Forgiveness

I've been enjoying an article for a while now and I want to share it with you.

It's about Forgiveness and of what it is NOT  - written by William Earnhardt 

As a Christian I thought I already knew this one essential thing in life called - Forgiveness.

If someone has wronged me, I must ask His heavenly grace to forgive that person.

I’m the one, who will forgive that person.

But think of this:

“Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. “With His stripes we are healed.”  -Ellen White, Desire of Ages, Page 25 

When Jesus died on the cross – He took all the punishment for our sins so that we can now be treated the way He deserves to be treated.

It says our sins, not only mine, not only yours but also our enemy’s sin - OUR sins!

Jesus took the punishment for my enemy’s sins so my enemy will also be treated the way Jesus deserves to be treated.

He suffered for sins committed against us.

So why do we need to take it out on our enemy when it has already been taken out on Jesus?

Forgiveness is not in our hands to give but in His hands. 

Now that’s taking Forgiveness to a whole new level.

Put the offender in Christ's hands and let Him deal with their sins.

Give it to God. For God alone understands more than anyone the pain and humiliation you feel.  

And Jesus felt more pain, rejection, and humiliation than any person.  

Pray for those people, who have wronged us that they will respond to God's Holy Spirit so they can be healed too.

I know as a human, it is easier to dwell on the issue over and over again than to think of ways of accepting things and surrendering all to HIM.

We’re more focus in our selves, we felt used, abused, molested, cheated, neglected, insulted, demeaned, bullied, betrayed, deceived, swindled, and hurt in some other way that you resent and the very thought of makes you angry. Sometimes we even thought of ways to avenge ourselves just to let them feel how hurt it was and make them pay.  The feel of injustice has been taken place. Ways of human.

Moreover it hurt a million folds when the person involved is close in our heart - family, church family, girl/boyfriend or a friend.  Broken heart and broken trust.

However retaliation against our enemy will never bring healing.

Remember we’re all healed by the stripes of Jesus, and not by the stripes of our enemy.

“Forgiveness and reconciliation is not saying “It’s okay.” It is saying, “I realize Jesus suffered for your sins on the cross.” It is realizing I am healed by the stripes Jesus received and not by the stripes my enemy receives. We have to be pretty sick ourselves to think that in order for us to be healed, someone else has to be hurt. Jesus does not have to hurt my enemy in order to heal me.” - William Earnhardt

In other words, totally release the person of iniquity, as Jesus Christ releases the person of sin, when they accept His death and life, through HIS blood. However we cannot forgive sin like He does, for only His blood can do that. We release the person to His love and justice and set ourselves free in the process.

This is hard and impossible to do as a human but as we walk our life as a Christ like people and seeing things through His eyes, it makes us a loving and understanding people.

Yes, maybe someday I will remember what happened, but I will no longer be bound by it.

He has taken care of my wounds as He has forgiven the one who made them.

And knowing this truth changed my view about forgiveness and I will never look at the person who has wronged me the same way again.

"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8,

  

I may be wrong or misinterpret the real message in one way or another – How about you? What is your definition of Forgiveness? Please share your thoughts below.