1Another :: Forgive

At the Summit, we’re currently going through the book of Acts of Sunday morning.  Our Cannonball series is walking us through the “why” of church life.  Today is a two-fer (here’s the other post) as we wrap up the week of posts teaming up with the Small Groups Guy as we run tandem on the “one another” passages in scripture.  Make sure and check out Spence’s post for the day here.  

Ephesians 4:32: Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (ESV)

It’s what kills marriages, friendships, and family reunions.

It’s what derails workplaces, churches, and social clubs.

Forgiveness is a sticky issue.  We refuse to extend it because holding onto forgiveness allows us to hold onto power.  We refuse to ask for it because we pridefully believe that we did nothing wrong.  We refuse to accept it because we don’t know how to move forward.

Forgiveness is a basic ingredient to the gospel.  We were forgiven of much, and that’s the basis for Paul’s command.

Receiving forgiveness from God and then refusing to forgive others is sick.  It kills us from the inside out, and it destroys every relational opportunity in our path.

Think about the number of church splits, busted homes, and failed marriages that could have been avoided if Christians had simply practiced forgiveness.  While we typically come to the table armed to the hilt with our lists of reasons why we have a right to be offended, there’s really only one thing that needs to be on the list:

I forgive you.

Who’s in your circle that you need to forgive today?  Who have you hurt that you need to confess your wrongs to?  What is the bitterness that you simply can’t release?

You were forgiven of much.  Now it’s time to give what you’ve received.