Day 16: Ephesians 2:1-3:21
Forgiveness is one of the most difficult Christian disciplines. It goes without saying that someone has hurt you at one time or another. Sometimes those hurts run deep. In Matthew 6, where Jesus gave the disciples the MODEL PRAYER, the one we call the Lord’s prayer, He added a caveat. He said if we don’t forgive, we cannot be forgiven. That sounds a bit harsh, but think about it.
Did you deserve the forgiveness offered to you by the death and resurrection of Jesus? I can unequivocally answer that question. No, you did not deserve forgiveness. Yet, He forgave you just because you asked. He did the same for everyone else on earth who asked for forgiveness. If you have been forgiven, why not forgive the one who has offended you?
In today’s passage, Paul writes to the Ephesian believers about their forgiveness from sin. That forgiveness led to the barrier between Jews and Gentiles being wiped out. We are all forgiven of sins on exactly the same terms. Remember this when you have a hard time forgiving someone who doesn’t deserve forgiveness. You were forgiven when you didn’t deserve forgiveness. “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Pastor Rod