164. Forgiveness and Faith

LINK: Luke 17:1-10

BACKGROUND

164. Jesus tells about forgiveness and faith: Luke 17:1-10

We are not to sin against other believers or tempt them to sin (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthian 10:32; 1 John 2:10).  The "little ones" Jesus is referring to are young believers (Matthew 18:1-6; Mark 10:24; Luke 10:21). 

This passage also talks about a private, loving rebuke to a brother who sins in the spirit of forgiveness and humility (see also Matthew 18:15-20 and Event 119 for more on this). Rebuking is not meant to alienate but to restore. 

They were to counteract sin by forgiving over and over again. This would require faith on the disciples' part, and Jesus said they only needed true faith that depends on God to give true forgiveness. 

REFLECTION

Today, there was a conflict coaching seminar at our church, and I was asked to do a little testimony about forgiveness. I ended up not being able to do it because I had a dear friend drop in from out of town, but isn't it appropriate that this passage would be about forgiveness? 

The story I was going to tell was about a time when I had tension with another ministry leader. I didn't know what I had done to provoke her, but she wasn't very nice to me, and I responded sinfully to her. I could have been like a little child and said, "Well, she started it!", take my marbles and go home, but I had been reading The Peacemaker by Ken Sande. So, I wanted to make peace with her "as far as it depended on me" (Romans 12:18), not expecting her to give any kind of apology in return. 

So, I asked for her forgiveness for the way I had responded to her, and she gladly forgave me. Then she said, "This isn't all about you." So we went for a walk, and she poured her heart in confession to me about her sin toward me! I wasn't expecting that. How could I not forgive her in return! 

The angels in heaven were rejoicing that day, and they continue to rejoice as we enjoy a very good relationship to this day!

Today, I listen to the news, and my heart is saddened because of the lack of forgiveness by the people in another country over the accidental burning of their holy book. I agree that this was wrong to burn their book, but there has been an apology issued by the offending party, but there is such vengeance and lack of forgiveness. We really need to pray.

I have many things that I could be bitter about. I was abused as a child, but I have forgiven my abusers.  If I had not forgiven, I would be the one who would have suffered the most. Bert Ghezzi, author of The Angry Christian said, "Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for it to kill your enemy." Resentment only hurts us. We need to throw out the poison!

APPLICATION 

This is from Relational Wisdom 360

The Seven A's of Confession
Matthew 7:3-5; 1 John 1:8-9; Proverbs 28:13
ADDRESS everyone involved
AVOID if, but, and maybe
ADMIT specifically
ACKNOWLEDGE the hurt
ACCEPT the consequences
ALTER your behavior
ASK for forgiveness

The Four Promises of Forgiveness
Matthew 6:12; 1 Corinthians 13:5; Ephesians 4:32
I will not dwell on this incident.
I will not bring this incident up and use it against you.
I will not talk to others about this incident.
I will not allow this incident to stand between us or hinder our personal relationship. 

Here is a link to a PDF brochure with the peacemaking principles.

There are several memoirs that deal specifically with the issue of forgiveness. All these stories are about people who really had every reason to be resentful, but they did not go down that road; instead, they chose the road of forgiveness:  

Picking Cotton

Left to Tell

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption 

Blood Brothers 

The Hiding Place

The Hiding Place is my all-time favorite book about forgiveness that I read on a regular basis. It is a beautiful story about Corrie Ten Boom and her imprisonment in a World War II concentration camp for hiding Jews.

It was one of the highlights of my life to stand in that hiding place in Haarlem, Netherlands in 2014.

PRAYER

Lord, if Nelson Mandela, Louis Zamperini, and Corrie Ten Boom can forgive, I can forgive too. Thank you, Jesus, for being the ultimate example of forgiveness. Amen.