Something I Learned In Church Today

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OPC'n

Puritan Board Doctor
Sometimes there are truths we know in a segmented manner not understanding them in a continuance manner. One truth I learned today was that on forgiveness. We know we are to forgive each other as God forgives us which is taught in the Lord's prayer. We also know that God has forgiven them and ourselves. Not putting those two truths together segments how and why we actually forgive. I have always prayed, "God help me to forgive so and so the way you forgive me.". I don't think that's an incorrect way to pray, but I didn't understand exactly what I was praying.

My pastor touched on this in his sermon today. We are to forgive as he forgives bc he has already forgiven them of that sin. We don't have the right to not forgive each other bc to do so is to deny the work of Christ on the cross. When we don't forgive fully, we in essence tell Christ he didn't complete his work on the cross. We also do this we when don't believe fully that we ourselves are forgiven completely. None of us would deny his work on the cross. Therefore, forgiveness towards each other and accepting his forgiveness for our own sins should be a doctrine that we not only practice, but also a foundational doctrine we fervently uphold as truth just as we do the salvific doctrine we hold dear.

I then started to think about how he calls us to forgive everyone including those who will not be saved. We don't forgive them unto salvation (we don't forgive anyone unto salvation for that matter), we forgive them to reflect God's glory. So we imitate him in this way in that "while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly". On an earthly level, we forgive them bc we as sinners who are not a holy God we are called to forgive sins against us for we have also sinned and have no room to not to forgive. Ultimately, they have sinned against God and not us. Whereas, God being holy and without sin does have the right to not forgive them unto salvation. We imitate towards them on an earthly level what God has done for us on a spiritual level. In this way, we are called "sons of God".

Most of you all probably never segmented these two truths like I was doing unintentionally, but maybe there are some who are like me who will benefit from what I was taught.
 
Thanks for sharing what you learned, Sarah. That was helpful and profitable to me. Enjoy your Sabbath!
 
Ultimately, they have sinned against God and not us.

This is one key in understanding this deep spiritual truth.
Sin is an offense against God. It can involve other people, too, but it is always, at minimum, a sin against one's Creator, who has revealed His will to His creatures.

Westminster Larger Catechism

Q. 24. What is sin?

A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature.[92]
Scripture Proofs

[92] 1 John 3:4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Galatians 3:10, 12. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.... And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
 
Forgiveness is dismissing a debt. In the New Testament, the Greek noun aphesis denotes a "dismissal" or "release." When you grant forgiveness, you dismiss the debt owed to you. When you receive forgiveness, your debt is dismissed. When you grant forgiveness, you dismiss the debt from your thoughts. Forgiveness is dismissing your demand that others owe you something, especially when they fail to meet your expectations... fail to keep a promise... fail to treat you justly.

That said, forgiveness is not...

- circumventing God's justice
- waiting for time to heal all wounds
- letting the guilty off the hook
- the same thing as reconciliation
- excusing unjust behavior
- explaining away the hurt
- based on what is fair
- being a weak martyr
- stuffing your anger
- a natural response (!!!)
- denying the hurt
- being a doormat
- conditional (God mandates it!)
- forgetting
- a feeling....

God commands us to forgive. Forgiveness is an act of the will, it is not some emotion.
 
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