The Law of Christ pt. 3 – Wiping the Slate
2 Cor 5:14-21 – the ministry of reconciliation
Proverbs 19:11 A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.
Christians who are easily offended… VIDEO
Romans 5:13 … but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Forgiveness is first about expectations. If our expectations are unrealistic, unspoken, or just plain wrong, then we will be easily offended. the solution is to become more unoffendable.
14 one died for all, therefore all died
We died with Christ! when we accepted the justification offered at the cross, we surrendered our right ever to be a prosecutor of anyone else in the heavenly courtroom.
16…17 we recognize no one according to the flesh…if anyone be on Christ
- New creations – can lead us to judge Christians more harshly.
- But Jesus instituted His NEW commandment based on the premise of us loving one another!
It is more difficult to forgive Christians because our expectations are higher, and because the enemy knows that Christians forgiving one another is the most potent demonstration of the good news we have.
19 …Not counting their sins against them
Matthew 6:12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
- Forgiveness wipes the slate – forgive us as we forgive our debtors
When someone has a debt, they avoid their creditors. Wiping the slate means we declare “the tab is paid,” which makes it easier for others to repent.
Philemon 18-19 But if he has wronged you in any way … charge that to my account;
When someone sins against us, consider their sin paid in full in Christ on the cross.
How we know we have not yet forgiven from the heart:
- Unsubsiding anger (subsiding = sink to the bottom)
- Micah 7:19 …You will cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea.
- Grief has a purpose in healing. Anger is never satisfied. Anger melted down in my presence returns to the grief from which it was born.
- Passive aggressive revenge:
- gossip à slander, withholding our love/ avoiding contact
- Cannot celebrate their blessing
- Become angry with God for not judging them – pull a Jonah
18-21 gave us the ministry of reconciliation
forgiving as Jesus does – not everyone receives the benefit of his forgiveness!
Not everyone gets reconciled to God. Not everyone will be reconciled to us, even when we extend forgiveness. it is our responsibility to ensure that if there is a breach ion our relationship, none of it is from our end.
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