Helmet Of Salvation: FORGIVENESS

Breastplate Of Righteousness: Forgiven, Not Forsaken

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

It is amazing how sometimes believers seem to forget the extent to which they had been forgiven of their sins when they look upon the sins of others. Even Christians tend to have an Anything For Love by singer Meatloaf lyrics theology when it comes to the sins of others. "But I won't do that," they sometimes say.

My personal testimony, and many people in my life already know the bulk of this - used to have a drinking problem, used to have a self mutilation problem, used to have severe anger, severe depression, and an unhealthy sexual addiction (which still gets stirred up from time to time, even now in my walk in Christ)… now KNOWING all of that about me, and that God has forgiven me all these things and rescued me from them…

How in the world would it look or sound for me to claim, "But I wouldn't (fill in the blank)"? That is what many of u are guilty of doing. Some people may read this Bible study and say to themselves, "Yes, I am living with my significant other that I'm married to, but I surely wouldn't mutilate myself." I would be wrong, even if the statement rings true, because it is not my place to judge. (That isn't to say that I don't still do it from time to time.)

BUT, this is my point: Whatever it is that is our source and supply of sin - whatever sins are in our sinful nature database, whatever sins that we have confessed and been forgiven for, and even those that we have not yet managed to fully break away from yet… Christ died for the forgiveness of any and all of them (except of course the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, even though it may not yet be forgiven and the sinner may not have yet confessed - we should be forgiving, anyway. We should be forgiving of the sins of others, because God forgave us for our sins. Even if we HATE the sin, we have to forgive the sinner.

Personal testimony 2 - I have lost two babies in the expanse of my life, that I know of, and there were also another two possibilities which never were confirmed, but felt like they were. It is very difficult of me to deal with issues concerning abortion, infanticide, killing, raping, kidnapping, beating, degrading, discouraging, or harming a child in any way, especially one's own child.

Because I know the depth of emotion that is put into hoping for a child and thinking that one has finally been given to me, only to have that blessing taken away and the fact that I felt like crying out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me", I can almost with assurance say that I would never kill or harm a child. It is said that we should never say never - that's the only reason that I'm not saying never - but I can not even imagine or fathom myself harming or killing a child, even an unborn child not fully formed yet. BUT - that never gives me the right to never forgive someone for their ungratefulness of the child that God has given them.

Just as I have chosen to commit the sins against God that I chose to commit, and He forgave me - He can forgive them, too. Instead of hating someone who commits a sin that I hate, with a great portion of my ability to hate because thankfully, I can hate this sin, deeply and I do and will for the rest of my life… I should be praying for the sinner.

So, I've learned to pray for those who have, would or will harm children when I pray for the children and babies subject to abuse or murder by their parents or others. It has helped me not to react so adversely when I hear of an abortion or the consideration of one, as I used to (God's still working on me).

There were times in my life when God could have forsaken me and left me on my own, to fend for myself. He could have looked at my sin and left me in it. But, instead of forsaking me, He forgave me, and I need to in turn forgive others instead of forsaking them, even when I hate the sin, and even if the sin hurts me personally.

I just need to remember, that being tenderhearted and kind - forgiving others for their shortcomings, as I have my own. I have to remember that even when their shortcomings or on my list of things that I would most likely never do, and even when their sins are against me. I have to also remember what was said in 2Timothy2:24 - The Lord's bondservant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged. This coincides with the Scripture at hand and when I can remember both of them, together and practice my life upon that memory, I can bring glory to God through my forgiveness.

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT:

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

Lesson to learn:

Since God has forgiven His children of their sins, we should be forgiving unto others for theirs, even those who are not believers (and probably them most of all, because they know not what they do).

Sin to avoid: Unforgiveness

Example to follow: CHRIST

New thought to carry:

Forgiveness is only attainable for forgivers. It is mentioned any times in the Bible, which indicates that it is very important to God. That means that it should be very important to God's people. We know that even Christians are subject to sin - even those that we may consider little sins - on a daily basis. We need constant forgiveness of sins; therefore, we have to forgive others, because unless we do… God will not forgive us.

Girdle of truth: Make a list of all of those who I have not forgiven for something and proceed to make amends, praying along the way.

Shield of faith: Forgiveness is given to those who forgive. Those who have been forgiven must be willing to forgive.

Sandals of peace:

Heavenly Father, Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I pray for forgiveness of others. I pray that I can forgive anyone else of their sins - any of their sins, just as you have forgiven me of the repertoire of sins in my resume. As I continue on in my walk with You, I pray for daily renewal and I pray that on a daily basis, I forgive sinners and that I am forgiven of my sins against You. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen.