E70 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Forgiveness - What does it Cost?
Hope’s Harbor
Gritty Bible Devotions
Episode #70
Title: Forgiveness – What does it cost?
Date: September 5, 2022
Contact: info@hopesharbor.net
Key verse(s): Luke 11:4 – “And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us…”
Forgive: G863 af-ee'-ay-mee - From G575 and ἵημι hiēmi (to send; an intensive form of εἶμι eimi (to go)); to send forth, in various applications: - cry, forgive, forsake, lay aside, leave, let (alone, be, go, have), omit, put (send) away, remit, suffer, yield up.
G575 apo' - “off”, that is, away - it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.
Also ap-ol-oo'-o From G575 and G3089; to free fully, that is, (literally) relieve, release, dismiss (reflexively depart), or (figuratively) let die, pardon, or (specifically) divorce: - (let) depart, dismiss, divorce, forgive, let go, loose, put (send) away, release, set at liberty. Found in Luke 6:37 - "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Indebted: G3784: essentially they owe us better treatment, loyalty, etc.
Intro: Forgiveness of our sin is a must for us to enter into a relationship with GOD. And because GOD freely forgives us based on Jesus’s death in our place on the cross, He requires us to forgive others who wrong us.
This episode examines what forgiveness involves what it is – and what it does not involve as in remaining in danger from an abuser.
Devotion focus: The price and benefit of forgiveness
Luke 23:34 – ‘Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.’
Jesus has the divine right to require you and I forgive others for the wrong they do to us. Again, this doesn’t mean remaining in a relationship with them especially when you or your children are in danger.
So this episode deals with forgiving those who wrong us whether as family or supposed friends.
First, Jesus’s tells us to forgive. Why? Because unforgiveness is bondage
And because a wrong act stands in the way of a relationship based on trust and love. When we sinned against GOD, can He trust us to act any differently?
So, GOD, wanting to have a relationship with us based on love, made it possible to forgive us by sending His Son to set things right. Jesus did this on the cross. And when on the cross and He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." He revealed that sin blinds people to what is right.
GOD the Father listened to His Son who took the penalty for sin upon Himself. He forgives based on all sin being atoned for by the death of His Son and He requires we forgive based on the same.
Listen to Ephesians 4:32 – ‘And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.’
G5483 – Forgiving/forgave - khar-id'-zom-ahee; to grant as a favor, that is, gratuitously, in kindness, pardon or rescue: - deliver, (frankly) forgive, (freely) give, grant.
To forgive is to release the one who wronged us from the debt they owe us, the debt of doing right by us. This means we forgive even when they don’t apologize or repent of their wrongdoing.
It does not mean they are excused and it does not mean we must stay in a relationship with that person. It may even be unsafe to do so.
But let me tell you from bitter experience: carrying an unforgiving attitude leads to bitterness of soul, resentment, anger, and eventually hatred. In an earlier episode on anger, I mentioned how anger is like acid eating away at the container holding it in. Bitterness, resentment, and hatred are the same; they have the same destructive effect on our mind, emotions, and eventually our health.
Jesus tells us in the key verse GOD releases us from the toxic effects of sin through confession by forgiving us, and then goes further that we are to forgive the same.
And then on the cross, He explained how this is possible; by realizing others don’t know what they are doing. He didn’t mean they didn’t know the act, of course, they knew they were having the Son of GOD put to death. But they didn’t know the consequences. I can tell you… they’ve had 2000 years to dwell on the consequences.
One more point to bring out: forgiving others is a process, sometimes a long drawn-out process, and not a one-time act on our part. The length of time will likely depend on how long you have carried bitter unforgiveness in your heart.
If you have allowed it to root deep in your heart it will take time to uproot and displace the bitter resentment stemming from not forgiving the one who hurt you, who caused you so much pain and loss.
Believe me here – I believe in justice, in people getting what they deserve and being made to pay for the harm they caused me. But if and when I remember GOD didn’t hold me to the requirements of justice that I be punished for my sin… then I realize the right thing for me to do is forgive that person, no matter the evil they did.
The best way I’ve found to forgive really evil people is to pray for their salvation. That they find GOD’s forgiveness by trusting in Jesus’s death for their sin and asking GOD to forgive and save them from the wrath to come. When I think about eternity in hell for the unforgiven ones of our race, I shudder. Then I pray for them to be saved. Before you think this is easy for me to say, I’ve had to do this very thing and this process is how I forgave a man I intended to kill for the wrong he did to a loved one.
Summary: We all have the same sinful nature. It’s like a virus and affects us in different ways, mostly depending on how we were taught as children. The evil I haven’t committed was because GOD kept me from it. I thank Him for it, too.
Action to consider: Get a copy of Lysa Terkeurst’s book ‘Forgiving What You Can’t Forget’ – and read it! I just got a copy and haven’t read it all the way through, but so far she does an outstanding job of delving into forgiveness. What it is… what it isn’t. The book is based on an ongoing excruciating divorce experience with an unfaithful spouse.
I can tell you from my own experiences with betrayal she has incredible strength you can draw from if you will read and see how to put into practice the difficult process of forgiveness.
Next week’s devotion: The Armor of GOD