Astronomical: Forgiveness is not a number, but when put into its proper perspective it becomes a natural part of our humanistic character. It becomes astronomical when allowed to work the way it was designed by God. Refer to Matthew 18:21,22
Forgiveness, when applied according to the testament of Lord Jesus Christ, should not prove to be a problem to the person who loves the Lord enough to follow and obey His commandments.
The natural or carnal man: the person that serves no God and adheres to no one's rule but their own will have trouble following any kind of mandate that advocates forgiveness. Forgiveness is a condition of the heart. A condition that everyone is not conditioned or prepared to meet.
There is a preparation and a preparedness that the individual must go through to be successful in forgiveness. There are, or there seems to be, three (there may be more) things that man finds hard to do:
1. Honesty: Telling The Truth
2. Apologizing: Saying I'm Sorry
3. Forgiveness: Asking for Forgiveness
We are going to concern ourselves with forgiving and being forgiven.
Whether a man is a non-Christian or Christian, there are some basic rules and rationales that apply to all. A good rule of thumb to follow, as a gage for forgiveness, is just plain and livable Christian Ethics.
The Apostle Paul, in a discourse to the church of the Colossians, laid a clear path for the person that through their belief in Christ should follow. He admonished them as having a change of heart, which made them a new man, by putting off the deeds of the old man with renewed knowledge of Christ.
Paul's instructions for the regenerated were to Forbear one another and if you had a grudge against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Refer to Colossians 3:13.
These are good, basic rules for anyone to follow. That is for those who have a mind for a life free of contentious people, whose lives are full of mixed emotions about others.
To be forgiven, the burden of proof is always on the forgiver. If you cannot forgive, then you will not be forgiven. Refer to Mark 11:26.
The proper attitude in an important and focal point is the Art of Forgiveness. A person must learn and it must become an inbred part of life to love our neighbor as yourself* and to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Refer to Luke 6:31
- Deacon James A. Markham
* Refer to Matthew 19:19 & 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; and James 2:8
