will find that looking at what the Bible, Scripture, God’s Word says about forgiveness will alter how we see it, understand it, and practice it in an improved way.
Hold on to your hats.