On Forgiveness

“Forgiveness is not leaving a dragon  with something to live down but offering to live through the situation together.”
-Marshall Shelley   (note- dragon is a difficult person in the context)

True forgiveness is a difficult discipline in the life of a Christian, but it is important to remember that true saints will forgive.  A mark of a false-Christian is an unwillingness to let go of other’s wrongs for the sake of Christ.  Forgiveness was the mindset of Jesus Christ as he willfully committed the wrongs against His own self on the cross by uttering those now famous words, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  Did they know what they were doing when they crucified the Christ?  In one sense, yes, they knew they were hanging an innocent man-one who was not common criminal.  Yes, they knew that Jesus claimed to be Messiah, the inscription above his head was written in Latin, Greek, and Aramaic.  Did they know that he claimed to be the Son of God? Certainly, which is why the Jews Crucified and the Roman’s mocked.  So what did they not know?  They did not know that they were doing the work of Satan.  They did not know that they were instruments of the Great Deceiver who was bruising the heal of the seed of the woman (Gen. 3).  They knew they were wrong, but they thought they were wrong for the right reasons.

We must not forget that when people wrong us sinfully, they usually do not realize they are doing the work of Satan; just as we don’t understand we are deceived by the Wicked One when we sin against our brother.  We must forgive them, for they know not what they do.

I am a little “rambly” today, but I trust my dear reader(s) will get the point.  Praise God we are forgiven, now let us forgive others.