3 October 2019 Open Heaven - The Character of Forgiveness

Open Heaven 3 October 2019: [Thursday] Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A Adeboye – The Character of Forgiveness

THE CHARACTER OF FORGIVENESS – Thursday October 3^rd 2019

Memorise: Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Colossians 3:13

Read: Colossians 3:12-15 (KJV)

¹² Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

¹³ Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

¹⁴ And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Open Heaven 3 October 2019

 Bible in one year: 1^st Chronicles 6-7, Daniel 11:29-45, Hymn: Sing hymn 5

To forgive is to decide to reject feelings of resentment between you and a person who has wronged you. 

3 October 2019 Open Heaven - The Character of Forgiveness

This isn’t always easy, especially when a person has really hurt and trampled on you. However, forgiveness is a mandate for Christians; no one can profess to be a genuine Christian and not live a lifestyle of forgiveness. Our Lord said to us in Matthew 6:15:

“But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

This verse clearly states what happens when we refuse to forgive anyone who wrong us: we too will not be forgiven by our heavenly Father. In other words, forgiving our offenders isn’t just an instruction to be obeyed; it is a matter of life or death for us, because if our sins are not forgiven, then we are doomed eternally. Un-forgiveness is therefore not something to be toyed with at all.

As partakers of His divine nature, God expects or forgiveness to take on the character of His forgiveness. For example, the Holy Spirit says in Jeremiah 31:34

“And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Open Heaven 3 October 2019: [Thursday] Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A Adeboye – The Character of Forgiveness

This verse is telling us that forgiveness shall not be temporary. In other words, when you forgive, God expects you to forgive once and for all. As a child of God therefore, you don’t see someone you supposedly forgave months ago and immediately feel resentment for that fellow. When you forgive someone, you forever let go of every hurt and pain that the fellow caused you.

Open Heaven 3 October 2019 Thursday: Action Point

Another character of forgiveness is that it takes just one person to forgive. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation where the two parties involved are required to meet and make up. With forgiveness, you don’t have to wait for the person who offended you to come and apologise for whatever they did. You have to forgive even before being asked. Forgiveness is not about the fellow who offended you; it is about you and your relationship with God. Forgiveness is not easy. In fact, it can be extremely difficult to forgive, but as a Christian, you are required to forgive, no matter how hard it is. Are you walking in forgiveness?

Action Point

Has anyone offended you? Forgive them today.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.