Usually as human beings, we forgive based on our own terms and conditions. Our forgiveness always goes with our own definition of it. I heard the following statement many a times from many people “there is a limit”, I can’t forgive any more, enough is enough. But let us try to understand and think about God’s call for us to live lives higher than what you and I think. It’s not mere human life living on this earth, but with the life of Christ in us making this place (earth)a better place to live.

Let us try to understand different levels of forgiveness.

The First (Leviticus 4:35)

When anyone sinned against God in the OT, that person should do a few things to receive forgiveness from God.  In the same way, when people wrong us and when they try to offer us something by saying sorry and asking for forgiveness, we should forgive them that is the first level of forgiveness.

The Second (Matthew 18:21-22, Luke 17:3)

Here Jesus talks about the unlimited forgiveness we must show, whether he /she asks for it or not. The principle is, when someone offends you, you and I got to forgive them 77times (meaning with unlimited forgiveness).

The Third (Luke 7:44, 47-48)

The woman in this passage never asked for forgiveness, but Jesus saw her repenting heart and he forgave her. You and I should forgive people by understanding their sorrowful heart for what they have done to us.

The Fourth (Luke 23:34)

Here Jesus shows the extent of his heart of forgiveness when he offers forgiveness though when on our part, we neither know our sin against God nor realize it. But by our sin have offended God greatly. But the Lord gave his forgiveness to all of us and He is appealing to God the Father for our forgiveness so that we may be without guilt even when we don’t have the realization of all this. This is the kind of forgiveness we are challenged to model. You might ask if this is possible. YES, it is possible with Christ Jesus, Ephesians 4:32. When you are trying to learn to forgive others from your heart, you are demonstrating God’s character.

Forgiveness is a godly character, since in forgiving others we are showing mercy, Matthew 9:18. Jesus saw the need for forgiveness so He gave forgiveness, and we should understand that a person who offended us needs our forgiveness.  Bitterness and unforgiveness are powerful than dangerous poison and spread faster than corona virus, and by the time you realize it, people around you become your enemies. It effects your relationship with others and you can’t find a friend.  You will feel terribly lonely.

Doctors say that 67% of small allergies and sicknesses (stomach pain, head ache) people have because of an unforgiving heart. Unforgiving heart is not good for you and for others and also it effects your relationship with God Mark 11:25. Finally your heart of unforgiveness will ruin your total life.

“Remember when you think a person has offended you, he/she has actually offended God. And God who is infinitely holy is offended infinitely. In other words, when He who is infinitely holy is offended infinitely has chosen to forgive, how much more we who are infinitely less compared to Him ought to be willing to forgive. When God has forgiven do you think you are holier than God? (When you say I can’t forgive a person you are saying you are holier than God-by John Mac Arthur)

“Abraham Lincoln once said "Die when I may, I would like it to be said of me, that I always pulled up a weed (wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants) and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow."

My dear friend, our longing is for a joyful life deep inside. Here your Creator, your loving Father, Almighty God is ready to give you that joyful life which you and I want, even though we don’t deserve it. Can you let forgiveness flow from your heart? Can you plant flower in the place of a weed? Dear friend this is my prayer for you and God’s desire too.

By Tulasi Kiran

IYFC Hyderabad

The above quotation is from Dr. John MacArthur’s sermon. The writer doesn’t remember the exact location of the sermon, hence the citation is not provided