Forgiveness – Part 5
(The following is the fifth part of a five-part series. I want to preface this article by saying it is a compilation of thoughts that began in February or March of this year. What started as a 3-word phrase “jumping off the page” one morning in my personal devotions has continued to develop over the past seven or eight months via further Scripture reading, Bible commentaries, King James Bible preaching, and devotional books, as well as personal experiences. This is certainly not an exhaustive study on the subject of forgiveness but rather a glimpse into what the Lord has been teaching me this year.)
A Final Word
A perfect example of both sides of the coin – the offender and the offended – is found in Luke 15:11-32 with the story of the prodigal son. When the son comes to himself in the hog pen, we see him acknowledging his sin both before God and man:
“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” Luke 15:17-19
As the humbled son approaches his home, we see evidence that the father never stopped looking…never stopped loving his son. The father was more than ready to forgive!
“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” Luke 15:20
In the next verse, we see the son demonstrating godly sorrow through repentance:
“And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” Luke 15:21
Upon repentance, we see a father/son relationship immediately restored:
“But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” Luke 15:22-24
I will close this article with one more thought from last Friday’s broadcast on KNVBC, followed by two questions. The thought was this:
“We should either be constantly forgiving or constantly asking for forgiveness.”
This morning, my two questions for all of us are:
1. When is the last time we have forgiven someone for an offense?
2. When is the last time we have asked for forgiveness for an offense?
“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.” Acts 24:16