Forgiving Others - Protestant Caucus/Devotional

Gracetoyou.org ^ | 1993 | John McArthur, Grace Community Church

[metmom]

"[Love] does not take into account a wrong suffered" (1 Cor. 13:5).

If you love someone, you won’t keep a record of their offenses.

It is reported that when the Moravian missionaries first went to the Eskimos, they couldn't find a word in their language for forgiveness. They had to combine a series of shorter words into one compound word: Issumagijoujungnainermik. Although the word appears formidable, its meaning is beautiful, being translated: "Not-being-able-to-think-about-it-anymore."

You've probably noticed that unforgiving people usually have good memories. Some can hold a grudge for a lifetime. But love never keeps a record of wrongs committed against it. It forgives and is unable to think about them anymore.

That's what Paul had in mind when he said that love "does not take into account a wrong suffered" (1 Cor. 13:5). The Greek word translated "take into account" was used of the entries in a bookkeeper's ledger. Those entries helped the bookkeeper remember the nature of each financial transaction. In contrast, love never keeps a record or holds others accountable for the wrongs they've committed against it.

The greatest example of that kind of love is God Himself. Romans 4:8 says, "Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account." Second Corinthians 5:19 adds, "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them."

Every sin we commit as believers is an offense against God, but He never charges them to our account. We are in Christ, who bore our penalty on the cross. When we sin, we are immediately forgiven.

If you love others, you'll forgive them as God has forgiven you. Instead of holding them accountable for their offenses, you'll look beyond their sin to their potential in Christ. You'll heed Paul's admonition to "be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Eph. 4:32). That's the character of true love.

Suggestions for Prayer

Is there someone from whom you've been withholding forgiveness? If so, recognize it as sin and confess it to the Lord. Then be reconciled to that person right away.

Thank God that He doesn't keep an account of your sins (cf. Ps. 130:3).

For Further Study

What does Matthew 18:21-35 say about forgiving others?

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

[metmom]

Studying God’s Word ping

[Buttons12]

Sure, if you love others...
It’s the ones you don’t love who are tough to forgive.

[ConservativeMind]

No repentance is needed for Christians choosing to sin?

I believe McArthur is out to lunch on this one. We may accidentally sin in weakness, but planning to sin is not covered by Grace.

[metmom]

All sin needs repentance, even the ones we choose to do.

However, for the believer, the sin does not cost them their salvation, but it does break their communion with God and interferes with your relationship with Him.

[zucchini bob]

(Titus 3:10 [KJV])
A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

You can post heresy, but if I post things that refute it, I hear open threats to get banned.............we can see how that works now. Such tolerance for Biblical truth!

You were CLEARLY shown how he is a flaming heretick, and ignored that. Wow.

Read that again

https://www.christs-disciples.org/the-blood-of-jesus-christ.html

His,
Bobby Z.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Are you referring to MacArthur?

[ViLaLuz]

Prayer To Forgive Others

Father, there are certain things that have recently happened to me that have been so painful that I am finding it quite difficult to forgive others, and yet I know that this is Your will for each one of Your children. I know that forgiving others in our hearts has a beautiful secondary function, of opening up our hearts and lives to Your warming love and perfect peace.

Lord, I want to forgive others, but there seems to be a sort of blockage that is causing me to hold fast to my anger and hurt. Please Father God, in Your goodness and grace, would You please help me to forgive fully, freely and forever so that I may be released from this sharp pain of unforgiveness, which seems to be holding my heart in an icy, iron grip.

Lord, You have promised in Your Word that Your grace is sufficient for every trial and each difficulty in life, and I trust that this means that Your grace is sufficient to bring me to that point of genuine and gracious forgiveness. And so I cast this unforgiveness at Your feet and pray that You would forgive me for holding onto my unforgiving heart for so long, knowing that in Christ Jesus You have forgiven me so much. Thank You, Lord, for dying on the cross for me and for forgiving all my sins. Thank You that Your grace is sufficient for me. In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/prayer/prayer-to-forgive-others-1205

[metmom]

These devotionals are labeled as Caucus and Devotional.

As per the Religion Moderator’s home page, https://freerepublic.com/~religionmoderator/.....

‘”Religion Forum threads labeled “Devotional:”
Devotional threads are closed to debate of any kind.’

If you take exception to what MacArthur preaches or says, start your own thread on it. Otherwise, please follow the RF guidelines regarding Devotional threads.

