Remember the game we played as children called “Simon Says?” The leader, appointed as Simon, would say “Simon says do this or that.” And the rest of us kids would then do “this or that.”
Well, as new creatures in Christ, we find that our attitudes should be that of children again – God’s children with a childlike faith.
As such, we find ourselves once again responding to a leader. Only this time Simon is replaced by God Almighty! And His instructions, of course, are not a game; for the consequences of following or not following His instructions are eternal.
Ephesians 5:1, speaks to the spiritual child. It says, “Be imitators of Me, My beloved children.” Since God is love, that, of course, is what we’re expected to imitate. And you’d think that would be a joyfully desired thing to do. Emulating his love is desired, but one aspect of it can be especially difficult to manage.
Nonetheless, God does want us to imitate His love of forgiveness. Before we can, though, we need to see what God‘s forgiveness looks like.
To begin with, in Matt. 18: 21, 22, Jesus answered Peter’s question as to how many times he should forgive someone. Jesus stated that it isn’t seven times, as Peter suggested (knowing that seven is symbolic of spiritual completion). Rather, Jesus said, one should forgive up to seventy times seven.
490 times is a number that would far exceed the number of times in reality that someone would actually return to us for forgiveness. Forgiveness is not about counting. It is an act of perseverance and patience. It is about abundant mercy.
Since God forgives us of our sins, we should be willing to forgive others who sin against us, and especially those who ask for mercy. After all, no one else could possibly owe us as much as we owe the Lord.
Forgiveness, as said, is all about mercy. God will have it no other way. Mercy is so important. So much so, that we’re told in James 2: 13 that God’s judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy. We are told that mercy is, and should be triumphant over our attitudes of judgment, or condemnation towards others.
We should imitate God because that is what our great example, our Lord and savior, the man, Jesus Christ did. Jesus said that He did nothing of His own accord, but only did that which His Father said, or which He saw His Father do (John 5: 19).
You say you want to be like Jesus? Then do as He did while He lived on this Earth. Imitate our God and forgive others who ask for our forgiveness!
Don’t rationalize it; don’t reason it out; just do it!
God says be doers of My Word and not hearers only.
And His Word is “F-O-R-G-I-V-E.”
In my next post (Wed., 10/3), I’ll talk about dealing with our feelings when it comes to how to forgive someone. Here’s a hint: don’t try it in your own strength.