Gaylord Diaz's Blog

INTRODUCTION

I’d like to talk to you about one of the hardest things for people to do, and that is, forgive. You see, we have all been wronged at some point in our life. We have suffered the sins, the abuses, the offenses, of others. We might have been sexually or verbally abused by family and loved ones, by enemies and friends. We might have been lied to or lied about. We might have been terribly humiliated. We might have been cheated out of a huge sum of money, property, goods, or inheritance. We might have been given bad advice–perhaps by a doctor, a counselor, lawyer, or friend. And heeding that advice has resulted in a lifetime of sorrow and regret. We might have been beaten and our body and mind bear the lasting pain and scars of a violent, terror-filled moment of the past. We might have seen loved ones who meant a lot to us violently or senselessly killed. On and on the list may go. We have all been wronged in the past and perhaps even now in the present we are suffering the wrongs, the offenses, the sins, and injustices, of   others.

The  guilty  culprit  may  be  a  member of  the family,  a  member of the  church, a  relative, a  former  friend  or  acquaintance, a  pastor, doctor, lawyer, dentist, banker, policeman, neighbor, criminal, stranger, or complete unknown.

We’ve had no great problems forgiving most people and forgiving most offenses. But the one or two, like a Goliath, defy forgiveness. It’s taken a long time and the offender has yet to be forgiven. Yea, saith the Lord, you must forgive! Brethren, we stand in need of forgiveness ourselves. For this reason, we stand obligated and commanded by our Lord to forgive. Brethren, we must forgive!

SOME BENEFITS OF FORGIVENESS 

If the people of this world were more forgiving there would be a lot less crime that’s motivated by unforgiveness, hatred, and retaliation. There would be less murder and homicide. Less gang violence. Less vandalism. Less stalking and harassment. If people were more forgiving there would be less sick people. Less divorce. Less people in prison. And less people in Hell. If we in the church were more forgiving of one another there would be less animosities and strifes within the church. There would be less criticisms and back-biting. Less fights. Less divisions. Less church splits. Less people leaving the church.

The result? The church would be bigger, stronger, and more united to withstand the attacks of the enemy against the church. We would be bigger, stronger, and more united to be a positive testimony of the power of Christ’s transforming love. We would be bigger, stronger, and more united to do the work God has given the church to do.

THE CALL TO FORGIVE

As you know all too well, the Lord calls us to forgive. Ephesians 4:32 reads, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Forgiveness is not an option. It’s not something we can choose not to do if we don’t want to. God commands us to forgive. It’s His will that we forgive. Therefore, REGARDLESS OF HOW WE FEEL ABOUT IT OR HOW HARD IT MIGHT BE FOR US TO DO, WE ARE OBLIGATED BY OUR LORD TO FORGIVE. WE SIMPLY HAVE NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER.

Colossians 3:12-14 exhorts us, Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; {13} Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. {14} And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

The thing we see in this passage of Scripture is, forgiveness is an inseparable part of the Christian life. Just as Christians have been forgiven by God, so Christians are to forgive. Christians are, by their God-given nature, a forgiving people. They’re not unforgiving. They forgive.

Coming Up On My Next Blog Post, Part 2, The Importance Of Forgiving Others. Think it isn’t that important? You’d better think twice about that. Don’t miss this eye-opening, heart-convicting post. The Good Doctor has examined your heart and you’re on next for life-saving surgery. Check in early for the Spirit’s pre-op.