Title: Those who live forgiving (Ephesians 4:31)
people who forgive
Ephesians 4:31-32
Valjean is now free. To such Jean Valjean, the bishop says: “Jean Valjean, no longer belong to evil, but to good. I bought your soul with this candlestick. You've been in prison for so many years, but you haven't changed people. But by forgiving you at this time, your soul has changed.” Here, Jean Valjean becomes a new person.
How did you feel while reading this work? We learn that the new man does not come from judgment. The fact is that new opportunities do not come from condemnation. Putting them in jail doesn't make a new person. I think it's a work that makes you realize that new opportunities and new people are also created through tremendous forgiveness at the most important moment in your life.
Do you know that you have experienced the forgiveness of becoming a new person? Did you know that you are a forgiven person with a new opportunity? There is a western proverb that goes like this: “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” Think of it. The sins we have committed... How many sins have we committed, we are still living in those sins, and we are the weak ones who have no choice but to repeat the same sins over and over again. Since the beginning of the human race, human beings have sinned, and God has forgiven sinners. That is why Christianity is called the religion of forgiveness. Because forgiveness is a promise from God.
Just before Jesus died on the cross, he prayed, “Father, forgive us. for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Humans are ignorant, insensitive, and unbeliever of sin. It's true, isn't it when you look at us? We are insensitive to sin. So I don't really care what the price is. On the other hand, sometimes they commit crimes because they are ignorant. In addition, there are many times when we do not remember our shame before God. Nevertheless, it is the fact that God's forgiveness is always added to us as new people and new opportunities. We are living in a fact that is truly grateful and heartbreaking.
But, gentlemen, today the Bible says that we, as those who live in this forgiveness, must do something. It is selfish to live only with the forgiveness I have received. Furthermore, it is a passive life. When it comes to forgiveness, the Bible tells us to live unselfishly and positively. Then how are we to live? Today's text clearly states: "Let all bitterness and wrath and wrath and clamor and slander be put away from you, together with all malice, be kind to one another, have compassion, forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you. .” (Ephesians 4:31-32)
That is what today is. There are times when you do not have the desire to accept from the heart. But in order to obey the word of the Lord, we suppress our feelings of unwillingness and forgive with a willful decision. But if you forgive like that, there is nothing that you cannot forgive in the past. It becomes peaceful. In other words, if you forgive with a willful decision, your feelings will change. So, forgiveness comes first with a volitional decision, followed by a feeling. It is not like we will believe when enlightenment comes, but it is the same principle as if we believe, enlightenment will come. It is not that we will forgive when we have a feeling, but that when we forgive, we feel good.
So, why does forgiveness require such a willful decision? It is because of the motive of forgiveness. Today's verse teaches the important motive for forgiveness. Paul's favorite phrase is “In Christ.” This means that we forgive because of Jesus. That is, the motive for forgiveness is not in my feelings, nor in my feelings, but in Christ.
How pathetic would it be if we, who were forgiven our ten thousand talents in our relationship with God, live without forgiveness because we can't remember that fact, and we hang on to only a hundred denarii in our relationships? This is not an event that happened in the past, but an event that is happening within us now.
However, if we look at today's verse, there are some things that will automatically be buried within us as long as we forgive. They appear in verse 31. They are bitterness, wrath, slurring, and blasphemy. But these are things that come from malice. These things cannot come out of a good heart. My heart kept getting worse and worse and I was letting these things settle down. Evil things piled up in my heart and became dregs. And now it is saying that the only way to solve these problems is forgiveness. Forgiveness is the only thing that can cleanse the dregs of all these problems. It becomes a problem when evil things accumulate inside.
It is said that sometimes people vomit for no reason. But if you listen to psychologists, it's usually because you can't solve the problem of anger in your mind. On the other hand, there are people who are often paralyzed in their hands and feet even though there is nothing physically wrong. This also says that the heart that cannot forgive someone is a disease. It is because they cannot solve the problem of anger, conflict, and this problem of forgiveness in their heart. Even people who have neuralgia, stomach ulcers, and diarrhea for no reason after eating only rice. Most of these people do not solve the problem of forgiveness, so it is said that there are many such people. In this way, forgiveness is the panacea that can wash away the evil residues such as bitterness, anger, and anger in us.
Dear saints!
How about having the courage to forgive first, thinking that maybe I wasn't a passive person who couldn't forgive because of my pride and just waited for forgiveness?
This is another holy nickname given to us. May your life be worthy of that nickname.