Unforgiving at the End of the Age - Greg Gordon

[sermonindex]

St. Paul writes to Timothy giving us a picture of how it will look just before the second coming of the Lord. He shares that people will be “unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good” (2 Timothy 3:3).

In the end times there will be a great shift in how people live and act worldwide. Jesus spoke of children who will betray parents and how people will even want to put Christians to death (Matthew 24:9-10).

But we see the root of the issue in the attitudes of human hearts, and committed believers in Jesus Christ are not excluded. Not having love, not forgiving, and speaking evil of other good believers will be just part of the coming spirit of anti-Christ in the world.

Unforgiveness is a prison, a torturer. It will rob us of our joy, peace and even physical health. Jesus knew mankind and he knew that a great problem that many deal with is forgiving others. It is one of our Lord’s primary teachings and the apostles were very keen to this.

Peter said to Jesus in answer to his question of forgiveness, seven times! He understood that Jesus said to be extravagant in our forgiveness of others, and the current teaching by rabbis in that day was to forgive three times and then seek revenge. Our Lord’s response showed the extent of how God forgives and how those who claim to follow him should forgive, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:22).

Our Lord is teaching that forgiveness is not optional. We should be like our Lord who forgives greatly, forgives deeply, and forgives the inexcusable.​

Do you find it hard to forgive other brothers and sisters in the Lord? Do you find it hard to love others in the body of Christ because of hurtful things that were done to you? Are you speaking evil of those brothers and sisters and judging them? It is very important that we are clear of all such sin and are full of love, forgiveness and using our mouths to show mercy and love to others in order to restore them (Galatians 5:1).

Early believers lived in great anticipation of the coming of the Lord, and the thought of holding a grudge in unforgiveness with a believer and then entering eternity with this sin was unthinkable. In speaking about disputes, St. James writes, “Don’t grumble against one another” (James 5:9). The terrible reality to him was that the Judge was standing at the door, the Lord was coming back soon.

 

[Egraine]

Forgiveness can be a very hard thing especially when someone has done something terrible to you, not once, but repeatedly - something that has created serous trauma and forever altered the course of your life in horrible and negative ways. This is where we need to take an example from the Lord, who even as he hung tortured and dying on the cross, was able to forgive those who did this to Him. I ask myself - if Jesus could forgive them, then I should also be able to find it in my heart to forgive those who have harmed me. When I can put things in the context of Jesus, it is remarkable what I am capable of doing through Him - things that I couldn't even contemplate before are now possible. I am not saying that forgiveness is ever easy, but at least with Christ it is achievable. This, in itself, is a miracle.

"...as we forgive those who trespass against us ....."

 

[Fish Catcher Jim]

Would God ever tell us to forgive if it were impossible?
It's a command not a suggestion.

It's only hard when our human nature is involved but if you have learned to walk in the Spirit then it is not hard at all.
Blessings
FCJ

 

[Egraine]

What I find to be miraculous is that when I forgive with God's help, there is REALLY forgiveness. It is not simply an intellectual achievement - the bad feelings are actually gone, replaced by pity and love and a sense of peace. It is this complete transformation that never ceases to amaze me, as does the realization at how much harm we do ourselves by holding onto malice and hatred instead of letting it go and putting it into God's capable hands.

 

[Fish Catcher Jim]

Exactly and that is Forgiveness.
You may have to forgive and repent 100 times dealing with the same situation before "you as any one" walks in the freedom of forgiveness and feel love of God towards them.

The Key is to keep pushing forward and just as you catch your self fussing about it again , Repent and forgive them and pray for them.

When you do this you will find your self repenting and forgiving quicker and quicker Until You Find your self at the place when the thought comes and you without thinking quickly cast it down and say no way. .... that does not even matter because I forgave them and the thought can not stick or move you.
Blessings
FCJ

 

[Cturtle]

I find that the biggest first step can be to forgive by faith. And as we make the first step to be obedient to the Word... the Holy Spirit will give us the power to keep walking it out.

Good post my friend
Blessings

 

[sandpiper]

I find that the biggest first step can be to forgive by faith. And as we make the first step to be obedient to the Word... the Holy Spirit will give us the power to keep walking it out.

Good post my friend
Blessings

So true. Forgiveness is a process and can take time; but we begin trusting the Holy Spirit to give us the power to forgive no matter how hard it is. I am remembering Corrie Ten Boom in her book, The Hiding Place..forgives the guard who harmed her and her sister (who has died in a concentration camp) when she encounters him years later. God gave her the power to forgive.