Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens
Date: November 18, 2015 06:48AM
There seems to be a more of a consensus that we are to just to forgive.
based on Jesus crying out to God saying Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.
But might it be more accurate to say that,
Jesus cried out to the Father asking the " Father" to forgive them. He did not Himself openly voice He was or had forgiven them ( He may have forgiven them - but no one knows but Himself and the Father.) Because this was between Him and the Father. Jesus " asked," the.. Father... to forgive these who did not know what they were doing.
Jesus is the mediator, He ever lives to intercede with the Father on our behalf.He is our high priest, the high priest of our confession,
.
But to Jesus disciples' He said, If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he returns to you saying, "I repent," forgive him.
Here is another thing I found, that the Lord instructed and gave to brethren.
"If there fore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there remember that thy brother has anything against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Matthew 5:21
This I believe is where true forgiveness takes place, when something is done that causes brothers to be separated from each other and then they come together to be reconciled.
In the context of what is being said in Matthew 5:21 The one who remembers, that his brother has something against him.That brother goes his way and he goes to his brother and when he and his brother have become reconciled and are at peace with each other, it is then he may return, to the altar and offer his gift to the Lord.
if your brother who you have something against, comes to you looking to be reconciled with you, I believe you are to work at being reconciled with each other until you are at peace with one another.
I don't think it is a one sided matter - From what is written in Matthew 5:21 What God wants for both brethren, is for them to be reconciled and at peace with each other.
Love covers a multitude of sins but it does it does not say it covers all sin, If love covered all sin then there would not be a need for instructions regarding the forgiving of sin.