HOW LONG HAS GOD FORGIVEN PEOPLE OF THEIR SINS?
Adam and Eve realized after eating the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden of Eden that they were naked, that they had done something wrong, they had sinned, disobeyed God. (Genesis chapter 3) God has been trying to redeem (help) us since then. Adam and Eve did not know how to cloth themselves. God showed them how. (Gen 3:21) So that they felt comfortable to be in Gods presents. (fit to be in the presents of God) To do this God had to kill (sacrifice an animal). After this people had to kill (sacrifice) animals so they could remain clean (fit for God).
Ever since people have known right from wrong. But because they are blinded by the devil they continually sin. Because of this, generation after generation have been blinded to our present day and time. Since we are descended from Adam and Eve we all know that we sin, and do wrong things. We all know right from wrong. But continue to do wrong because we are deceived by the devil.
So for generation after generation a family will live in poverty, another will abuse their children, another their spouse, another family may kill others, another may gossip, another be greedy, another may live in depression. Each member of a family affected differently to pass it on to their children. No family has ever been perfect. Never.
SO HOW DOES ONE STOP THIS CYCLE?
By forgiving. By forgiving ourselves what we have done, by forgiving our parents and their parents and their parents...all the way back to Adam and Eve. Why? because they have all been deceived, just as we are now being deceived by Satan. By forgiving those outside our immediate family who we feel have hurt us, for in reality we are all related.
HOW CAN THIS BE DONE?
By understanding how God has forgiven us, ever since our ancestors almost 6000 years ago, about 150 generations ago sinned. Since Jesus died for us we no longer have to sacrifice animals. Jesus gave himself a sacrifice for us almost 2000 years ago.
WHY DOES GOD FORGIVE US?
Because Jesus asks him to. (Luke 23:34) As Jesus hung dying on the cross He asked his Father (God) to forgive those who were killing him. Why? Because they did not know what they were doing. They were blinded by Satan, permitted to commit this act so that we could all be saved from hell. Each time we or anyone sins it is because we are blinded/tricked by Satan, just as Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden. We are still fooled by him like little children who haven't learned how to be good after all these years!!!!
HOW ARE WE FORGIVEN?
Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his (Jesus) blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Grace/mercy-Jesus loves us! God redeemed (made them fit, saved them) Adam and Eve by shedding an animals blood. He redeemed us by allowing Jesus blood to be shed on the cross. So that if we choose we can choose life with God, instead of death with Satan. Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his (Jesus) blood, even the forgiveness of sins. We are washed clean by the shedding of Jesus blood on the cross.
WHO CAN BE FORGIVEN?
Psalms 86:5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. (everyone who asks)
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE BEEN FORGIVEN?
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (EVERY TIME WE ASK)
WHY SHOULD WE FORGIVE OTHERS?
Ephesians 4:30-32 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
If we continuously forgive others we will have a tender heart. A heart that is open and kind willing to do the things God asks us to do. We will continue to understand how to forgive others even though we may be hurt badly because we can continue to forgive ourselves for the things that we do wrong. If we who love Jesus and strive hard to do the right things fail, how can we expect others to be perfect.
Once we have accepted Jesus' forgiveness and begin to live our lives as we feel He would direct us we see more clearly the things we do wrong and realize just how gracious our Lord is to us! Because in his eyes we are made perfect like Jesus. (Hebrews 1:4, 2:9-10) There is no longer any sin in us. We are fit to be in the presents of God, as Adam and Eve were when God clothed them.
This is how we learn to forgive others, when we realize it is not their true being who hurts us but their spirit blinded by Satan, just as our spirit can be blinded by satan. All we can do is be like Jesus, realize that they are walking in darkness and pray for them that God show them the light. (1 John 2:9-10)
HOW MANY TIMES DO WE FORGIVE OTHERS?
(Matthew 18:22-35) Every time they ask. This does not mean that we allow others to beat us or harm us continuously, but that if we are hurt because of circumstances we do not become hard and bitter, so that Satan can wedge his way back into our life. (2 Corinthians 2:7-11). Jesus understands how we are tempted and will help us in times of temptation. (Hebrews 2:17,18)
As I begin to understand forgiveness I realize just how very important it is to forgive others past present and future. Once we understand and can unconditionally forgive others (for there are no conditions that are forced upon us. Once we have chosen Jesus He does not say, Do this or do that or you will be on the road to hell again) We find instead that we are totally loved and totally accepted once we accept Jesus. (John 17:16 and John 10:28). Jesus accepts us even though we are almost as blind as those who have not accepted him.
Beginning to understand this concept I can begin to grasp this verse, Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
If we run others down, we in reality are only judging ourselves, If we gossip and condemn another we are only condemning ourselves to fall into Satans snare. If we cannot forgive others, how will we ever forgive ourselves? With a mass of confused angry thoughts inside of us we will never know peace at all. We are not helping those we are speaking about or ourselves. We are punishing ourselves, staying blind, keeping our hearts hardened. So that we cannot hear the Holy Spirit guiding and directing our life. We cannot help ourselves, let alone others.
Forgiveness is a continuous growing process, one will stumble and have to ask for forgiveness all over again, and Jesus will give it, so that we can forgive ourselves, because we stumbled, so that we can forgive those around us, when they hurt us or let us down.
I beg of you to grasp this concept today, to ask Jesus to help you to grasp it if you cannot. We do not need to be exceptionally evil to to understand it. And if we are exceptionally bad when we grasp it the meaning is all the more clear. Jesus loves us and accepts us with a depth that we can only begin to understand. And once we begin to grasp even a glimmer of His love, His hope, His peace, how can we not begin to truly love one another.
(If you feel so inclined, please pass this on)
