There is no doubt that the act of forgiving another is good for the one offering forgiveness – but is that the primary reason that Christ-followers forgive?
The most important spiritual need in our world today is for the image of God that so many have been given to be healed and transformed – so that we all might know who God really is, and who he is not.
God’s love does not magically cause all our pain to dissolve in a puff of smoke, but its great mystery and strength the mystery of the greatest love of all is that in Christ he shares our heartache and pain with us, and give us rest and peace.
Ironically, religion at large is incredibly self-centered and self-absorbed, on an endless quest of trying to convince God to love and approve us, whereas Christ-centered faith is surrendering to God who already loves us.
Contrary to popular religious opinion, God’s grace is not all about digging in, refusing to compromise values and dogmatically letting others know when and where they are wrong.
The church – the universal body of Christ – is far more about who we are than it is where we go and what building we attend and what ceremonies we perform and those we don’t.
It’s a time immemorial dilemma for religion – does the nation in which one is a citizen and the religion of which one is a member dictate who God is and how he is worshipped?
Many characterize their religious church or movement rowing away from the sinking ship of “the world”. They are “saved” and the ship of this world is going down, and anyone not on board their lifeboat deserves to be lost.
Plain Truth Ministries | Box 300 | Pasadena, CA 91129-0300
