Christmas gift of forgiveness

Resolving Personal
& Spiritual Conflicts

Matthew 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you.Christmas is just around the corner. Christians everywhere will be celebrating the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Christ came into this world to meet man’s greatest need — forgiveness of sins. His virgin birth marked the beginning of the grace of forgiveness of sins. This year as you celebrate the forgiving of your own sins by Jesus Christ, remember to extend the same grace of forgiveness to those who offended you during the course of the year. Forgiveness is the greatest gift you can offer someone at Christmastime.

Forgiveness is a serious thing. It is a divine command. It is a basic requirement for every believer. As far as God is concerned unforgiveness is wickedness. Christ revealed this truth in a classic parable of the unforgiving servant recorded in Matthew 18. The parable involves a servant who owed his master a financial debt amounting to millions of dollars. When the time became due for the debt to be settled, he pleaded for mercy. Being moved by compassion, the master cancelled his entire debt. Regrettably, the same servant went to a man who owed him a few dollars and demanded payment. On seeing that the man could not pay, the servant ignored the man’s pleas for mercy and had him cast into prison. On hearing this, the master of that unforgiving servant was incensed and called him a wicked servant. He ordered the jailers to cast him into prison until he paid the full debt.     
 The servant was wicked because instead of passing on the grace to his debtor, he punished him. Do not do that. Show mercy. You have received forgiveness freely from God, so do not put conditions for others. The important lesson to learn in this parable is that divine forgiveness is dependent on human forgiveness. Choosing not forgive someone who wronged you has the terrible consequence of not receiving forgiveness from God. An implacable and ungracious spirit of unforgiveness nullifies the power of prayer. Surprise someone with a token of forgiveness this Christmas.

-For prayer and counselling call 0772889766 or e-mail mairos78@yahoo.co.uk