God’s Overwhelming Forgiveness

Scripture

Our verse for today is from Ephesians 4:32 – 5:1, “and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.” 

Background and Application

Paul writes earlier in this section in verse 25 that we are members of one another. I wonder how often we think about that fact, especially when it comes to how we treat one another. We have no problem realizing we belong to each other while we are listening to a sermon on Sunday, or when we are working together for a common purpose, Like sharing requests with the prayer chain. It feels very natural to think that what we’re doing is directly affecting those around us. But we are further called to be kind, even to the point of a tender, vulnerable heart, to one another. It culminates in the forgiveness we give, just as Christ forgave us.

He forgave us so that we could become a member of Him, to be a part of His body. It’s as if forgiveness is our membership card, our “secret handshake” that shows the world we belong to Jesus. We are forgiven, and we forgive. Followers of Jesus are part of His body, and He died and rose again to make forgiveness possible. Imagine if the Trinity, members of each other as God, somehow refused to forgive each other. It doesn’t compute, does it? Even the made-up scenario is ridiculous. God forgives, that’s who He is. Likewise, it should be unimaginable that we don’t forgive one another. We are Christians, that’s what we do. So be a “little Christ” like the believers were at Antioch. be an imitator of God. forgive. 

Charge

As we seek Him today, think about all the people that you are members of, and ask God if you need to forgive any of them. Ask God to make His forgiveness so overwhelming to us that we will freely give it to anyone who needs it. 

Rich Holt / BCWorldview.org