The 3rd Side of Forgiveness
The more I learn and understand about forgiveness the more faucets reveal themselves to me. Forgiveness is like a princess cut diamond, there are many more sides and angles than what we first perceive.
Forgiveness
The forgiveness of God is a foundational truth for Christians. Without forgiveness we are hopelessly lost in our sin, and we have no way to make amends. As we are all sinners, not one of us could possible atone for a single sin.
In the Old Testament the law required for the Passover sacrifice was a one-year old male lamb without spot of blemish.
This was a foreshadow of Jesus, whom John called the Lamb of God in John 1:29. Jesus, perfect and sinless died in order to put our sins to death. Without His great sacrifice we could not have complete forgiveness. He took every sin upon Himself, past, present and future. Jesus took these sins to the cross, He died and rose from the grave overcoming death. All to offer us forgiveness so that we could enter the holy presence of God for all eternity. God is holy and just, therefore we cannot expect to enter into His presence dragging our sin along with us.
God gave His Son to make a way for us to enter His presence without sin. Pure, as if we had never sinned. Jesus not only took our sins to the cross He traded our sinful selves for His righteousness. When God’s children stand before Him forgiven, God only see’s us through the righteousness of Christ He does not see our sin.
“even as he chose us in him before the foundations of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love”
Ephesians 1:4
The 1st Side of Forgiveness
The first, and probably most obvious, side of forgiveness is that Jesus died so that we could have complete forgiveness. On the cross our sins hung and died with Jesus. Therefore, we can have forgiveness and through forgiveness we can enter into right relationship with God. The price of our sin debt has been paid in full.
The 2nd Side of Forgiveness
What I consider to be the second side is our call to forgive others as we have been forgiven. I am not going to go into detail on this here. Although, I have previously written about “The Cost of Forgiveness”
The 3rd Side of Forgiveness
Lately I have found this third side to be utterly heart breaking. It all started with a single thought, “How would I feel if I get to heaven and find Adolph Hitler?” I know that I shouldn’t be shocked or upset, I should rejoice, Right? And still my human, worldly mind and emotions had a hard time accepting this. Keeping in mind that my perspective is only what I have learned about the holocaust. So, how much harder must it feel for a survivor?
The Dilemma
There have been more than a few times in my Christian walk that something in God’s Word didn’t sit well with me. Have you ever crossed this bridge? Well my friend we are not alone, every time I mention this, I hear another story of what someone struggled to understand. These fascinate me, in large part because it is always a different something. I have yet to hear one that I have heard before. What biblical truth have you struggled with, I would love it if you would share with me.
Now then, what are we to do when our logic, our views of what is right and wrong appear to clash with God’s Word?
Pray
Pray, pray, pray and pray some more. Then I give myself some space, to let those emotions breath and let God work. He will give understanding as long as that is what the goal is. I can’t say the same for someone who is looking to blame God or paint Him out to be something He is not.
All who believe in Christ and call out to Him are forgiven. Yes, even Hitler, Stalin, Manson as well as each person who has done great harm to each one of us, those who have caused a more personal pain.
Let’s go back to Jesus on the cross. He was hung with two criminals; one mocked Him, the other acknowledged Him and repented. The thief who repented Jesus said that he would be with Him in paradise today. So, what about the thief who mocked Jesus? The sins of both thieves where already on the back of Jesus. He paid the price for every sin, not just those that people would repent of. How sad that the second thief didn’t claim his redemption. After all the price for his freedom, eternity with Christ was paid. All he had to do was accept it, yet he refused.
Rejected Gift
Now then, If Hitler never accepted Christ, he rejected the gift of redemption. A gift bought and gifted to him personally. He took a purchased priceless gift and spit in the face of the giver. And Christ? Well, He bore those sins for a hope, in the cases of all who reject Him it is a hope lost. And still he didn’t consider the price too high. He did it for us, those who would believe and receive His gift. And Christ calls us all worthy.
We are the inheritance of Christ Jesus, and we are each so very precious to Him.
“…and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,”
Ephesians 1:18b
Personal Pain
I had an awful step father whom I spent my childhood hating, passionately. I was probably 7 the last time I saw him. We have gathered that he died a while back. I came to a point of forgiving him in my early teen years. Which you can read more about in “My Testimony”. Although, forgiving someone and hoping to see them in heaven are two totally different things. But God is good and has now brought me to a point where I hope to see my step father in heaven when I get there.
It hearts my heart deeply that Christ endured for those who would reject Him. It is like it takes His love for us to another, deeper level. Jesus took all sin to the cross and bore its weight and pain, knowing that many would never be willing to except the gift His suffering was purchasing. That is indeed a great love!
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God”
Eph 3:17-19
“Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus or Lord.”
Romans 8:39
Don’t forget, I would really like to hear what you struggled with or are still struggling to understand logically. You can share in a comment below or feel free to email me at myweaknesshisstrength@gmail.com
Have a great weekend! 8)
Grace and Peace
Debra Jean
I occasionally join the following link up parties! You should join me, I would love to see you at one or two!
Monday –
Bloggers for the Kingdom @ #KingdomBloggers Anita Ojeda @ Inspire me Monday
Random-osity @ The Good The Random The Fun Mary-andering Creatively @ #LMM LinkUP
Tuesday –
Trekking Thru @ Trekking Thru the Week Mary Geisen @#TellHisStory
Insta Encouragement @ Weakly Christian link-up Anchored Abode @ AnchoredtruthTuesday Kelly Balarie @ Purposeful Faith
Wednesday-
Worth Beyond Rubies @ Weekly Wednesday
Welcome Heart @ Let’s Have Coffee Soaring with Him @ #Recharge Wednesdays
Thursday – Debbie Kitterman @ #Tune in Thursday Be Thee Inspired @ #destinationinspiration Lori Schumaker @ #momentsofhope Unshakable Joy @ I Heart Verse Link Party
Friday – Counting My Blessings @ Faith N Friends
Embracing the Unexpected @ #graceandtruthlinkup Crystal Twaddell @ #FreashMarketFriday
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Great thoughts! I appreciated how you broke down multiple facets of forgiveness and reminded me that forgiveness is bigger than we typically view it as. Thanks for writing!
Thank you for stopping by!
Some Calvinists believe in what they call “limited atonement,” but that leaves God implicitly to blame for those who do not accept the free gift of salvation. You know i don’t agree with this for “God is just when He speaks and blameless when He judges” ( Ps. 51:4 & Rms 3:4) And “He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2Peter 3:9) I think that even in His foreknowledge that not all would repent, He made atonement for all sin because He is holy and would purge away the sin and put it away from Himself and those who are sanctified unto Himself.
I like this piece very much and think it is well written. Keep up the good work.
Thank you! I appreciate your thoughtful comment and with scripture. Many Thanks 8)