If you disagree with RF guidelines, take it up with the RM.

If you continue to do this kind of pot stirring, I will start hitting the abuse button on you.

[imardmd1]

That is correct, and I agree with you, MM.

Without a deliberate sorrow for and repentance from (a) sin is a transaction that cannot be completed and ratified. In John's letter to his regenerated disciples, the verses 1 John 1:9,10 tells all (implied conjunction added):

⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
(But)
¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 

The effectiveness of forgiveness is conditional, as is the further ruling applied to each of His saints, and stated by Jesus in Matthew 6:14,15:

¹⁴For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 
¹⁵But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

[Elsie]

We may accidentally sin in weakness, but planning to sin is not covered by Grace.

So THIS is the unforgivable sin!!

I had wondered a LONG time!

[SheepWhisperer]

“Forgive us our sins in the same way we forgive others.”
...do we REALLY want this? REALLY?

“For the same way you forgive, you will be forgiven.”
...THIS stings horribly. I want to be forgiven much better than I forgive others. I want to be completely forgiven and clean.

Two powerful statements!

“If you have ANYTHING against ANYONE, forgive them.”
Leaves no wiggle room for excuses. Anything and everyone includes it all!

The notion of; “I’ll forgive __fillintheblank__ when they come to me and say they’re sorry” runs counter to the three statements above.

Guess what...THEY AIN’T COMING!

Now what?
We still forgive.

Forgiveness is releasing someone from the debt, or obligation they owe you when they harmed you.

So who pays the price?
The one injured.

God had to pay the price for us.
He is innocent and we are guilty, yet He pays the price

This is the true economy of forgiveness, as God Himself shows us the example.

We are to forgive everyone, for everything, all the time.
God left no middle ground in this for excuses why we don’t have to forgive.

p.s.not directed to you personally metmom

[ConservativeMind]

Repentance, my friend, and if you are truly a changed person, you don’t plot to sin. Some things may happen, out of habit.

Paul covers this, well.

[boatbums]

You've probably noticed that unforgiving people usually have good memories. Some can hold a grudge for a lifetime. But love never keeps a record of wrongs committed against it. It forgives and is unable to think about them anymore. That's what Paul had in mind when he said that love "does not take into account a wrong suffered" (1 Cor. 13:5). The Greek word translated "take into account" was used of the entries in a bookkeeper's ledger. Those entries helped the bookkeeper remember the nature of each financial transaction. In contrast, love never keeps a record or holds others accountable for the wrongs they've committed against it.

And I immediately thought of this passage from Proverbs:

He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends. (Proverbs 17:9)

When we forgive we also should not throw the offense back into someone's face later. God says He removes our sin as far as the east is from the west and our sins and iniquities He will remember no more. We are commanded to forgive AS God forgives us.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:12,13)

[Elsie]

Repentance, my friend, and if you are truly a changed person, you don’t plot to sin.

And yet...

1 John 2:1-2

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin.  
But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 
2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 

Plotting or stumbling isn't differentiated here.

[Elsie]

But he who repeats a matter separates friends. (Proverbs 17:9)

I'd show this to the wife; but she might not forgive me lol

[Mean Daddy]

This is definitely a tough topic for me. If I make a mistake at work, home etc., I am truly sorry, especially if I hurt someone. If I’m on the receiving end, I can remember for a llloooonnngggg time. Great topic for reflection because if I can be forgiven for my transgressions, I should be able to forgive those that have hurt me.

[metmom]

Forgiveness is not easy for anyone as far as I can tell. Offenses hurt and when it’s piled on a lifetime of hurt, or from someone who habitually hurts us, it’s very difficult to keep forgiving them.

That is truly where God’s grace is needed because even after all these years of walking with Christ, the reaction of my flesh is still to carry anger, bitterness, and/or resentment when hurt again, especially by repeat offenders.

[boatbums]

That is truly where God’s grace is needed because even after all these years of walking with Christ, the reaction of my flesh is still to carry anger, bitterness, and/or resentment when hurt again, especially by repeat offenders.

And that is why forgiving others AS God has forgiven us is a supernatural act. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we have the grace and ability to forgive like that. It truly does mean "letting go of my right to get even with" our offender and placing it in God's hands who tells us, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay.". We can't possibly know what is going on in someone's heart and life that causes them to do those things that hurt others - but God does and only He can deal with each one as it should be. By letting go of bitterness, resentment and anger, I in turn trust in Him because, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”