Forgiveness from the heart is powerful. It is a force that cannot be reckoned with. The same is true for un forgiveness. If one harbors unforgiveness in their heart it most certainly leads to some patterns of destruction in that life. Love prospers in freedom, not punishment. Perfect LOVE casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. When you forgive you are saying in reality to a person, 'I don't punish you by not forgiving you, because I deserve the same for my failures and sin'. Dwelling on someone's failure or sin causes separation and division in a relationship. What right do I have to with hold forgiveness when Christ has forgiven me seventy times seven? If you value relationship then you will do everything in your power to forgive and reconcile so that friendship can be restored quickly.
I believe that the goal is to create an atmosphere where healing and restoration can take place, rather than distancing oneself from a person as a form of punishment when they have failed. Often times someone's sin is a reflection of a deeper issue in the heart. We need eyes of mercy and grace to see how Jesus sees. We must realize that you and I are just as capable to falling into the same temptation and sin as the one who 'deserves the stone'. We all deserve to be stoned if we were under the old law! But we are not under that system. We are under love and grace and forgiveness.
As pastors and leaders in the church we desperately need revelation from the Fathers heart on this issue. We need to lay down our old paradigms of punishment and bring in the new of forgiveness and reconciliation.If we fix our gaze on the cross then all trace of 'throw the stone' mentality will fade away. As Jesus said to the sinner next to Him, "today you will be with me in paradise". Can you imagine all the things that this criminal was guilty of? Yet, in one moment, the most difficult moment of Christ's life...He welcomed this man into eternal paradise.
Amen Brother! Good stuff, and very true!
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