Matthew 6:12
JESUS announced that the kingdom/government of God was at hand to an audience of people who had been anticipating its arrival for generations (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15). My wife is from Guyana and I find it intriguing to learn about the differences between living where she was born and where she is now. No matter the time or place, with a change in kingdom/government comes a restyling of culture, laws, customs, language, etc.
Thomas Szasz was quoted: “The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naïve forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.”
In Matthew chapter six, Jesus taught His disciples to pray to the Eternal Father. He was careful to include a clause that was foreign to the kingdom/government that they were used to. Albeit, one that none of us are naturally accustomed to due to our sin-sick condition. “And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.” It was understood that to forgive meant to release someone from a debt, to atone (make someone at-one again with nothing in between) and to pardon. Rather than claiming forgiveness from God alone, Jesus communicated that in His kingdom, citizens also freely forgive each other.
Some Health Benefits of Forgiveness
“I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10. All sin leads to decay and death. The admonishment to forgive is for our own good. In our case, forgiveness is making an exchange. It’s like choosing to release a sack of hot coals from our hands and receive a massage from a therapist who leaves us with a soft stress relief ball. The point is, unforgiveness causes premature decay, whereas forgiveness (releasing the debt and burden) preserves life. In plumbing, we would say it unclogs the pipe!
According to hopkinsmedicine.org: “Studies have found that the act of forgiveness can reap huge rewards for your health, lowering the risk of heart attack; improving cholesterol levels and sleep; and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression and stress. And research points to an increase in the forgiveness-health connection as you age.”
To live according to the kingdom of God, where it is the law to love God and each other, we must exercise forgiveness because unforgiveness blocks the flow of love.
Seven Myths About Forgiveness
The following list of myths is taken from the book: Could It Be This Simple? A Biblical Model for Healing the Mind
“#1- Forgiveness comes after the
offending individuals say they are sorry.
The problem with believing this myth is that it fails to realise that forgiveness heals the offended party, not the offender. Offenders experience healing when they repent. When both forgiveness and repentance occur, then so does reconciliation.
#2- God’s forgiveness equals salvation
Salvation requires not only forgiveness from God but also repentance on the part of the sinner. When Christ hung on the cross, what did He say…? “Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.” Although they did not request it, they were forgiven by the One who has the power in heaven and earth to do so.
#3- Forgiving someone means that
what that person did was OK
If sin is primarily a legal problem, and forgiveness is a judicial act by a powerful potentate, then forgiveness erases the record. And proof! No punishment person’s off the hook. But…sin damages the sinner, and even if the person is forgiven, the effect has already occurred. The injury to our minds can be healed only by the work of the Holy Spirit through repentance and application of truth.
#4-Forgiveness leads to greater vulnerability
If those who were assaulted forgave their assailants, does that mean they would fail to take precautions, such as locking doors or avoiding strange places at night? Of course not. In reality, such individuals are generally less vulnerable because they have become more sensitised and, therefore, are more alert and take more precautions.
#5- Forgiveness means restored trust
Trust is based on the trustworthiness of the individual. Forgiveness is a change of the heart attitude for the victim, not the assailant, and results in the injured person’s relinquishing and demand for vengeance. In no way, however, does it restore trust.
#6- Forgiveness means forgetting
This one is a little tricky because, in a certain sense, forgiveness does mean forgetting. However, such forgiveness does not involve memory erasure. This myth also stems from misunderstandings about how God handles situations. In the Bible, it states that if we repent, He will remember our sins no more (Jer. 31:34, Heb.8:12). God forgets our sins in the same way a parent forgets the leukaemia her child once had. Sin is no longer part of our character and therefore is no longer relevant in our relationship with Him.
#7- Forgiveness means that the
guilty person gets away with it
This myth is the most difficult… It involves misconceptions about God, the problem with sin, and His solution for it. In reality, no one ever gets away with sin… we damage ourselves when we sin (act destructively). With every unhealthy act and even every unhealthy thought we cherish, we make ourselves increasingly hard-hearted, selfish, and evil.
Some people fail to see that the problem with sin is that it damages the sinner. Instead, they believe that someone who sins must suffer an imposed penalty. When no penalty exists, they have difficulty forgiving, because it seems as if no one is holding the sinner accountable. The correct understanding of sin, however, allows for the recognition that no one ever gets away with it. Rather, those who sin slowly destroy themselves.”
Closing Thoughts
I would like to conclude by saying, when it comes to our salvation (being healed from sin), being forgiven is not the same as being restored. To think, “all I have to do is ask for forgiveness and I’m okay!” is deception. 1 John 1:9 tells us: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from unrighteousness.” There is a cleansing (conversion and transformation) that is required. May we be both recipients and demonstrators of the forgiveness that leads to a renewed character.