Forgiving Others in Grace

 By Pastor Benjamin Glaser - Posted at Thoughts from Parson Farms:

Not Letting the Sinner Own Your Soul

Good Morning!

In this space recently we’ve talked a good bit about standing strong for the Lord amid the trials of the world as it is right now. There’s been a lot of challenges thrown out and this week in our prayer and worship help I want to spend some time on you. That is, your personal walk with the Savior, in a way that doesn’t include a call to action per se, but includes a reminder of your need to rest in Jesus. Specifically, we’re going to look at how seeking forgiveness for others especially grants you peace as you, and I, deal with so much on our hearts and souls.

To start off it’s always important to define words. What do we mean by forgiveness? What does that look like? Seeing as we are coming to this from a Christian perspective it is likely a good idea to start with what the Bible has to say. In the seraphic opening chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he writes, “…to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” The Apostle here is speaking of the declaration of God the Father that we who are His are forgiven of our sins through the life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That we received this gift not by anything we had done, but by the free blessing of that unmerited favor from above is central to the message. Rightfully we often focus on what we as believers get out the Lord’s amazing grace. For a moment today I want us to think about this from the perspective of the Godhead. Because of Emmanuel’s offering up of Himself there has been reconciliation between fallen man and the Triune deity. No longer is there enmity between Heaven and Earth, but having been reunited in love both God and man are able to experience what Adam had destroyed, yet it is even better than that. Redeemed humanity is in a stronger, more robust bond with Jehovah because of the consummation of the covenant of grace.

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