29/06/2017 - CONDITION TO BE FORGIVEN

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But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses. Mark 11:26

The greatest working of divine grace in the world is the forgiveness of sins, seeing as, with it, those who accepted Jesus as their Savior have guaranteed their entrance to the Kingdom of God. Often times there are cases where the one offended will need time to concede forgiveness, because with a new deep and open wound, it is impossible to look at the offender in the eye and forgive. Now there is the direction from the Lord to only forgive the offender that has in fact repented.

A couple from Denmark seemed to have a wonderful marriage, but one sudden day the wife left their home leaving a message that she had gone to live with another man, which the husband did not understand.  This husband lived days of agony, loneliness and experienced ceaseless physical pain.  Every time he remembered how happy he used to be, the pain would increase and hate would rise.  One day, however, he sought out his rival and on meeting with him, he listened to that man’s arguments. After that conversation the husband forgave his wife and her companion.

In the following weeks, although he did not recover his wife, he noticed that he slept and woke up better, with a good disposition and free from pain.  He soon became active again at his work, with brighter hope for the future and even prospered.  He realized that with her adultery, his wife no longer loved him and by forgiving her, he was delivered from the demon of revenge that wanted to destroy him.

A great flaw is in not seeking the Lord through His Word, where He can be found.  In the absence of divine presence in your heart, the devil moves in and brings others in too. This way your life becomes dull and adultery becomes interesting and, at the same time, a pleasure.  Consequently, when this devilish work happens, even though conscious of his error, the sinner continues.

When tempted, we must seek out the Lord and plea for His help; undoubtedly, the devil is about to strike with the intent to separate us for- ever from the Most High and bond us to him.  However, on being tempted, we have not yet sinned. The Scriptures declare that Jesus was tempted in all points but still did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). When someone falls into temptation they become a sinner, therefore, they need to repent. Live free from any wrongdoing!

Being born again, a man becomes justified, pardoned of his sin (Romans 5:11). The married Christian therefore must be very careful not to fall for the lies of the enemy, who will do everything to convince that something else is necessary to fulfill the marriage.  Those that are weak in faith and mind, fall for this trap; but those that are firmly established in their faith and in the Word return quickly to confess their transgression to God and obtain forgiveness.  Others conceal their sins and are thereby destroyed forever.

The error is to not give the Holy Word the dominion of your life, because it would make you free if you did.  Those that do fall into temptation can no longer believe in the Lord correctly and soon their hopes and dreams are frustrated, as they are tormented by malignant oppressions. Jesus tells us to forgive in order to be forgiven. Those who refuse to forgive can never be forgiven.

In Christ, with Love,

R. R. Soares