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November -
December 2005 The Sabbath Sentinel
FORGIVING OTHERS
Donald Mansell, New Every Morning, page 309. Review
& Herald Publishing Ass'n. 1981
"If you forgive others when they off end you, your
heavenly Father will forgive you too. But if you do not forgive
others when they off end you, your heavenly Father will not
forgive you for your offenses." Matt. 6:14, 15, Goodspeed.
Have you ever had someone who had injured you deeply in a
personal way, perhaps even on purpose, come and ask your
forgiveness? How did you react? Can you think of times when you
were hurt so deeply that you felt like turning your back on the
offender? Or maybe you felt like holding him at arm's length
until you were satisfied that he was sincere enough, or humble
enough, or repentant enough?
Obviously these are not ways a Christian should act. But how
should a Christian act? Should he fall all over himself trying to
forgive the person who has wronged him? Perhaps he should. After
all, that is what the father in the parable of the prodigal son
apparently did. The Bible says that "while he [the prodigal]
was still some distance off, his father saw him and his heart
went out to him, and he ran and fell on his neck and
kissed him" (Luke 15:20, Phillips). The New English Bible
says that the father "flung his arms around
him." This is a picture of God forgiving the penitent
sinner. It has been pointed out that this is the only time in the
Scriptures in which God is represented as running. More than
that. He is portrayed as practically falling over Himself in His
eagerness to forgive.But what about when the same person
repeatedly injures us in a personal way and just as frequently
asks our forgiveness? Is there not a limit to forgiving? When
Peter asked this very question (Matt. 18:21) Jesus left no doubt
that there is no limit. It is not for us to determine whether a
person is sincere enough, or humble enough, or repentant enough.
Leave that with God. Our part is to forgive.
But does not this make us terribly vulnerable? Indeed it does—in
the short run. But after all, right and truth have always been
vulnerable. When sin originated, God had the power to blot Satan
and his followers out of existence, but He could not do this and
be true to Himself. And because He could not, He was vulnerable—in
the short run. But not in the long run, for truth and
righteousness will emerge eternally triumphant at last.
The next time someone wrongs you, forgive him even before he asks
to be forgiven, or even if he does not ask to be forgiven, or
even if he wrongs you repeatedly. Do this, not because you
believe that you will be vindicated at last, but because it is
right, and because it is only those who forgive others whom God
is able to forgive.
TSS
November
-December 2005 The Sabbath Sentinel
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