Forgiveness for the offender.
3/5/18
Luke 17:1-4 (KJV)
1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Jesus said that we should expect to be offended, yet how many people, Christians and Sinners alike, get their feelings hurt over just about anything. Over the years I have seen men and women get their feelings hurt because they did not get what they wanted, or someone did not say “Hi” to them, I have even known people who let their feelings get hurt because they thought someone was laughing at them.
Then when they are offended, they have a tendency to go from good to bad in their thoughts and actions. They let their minds go down trails of thought that causes them to lose their Christ-like love for that person or persons.
I really like the way these four verses end. If they trespass or offend and then turn around and ask your forgiveness, we are to forgive. Now this does not say that we are to forget, however, as a Christian we should forgive with a Christ-like forgiveness. And we all know that once our sins are forgiven they are no longer held against us.
C.I. Wilson