Questions of Forgiveness

It's fascinating to me how we view celebrities' lives under the microscope and judge them so easily, without knowing them or being directly impacted by them.  Oddly enough though, once the initial public reaction of disgust has passed, sins are quickly forgiven and forgotten as we get back to focusing on whatever it is that we love and admire about that particular celebrity.  

 

In our personal lives, it is usually far more difficult to separate the sin from the sinner, especially when it is personal and has impacted our lives directly in a negative way.  Not too often do you hear someone say, "Sure, Johnny beat up his wife, but man - is he a great accountant!" 

 

What is it that prevents us from forgiving others?  Fear?  Pride?  Enjoyment of the power differential?  Because we are humans, we all sin. This means that we will repeatedly find ourselves being asked to forgive others,  as well as seeking forgiveness for our own actions.

If your life was front page news, what story might threaten to ruin the public’s perception of you? How would you make a case for your own forgiveness?  Has someone ever refused to forgive you after you genuinely apologized and asked forgiveness?  How did that make you feel?  Have you refused to forgive someone?  What purpose did that serve you?

 

Do you believe someone must ask your forgiveness in order to be forgiven by you?  Why or why not?

We typically think of forgiveness in terms of forgiving others and of God forgiving us.  What about forgiving ourselves?  Hebrews 9:14 tells us, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God,  purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

 

If you’ve ever paid off a loan, you’ve probably experienced that feeling of sweet release and joy.  You are no longer in debt, and you wouldn’t continue to send payments once the loan is paid in full.  So why do we continue to beat ourselves up long after forgiveness has occurred?

Do you need to forgive yourself for something?  If so, what’s stopping you?

 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

(Matthew 6:14-15)

 

“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25)