Forgiveness
Zion's Advocate, April 1899, Vol. 38, No. 4
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." - Ephesians 4:32.This precious exhortation of the inspired apostle to the saints which were at Ephesus, and to all the faithful in Christ Jesus, is a safe and delightful rule for the government of God's people in their intercourse with each other in their relationship as members of his church, and in the secular affairs of life. Jesus was a most perfect example for his followers in this respect, displaying on all occasions, and in the most solemn manner, the principles of love and kindness, and generous forgiveness. His public discourses, his social communion, his pleading prayers, were all the overflowings of love divine and the manifestations of kindness and compassion. Not alone the breathings of his lips, but the labor of his hands, the steps of his hallowed feet - the life he lived and the death he died - all, all were sacredly characterized by the spirit of kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness.
Notice how he taught his disciples to pray, directing them to adore and hallow the name of their God, to ask for the coming of his kingdom, for his will to be done on earth, and for the supply of this day's bread. And then came the humble, fervent petition, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." Let its full force bear upon our minds that we may not think lightly of its importance. Will the forgiveness we extend to others be sufficient for us? Look back at the train of errors! See how the long, dark list entangles about us, from which there would be no escape but for the mercy of God in Christ displayed in our unmerited forgiveness! Our cold indifference, our unfeeling hearts, our wandering desires, our languid zeal, our sickly love, our stammering lips, our barren minds, our slothful hands, and sluggish feet, coupled with acts of rebellion and wrong deeds, render even our preservation and temporal blessings an astonishing wonder. And then our greed and selfishness, our love for the world and its imaginary riches, our strivings for honor and personal ease, our neglect of the poor, and the malice we harbor in our bosoms against our fellow creatures, do we not seem a miracle of mercy when we remember all this? How much is forgiven us if we are forgiven!
Now, just as we must have forgiveness or forever perish, and just as we beg for it though we don't deserve it, so should we, so must we forgive others. Since, if we are rescued from the abyss of ruin, it is mercy and forgiveness that has rescued us, so these heavenly attributes should govern our actions and adorn our lives, crowning us on earth with the first ripe fruits of a gracious state. Have you been wronged by a brother, and are you now harboring an ill feeling in your heart toward him? Then pray the Lord to divest you of it, and give you instead a spirit of kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness. Return good for evil and much good will result from it. But perhaps you say that he has not asked you to forgive him, and therefore does not deserve it. O, my brother, do you deserve all the forgiveness you expect to get? Surely you do not. Then just as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you do you forgive others. In his dying agonies, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Think how his enemies had mocked him, spit upon him, and even nailed him to the cross, yet under the weight of it all he not only forgave them but prayed for their forgiveness. If he did so for his most bitter enemies, can we not forgive each other who are the professed members of his household, especially as we have so little to bear? The thought of this ought to induce us to forgive even our enemies.
There is nothing more clearly taught in God's word than that kindness, and love, and forgiveness are to be the distinguishing features of his kingdom. It becomes our indispensable duty, therefore, to strive to cultivate these divine traits of christian character, and pray to God that they may develop into predominating principles in our very nature, that we may be able to "walk in love as dear children," and enjoy that sweet peace which is afforded us here as a foretaste of heavenly bliss to come. Let us earnestly and prayerfully strive, then, to walk together in sweet harmony under the banner of love, that the delightful perfume of peace may arise from the garden of grace, and that all the plants thereof, revived by refreshing showers, may bloom afresh and rejoice in the sunshine and warmth of God's holy presence. Dear brethren and sisters, as we write these thoughts, our very heart's desire and prayer is to be actuated more and more by a disposition of kindness and forgiveness. Oh! Lord, forgive us as we forgive others, and enable us to forgive others as we hope to be forgiven by them.
J. R. D.
Copyright c. 2003. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
