Forgiveness & The Will of God
Pastors Leslie & Adeline Chua
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”
Forgiveness occupies an important space in biblical theology. Our salvation is predicated on God forgiving us of our sins, which is made possible by Jesus’ death on the cross. Every Christian knows that without the shedding of the blood of Christ, there could be no forgiveness.
God forgives sinners when they repent. By grace, God forgives. Likewise, He expects forgiven sinners to forgive one another for their trespasses against one another. The rationale is not difficult to grasp. By grace, we are forgiven. So, we should also extend that same grace and forgive others.
Jesus goes so far as saying, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14).
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Forgiveness is easy to understand but hard to practise.
It is one of the hardest things to do.
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It is a hard truth to accept. Christians too often do not take this truth seriously enough. They should because the implications are severe.
Forgiveness is easy to understand but hard to practise. It is one of the hardest things to do. When people harm you or do something really bad to you, to forgive is the last thing on your mind. During those moments, the biblical command to forgive seems unrealistic and even ridiculous.
However, we cannot run away from Jesus’ words – “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” (Matthew 22:39) and “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45).
Sometimes, we wish that our Lord had not uttered these words. To be hurt and disappointed are bad enough. Having to forgive makes it worse.
But God has good reasons to demand that we forgive. God’s commands are given for our good and the good of the community at large.
There are several reasons to forgive those who have wronged us. In this reflection, I will focus on one spiritual impact of forgiveness.
Jonah’s Unforgiving Attitude
Most Christians know the story of Jonah. Children love the fact that Jonah did not die despite being swallowed by a big fish. Apart from the prophet’s death-defying escapade and the episode serving as a sign of Christ’s death and resurrection, the story also teaches how harbouring unforgiveness can negatively affect our duty to obey God and love our neighbours.
God was about to send a severe judgement on the pagan city of Nineveh. But He would give them one last chance to repent. So, He sent his prophet, Jonah, to warn them to repent, or else they would face an impending judgement.
But Jonah was reluctant to go on the mission. In defiance, he sailed off in the opposite direction. That is why God had to send a storm and a big fish to compel Jonah to cooperate.
At Nineveh, Jonah did such a good job. His message cut through the hearts of the Ninevites, and they repented in sackcloth and ashes. And so, God withheld His judgement on the city.
Any prophet would have been elated with the outcome, but not Jonah. He was angry because he knew that God would be “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster” (Jonah 4:2).
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Jonah’s unforgiving attitude put him at loggerhead with the will of God. His bitter resentment toward the Ninevites eventually turned into anger against the LORD.
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The underlying reason is Jonah hated the Ninevites. For sure, these people were cruel and wicked. They were also Israel’s enemy and a mortal threat to the nation. Understandably, Jonah did not want the LORD to forgive them. How he wished that God would destroy them and reduce their city to an ash heap.
Jonah’s unforgiving attitude put him at loggerhead with the will of God. His bitter resentment toward the Ninevites eventually turned into anger against the LORD. Jonah was treading dangerously. His self-serving attitude bordered on being irreverent.
At the end of the story, we are left wondering how Jonah finally responded. Did he come to his senses? Did he repent? We have no idea.
Joseph’s Forgiving Attitude
Joseph’s attitude concerning the issue of forgiveness stands in stark contrast to Jonah’s attitude.
After the death of their father, Joseph’s brothers begged him for forgiveness for the way they had treated him when he was a teenager. Out of jealousy, they mercilessly sold Joseph into slavery.
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Despite his tragic circumstances, Joseph showed no sign of bitterness and resentment. He kept trusting God and he maintained a positive attitude. Joseph modelled how we should handle bitterness and disappointment.
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Joseph was taken into Egypt. For the next fifteen years thereabout, Joseph experienced various adversities, including spending time in prison for a false charge of attempted rape.
Joseph was a remarkable young man. Despite his tragic circumstances, Joseph showed no sign of bitterness and resentment. He kept trusting God and he maintained a positive attitude. Joseph modelled how we should handle bitterness and disappointment.
His response to his brothers’ plea for mercy teaches us an important lesson on forgiveness.
Joseph, then the second most powerful man in Egypt, said to his brothers, “Do not fear for am I in the place of God? As for you, you mean evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear. I will provide for you and your little ones” (Genesis 50:19-21).
Joseph’s response is instructive in several ways.
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While they planned evil for Joseph, God turned it around for good. God had allowed the evil of betrayal and slavery in Joseph’s life… He used these adversities to bring Joseph to Egypt and trained him to be a wise and God-fearing leader.
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First, he recognised that God was sovereign over their lives and the affairs of the world. God’s plan was also much bigger than their individual lives. He would weave their lives into His plan as He deemed fit.
Second, while they planned evil for Joseph, God turned it around for good. God had allowed the evil of betrayal and slavery in Joseph’s life. He could have intervened and stopped these atrocities, but He did not. Instead, He used these adversities to bring Joseph to Egypt and trained him to be a wise and God-fearing leader.
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Having understood the mysterious ways in which God worked, Joseph learned that unforgiveness and bitter resentment must have no place in his heart. In the beauty of His sovereign ways, God used his brothers’ misdeeds to position him for greatness for the purpose of saving the lives of many people from famine and death.
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The apostle, Paul, put it this way – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Third, having understood the mysterious ways in which God worked, Joseph learned that unforgiveness and bitter resentment must have no place in his heart. In the beauty of His sovereign ways, God used his brothers’ misdeeds to position him for greatness for the purpose of saving the lives of many people from famine and death.
Unforgiveness Impedes God’s Work
We can learn a precious lesson from Joseph’s forgiving attitude.
Bearing grudges does not pay. It can potentially set us back. Unforgiveness and bitterness impede God’s work in our lives, and consequently, derail God’s will and destiny for us.
Imagine if Joseph could not get over what his brothers had done to him. Imagine if he could not move beyond the false accusation of attempted rape. Imagine if he could not stop lamenting over his unfair imprisonment.
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Bearing grudges does not pay. It can potentially set us back. Unforgiveness and bitterness impede God’s work in our lives, and consequently, derail God’s will and destiny for us.
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Joseph would be mentally tortured daily. He would have become an emotional wreck. Most likely, he would end up blaming God for his predicaments. He would not be able to get on with life. As a result, God would not be able to work in his life, and His best plans for him would be undermined.
That is what happens to people who could not get over offences and disappointments. They hold on to their grudges, and their bitterness, resentment, and hatred cripple them.
Our theology must dictate the way we live. Understanding the need to forgive is not enough. We have to put it into practice. Often, we want to obey God’s command to forgive, but our feelings prevent us from doing so. Given that, we must decide and will ourselves to forgive regardless of how we feel.
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A forgiving attitude and posture free you to live the promised abundant life, which is the will of God.
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God has a wonderful plan for each of us. The devil and his demons are always on the lookout for opportunities to derail it. Over the years, I have observed that one of Satan’s favourite tactics is getting Christians to be offended over the smallest things. It is a simple but effective strategy. It usually works. Many Christians fall easily into this trap.
However, you do not need to be held back and rendered impotent in your life. Decide to be forgiving. A forgiving attitude and posture free you to live the promised abundant life, which is the will of God.