Forgiveness, Lifestyle of a Disciple of Christ
What is a Christian Disciple?
A Christian Disciple as we know, simply defined, is one who follows, observes and applies the discipline and doctrines of Jesus Christ…-Therefore, a Disciple Of Christ patterns his/her life after Christ’s. A Christian or Disciple Of Christ is committed to live like Jesus lived. Though many words would be just as fitting as the word Forgiveness when referring to the life of Christ, (words such as Love, Mercy, Compassion, Meekness, Longsuffering, etc.) however, we will focus on one aspect of the life of a disciple, we will zero in on forgiveness.
Why Forgiveness?
As I was lead to understand it, because, through its very root: GIVE, forgiveness connects us directly to GOD, whom we know as the Giver par excellence:
John 3:16
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] GAVE UP His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. (AMP)
Therefore, had not God given, we would have nothing to receive, but thanks be to God He did give Jesus, and since, the PATH to God, or Jesus, has been made available to all who would accept/receive HIM.
In HIS GIVING of HIS unique son, God has taught us the great importance of GIVING, and with JESUS, the Gift, we were FORGIVEN of our sins, which kept us alienated from God, the very source of our being.
In Daniel 9, we see the benefits of forgiveness:
Daniel 9:13
Just as it is written in the Law of Moses as to all this evil [that would surely come upon transgressors], so it has come upon us. Yet we have not earnestly begged for forgiveness and entreated the favor of the Lord our God that we might turn from our iniquities and have understanding and become wise in Your truth.
As said earlier, God is the giver par excellence, He is willing to bless us, and in this scripture we see that when we repent from evil and ask God for forgiveness, we release God’s favor/God’s ability on our behalf, so we are able to turn away from our evil ways, and subsequently receive God’s understanding and His wisdom, which leads us into HIS truth – and God’s truth is Jesus, the Word or God’s promises for us.
When we forgive those, specifically Christians, who have trespassed against us, those that have done us wrong, we also release them into God’s forgiveness and therefore open the way for them to also benefit from God’s favors and blessings. It follows that in this scenario the whole body of Christ is blessed, for if one is blessed, all are blessed, conversely, if one is cursed, all are cursed for there is one body (1Cor.12)
