Gnosticsm & the Proclamation of Christianity with special reference to John's Gospel (Cont)
True Forgiveness
1 John 1: 9 (AV); Psalm 32: 1 (AV); Psalm 86: 5 (AV)
One of the big problems we all face is whether we are able to forgive the other man who has wronged us. We should remember that part of Our Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us." (Matt. 6: 12 and also verses 14,15 that follow it): "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses".
We know nothing about the Redemption or about God's Forgiveness until we find that we cannot earn our salvation by our own efforts. We cannot even forgive our neighbour, far less love our enemy which Jesus also told us to do. Then we begin to understand why we need to turn to God. When we do this, we find that Jesus Christ, through the gift to us of the Holy Spirit, becomes our Enabler: "Now unto Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." (Ephesians 3: 20 NIV)
He comes down into our situation and helps us as we follow Him.
God loves the sinner but not the sinning.
'How can a Christian, who will not forgive his neighbour believe that God is willing, yea, wanting to forgive him. If God said, "I forgive you" to a man who hated his brother, what would it mean to him? How would that man interpret it?
Would it not mean to him: "You may go on hating. I do not mind it. After all you have had great provocation?"
That man would think, not that God loved the sinner, but that He was comfortable with and forgave the sin. God never acts this way. The more provocation, the more excuse that can be urged for the hate, then surely there is more reason that the hater be delivered from the hell of his hate.' [67]
What is usually called "forgiving the sin" means forgiving the sinner but also delivering him from his sin. This is what God does through Jesus Christ who came into the world to die for us, while we were yet sinners, and so save us from our sins.
"God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5: 8 (NIV).
Paul in 1 Timothy 1: 15 (NIV) writes: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst."
If I am forgiven without being altered, such forgiveness is not only damaging to me, but a sign of unmitigated weakness on the part of God.
Unless it is possible for God's forgiveness [68] to establish an order of holiness and rectitude, forgiveness is a mean and abominable thing. Thank God it is possible through the power of God working in us.
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