Forgiveness Is Freedom
Time and time again, we are exhorted by Scripture to forgive one another. The Bible sets a very clear standard for the kind of forgiveness Christians are to offer:
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
(Ephesians 4:32)
I am called to forgive as completely as I have been forgiven. This kind of forgiveness truly sets a captive free—and what’s so amazing is that, more often than not, the captive is me.
There are many forms of sin that can bind and imprison us. Over my forty-nine years of pastoral ministry, I have witnessed the power of unforgiveness and the devastation it brings—not only to the one who refuses to forgive, but also to the concentric circles of relationships surrounding them. Unforgiveness even has the power to infect generations.
“Forgive each other, just as God in Christ has forgiven you.”
I have a pen-and-ink drawing in my office of Christ on His knees, washing Peter’s feet. For me, it is a constant reminder of what servant leadership looks like. But on another level, it continually prompts me to ask myself, “Is there anyone in my life before whom I would be unwilling to posture myself in such a way?”
I often ask myself: Am I harboring any ill will or unforgiveness toward another today? Is there anyone in my life at this moment to whom I would not be willing to go—with basin and towel in hand—and wash their feet?
The Apostle Paul exhorts us to never let the sun set on our anger, for doing so gives great opportunity to the devil (Ephesians 4:26–27).
Is forgiveness easy? No, it is not. But Scripture is clear that harboring ill will or being unwilling to forgive on this horizontal plane greatly compromises our fellowship on the vertical plane—our fellowship with the Lord. In fact, Scripture implies that when we harbor unforgiveness, God’s ears are stopped up from hearing our prayers. Personally, that’s too high a price to pay for the fleeting privilege of harboring ill will against another.
We are commanded to forgive one another regardless of our feelings. Over the years, I’ve found that if I will be obedient in this regard—extending forgiveness when it’s the last thing I want to do—the feelings of forgiveness usually follow closely on the heels of my obedience.
Has anyone come to mind as you’ve read these words? Is there someone you need to forgive, just as God in Christ has forgiven you? If so, don’t let it spoil another day. Before the sun sets, set a captive free.
饒恕就是自由
聖經一再勸勉我們要彼此饒恕。對於基督徒應當如何饒恕，聖經給了一個非常明確的標準：
「並要以恩慈相待，存憐憫的心，彼此饒恕，正如神在基督裡饒恕了你們一樣。」（以弗所書 4:32）
我蒙召去完全地饒恕，正如我已經完全被饒恕一樣。這樣的饒恕真正使被囚的人得釋放——而奇妙的是，那個被釋放的人往往就是我自己。
有許多形式的罪會捆綁並囚禁我們。在我四十九年的牧會生涯中，我目睹了不肯饒恕的力量，以及它所帶來的毀壞 —— 這不僅影響那個拒絕饒恕的人，還波及他們周圍一圈又一圈的人際關係。不饒恕甚至有能力影響幾代人。
「彼此饒恕，正如神在基督裡饒恕了你們一樣。」
我的辦公室裡有一幅鋼筆畫，描繪基督跪著為彼得洗腳。對我來說，這時刻提醒著我什麼是「僕人領袖」的樣式。但在另一個層面，它也不斷促使我反思：「在我的人生中，是否有任何一個人，是我不願意以這種姿態跪在他面前的？」
我常常問自己：我今天是否對某人懷恨在心或不願饒恕？此時此刻，在我生命中是否有任何一個人，是我不願意帶著水盆和毛巾走到他面前，為他洗腳的？
使徒保羅勸誡我們，不可含怒到日落，因為這樣做會給魔鬼留地步 (以弗所書 4:26–27)。
饒恕容易嗎？不，一點也不容易。但聖經明確指出，在人與人之間的「橫向層面」上，若我們心懷怨恨或不願饒恕，會極大地損害我們在「縱向層面」上與主的相交。事實上，聖經暗示，當我們心懷不饒恕時，神會掩耳不聽我們的禱告。對我個人而言，為了享受那種懷恨他人的短暫快感而付出如此代價，實在太過沉重。
我們蒙命令要彼此饒恕，不論自己的感受如何。多年來我發現，只要我在這件事上順服——即使那是我最不想做的事——饒恕的感覺通常會很快隨著順服而來。
在你閱讀這些文字時，腦海中是否浮現了某個人？是否有誰是你需要去饒恕的，正如神在基督裡饒恕了你一樣？如果有的話，不要讓這件事再拖延一天。在日落之前，釋放那個被囚的人吧。