Forgiving Love |
God's View:
Matt. 5:23-24
-Forgiving love is this inconceivable, unexplainable pursuit
of the offender by the offended for the sake of restored relationship with
God, self and others. What we call love might be little more than a slightly
veiled, self-interested demand for appreciation and respect or avoidance
of the offense in order to achieve an end other than biblical reconciliation.
Love offers life, forgiveness enables love.
Hope:
Gal. 5:14
; Rom. 13:8-10
; JN. 13:34-35
-Love is the summary of the
Old Testament law and is the central measuring rod by which one's life will
be judged. Therefore, the exercise of biblical love brings meaning and
fulfillment in and of life. The meaning of love is found in the person of
Jesus Christ and gives fleshly definition by His death and resurrection.
His presence within enables love to flow, not a life bent toward success
in finances and cares but a sacrifice of soul for the sake of giving others
a taste of God.
Matt. 6:13-14 ; lJn. 1:9 ; 2 Tim. :6-7; Lu. 7:43 -Love cannot last long or live out its eternal purpose in human relationships without a foundation of forgiveness -forgiveness from God when we fail to love with a pure, and other centered heart, and forgiving when the recipient of our love spurns our gift or uses our soul in an unloving fashion. When this is done, love will suffer the corruption of denial, hardness, cynicism and eventually hatred. But, obedience to God's word, God continually, second by second, covers our sin under His Son's Blood forgiving us our sins not to love which enables us by our choice to love in His power. Gratitude for forgiveness is the foundation for other-centered love. A stunned and grateful heart is free to love because knowing he is so unlovely , yet is loved and freed to love others without condemnation.
Change:
Rom. 8:7
; 5:10
; Titus 3:3
; Rom. 7:22-23
; 8:5-7
-All of us tried
to deal with life apart from depending on God which blocks our desire and
commitment to love others. The battle to subdue sin in my members still rages
and it is intense. At this point you are hostile to God. However, in the
deepest part of your being, the new identity in Christ, you love God and
His law. We are a mixture of life and death, good and evil, love and hatred(2
Cor. 5:17).
Jn. 15:5 -We are grafted into a new vine but it takes time for branches to grow and bear fruit. Matt. 6:24 -at times we feel close to God, at other times when irritated we feel separated, we are one or the other , there is no gray area. Rom. 1:18 -We have the capacity to suppress truth and become deceived. Heb. 3:13 ; Rev. 3:15-16 -A cold or hot heart is more pleasing to God than a luke-warm one. Sin or hatred of God is a defiant movement, sometimes unwittingly, other times quite conscious refusing to depend on God for His direction and strength. l Jn. 3:2 -The battle to replace hatred with love will be over only when we see Jesus in the flesh and become one as He is. Crossroads of choice in the face of injustice is where hatred may bloom.
James 4:1-4 -Self-protection is the self-centered commitment to act without courage, compassion, boldness and tenderness for the sake of the other. Self- protection can be dressed either in codependent maneuvering that lacks self-identity, freedom of choice and strength, or in counter-dependent distancing that alienates through self-assertion, demanding control and intimidation.
We want to be free of choice and its consequences, to be passive or seeking the perfect choice, we try to avoid the consequences of choice. We act impulsively or procrastinate so that excuses can be made. But we are commanded to love and to love perfectly. God expects us to choose life and love over self-protection and self-centeredness.
Rom. 12:9
; Ps. 45:7
; Phil. 4:8
-Our regenerate hearts are built to cling to
what is good and to hate evil, to hate all that is wicked, and to enjoy what
is lovely.