WHY THE CROSS IS KEY TO FORGIVENESS
Have you ever been woken up from your sleep suddenly with the Lord speaking to you? It can feel jolting, and yet poignant. That’s one way to get my attention! This happened to me recently. I woke up at 2:00 in the morning with a phrase running through my mind.
“Unforgiveness is a fool’s trophy, it’s the personification of vengeance, rot in self-righteousness, absence of the Cross of Christ, and void of the resurrection power of God.”
The truth is, injustices happen in our lives. Whether it’s the betrayal of a spouse, the wrongful act of a neighbor, or the cutting words of a loved one, we’ve all experienced wrongdoing; no level of spirituality keeps you from it. Yet even though we may not be able to control the personal injustices that are brought against us, one might wonder: What is the role of the Body of Christ as we wait in the hallway between a fallen world and the redemption story that comes with God’s justice and mercy?
It is incumbent upon me to remind you of the power of the cross
in our response to injustices brought against us.
When Jesus died on the cross, He created justice for the world. The wrath of God was taken out on the cross of Christ. In other words, God no longer has to punish someone to pay for their sins because He punished sin on the cross. That’s right, all of the weight of every wrongdoing brought against you or by you, and all of the pain and consequences thereof, was satisfied and settled through the cross.
I’d propose it is not just our royal right but also our inherited responsibility as co-heirs with Christ to forgive those who have wronged us. Furthermore, perhaps our personal liberty from the torment of injustices made against us lies in the gift of forgiveness. Let’s dive into the power of forgiveness:
In a nutshell:
- Unforgiveness is a fool’s trophy, it’s the personification of vengeance, rot in self-righteousness, absence of the Cross of Christ, and void of the resurrection power of God.
- Trying to transform culture without the cross is just a humanitarian effort.
- Jesus’ sacrifice paid for our sins.
- God sits on the mercy seat but the foundation of His throne is righteousness and justice.
- God created justice through Jesus so He can release mercy and remain a fair judge.
- When Jesus rose from the dead, the very first thing He did was give His disciples the power to forgive sins.
- He did not ONLY die FOR me, He died AS me (Romans 6:1).
- The Lord changed your DNA from sinner to saint.
- If you believe you are a sinner, you will sin by faith because it’s by faith that you were saved.
- Forgiveness restores the standard back to the pinnacle.
- Forgiveness is not an act of your emotion – it’s an act of your will.
- Forgiveness is the first step of reconciliation and wholeness , but it’s not the last step.
- “Unforgiveness is like drinking deadly poison thinking the other person is going to die.” - Joyce Meyer
PUTTING FORGIVENESS TO PRACTICE
The truth is, when you forgive someone once, that is enough. Yes, that’s all it takes for God’s mercy to reign over a situation. You do not need to forgive them over and over again for the wrongful act they did years ago. What I am getting at is that forgiveness is not an act of your emotion – it is an act of your will. When you forgive someone, you erase the whiteboard of any wrong and it restores it back to the pinnacle standard.
The challenge is that sometimes we experience the pain from the injustice that was done years ago, even after we have forgiven them.
If you have forgiven someone and still experience hurt and negative emotions, this is not a sign that you have not truly forgiven them. Rather take this as a sign you still need to seek healing and wholeness. And perhaps, you may even need help processing through the painful event, the repercussions of it, and dismantling the lies that may have entangled you through the wrongdoing against you.
I encourage you to ask the Lord what your next steps are on the journey of finding healing. This may look like seeking counsel, talking with a friend, or processing with the Lord. Forgiveness is powerful and receiving healing and wholeness are essential to living an abundant life.
How has forgiveness transformed your life? I’d love to hear in the comments below.
