The aarguments according to the bible, which were established before Christ came to earth, about forgiveness, were very different from those that Jesus, upon coming into the world, left embodied in the hearts of all people. Before Jesus came to be among all of us, the following was said among the Gentiles and Jews of that time, about the forgiveness:
Matthew 5:38
You have heard that I said: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But when Jesus came to earth, he totally changed these paradigms or arguments, and established the following against such things, mentioned above:
Matthew 5: 39-48
But I tell you now: do not resist him who is evil. Before, whoever strikes you on the right cheek, return the other one too. And whoever wants to sue you and take your tunic, leave him your cloak too. And whoever forces you to carry a load one mile, carry a two. Give to the one who asks you, and to the one who wants to borrow from you, do not refuse it.
You have heard that it was said: You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you: love your enemies. Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat and persecute you. So that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven, who makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and who makes it rain on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not the publicans also do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more? Don’t the Gentiles do so also? Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect..
Next, the different reasons and arguments will be shown, according to the Bible, that forgiveness brings, and also the negative things that it can bring with it, the decision not to treat someone or something that has hurt us.
10 Arguments to forgive – And have a life in Abundance.
1.- The offense.
To hold a grudge against a person, we must have perceived or felt some kind of offense through someone else. And it is there where a series of processes begin in our hearts, where we feel like hating and holding a grudge. Through the 10 arguments that the Bible establishes to forgive, we will be able to understand the truths of the Bible.
the offense, is the door for people to hold a grudge in their hearts, for whatever reason. Even if the offense manages to enter our lives, not necessarily for that reason we will have to hold a grudge, because at that moment we can simply decide to forgive that offense and not remember it anymore.
But what happens, when the duty as children of God, is not to save that offense, but people, and instead of the aforementioned it becomes easier for us, to keep the offense in our hearts. The safest thing that happens when we keep the offense, and not remove it from our lives through forgiveness, is that we begin to dry up more every day inside.
The word of God says about guarding our hearts from offenses and unforgiveness:
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart; Because life flows from him. Proverbs 4:23
If we do not guard our hearts from offenses and let grudges form part of it, according to the Bible, we are not going to sprout good things from our hearts, but bad things. That is why many times you can ask yourself, why so many unpleasant things happen to you in your life, if you think you are fine.
But you must examine your heart, and see if life or death is really springing from it. Why you can be alive right now, but if you are full of grudges towards people, towards God and even towards yourself, I have the painful opportunity to tell you, that you really are a walking dead.
Read Also: What It Is To Be Tolerant – 4 Effective Steps To Achieve It!!
2.- The double victim.
It is true, that being offended by someone is normal, that you feel bad, it hurts, because you are a human being, who has a heart and consequently, you will feel. On the other hand, in the midst of offenses there are two people, the offender, who emits the offense, and the victim who receives it.
We must understand that from this point of view offender Y victim, the offender will always be an offender and that’s it. While the victim at some point will not be just a victim, but a double victim since she will be harmed by herself, for having held a grudge in her heart and not having made the decision to quickly forgive the offender.
It looks a bit cruel, but it is totally true, while the offender continues his life offending with or without awareness of what he is doing, the victim will have been twice destroyed, one by the offender and a second time by herself.
The double victim by keeping a grudge in her heart, stagnates or stops the blessings that God had planned for her, she can get sick, since it is scientifically proven that holding a grudge affects different organs such as irritable color, there has also been much talk about the cancer, and hundreds of illnesses that are very well related to unforgiveness.
On the other hand, the offender who perhaps does not know that he has offended, and only perhaps because he can also be aware of what he did, and still continue as if nothing has happened, but nevertheless we can often see this person prospering.
And it is at that moment when the victim wonders, why am I the one offended, I am the one affected, I am doing so badly, and those people who offended me or hurt me so much, nothing bad is wrong with them, for the contrary is being even prospered.
The answer to these series of questions, which the victim often asks himself, is that while the offender goes on with his life, surely he does not recognize that he offended, but he is not holding a grudge either since he has not been harmed. On the other hand, the double victim continues to be offended and does not forgive, and instead of moving forward, they begin to move towards others and do not prosper.
3.- Forgiveness is a decision.
The forgiveness, it is not something that suddenly in the moment you will feel, but it is a very personal decision that you must make, according to what the scriptures say. If you are a child of God, then really you must do his will. The word of God says that all those who claim to be children of God are only if they do his will.
And the will of God that you quickly forgive your offender, unless you feel the desire to do so, and not only that, you also keep your decision firm before having forgiven him. And how many times do we have to forgive people’s offenses, because the Bible tells us that we must forgive as many times as necessary.
Luke 17. 3-4
See for yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if I sin against you seven times a day, and return to you seven times a day, saying, I repent; forgive him.
Every time you have an opportunity to forgive, never waste it, and if you must ask for forgiveness, you must also do it. It is not the same when a strange person offends you, but it is different when someone very close to you does it, because that way it hurts much more. But Who should we forgive? Only the one who asks for forgiveness? These are another question that the offended person always asks.
Types of offenders.
It is very important that we know that there are several types of offenders:
- Those who offended you, and don’t know they did it.
- Those who offended, and acknowledge that they did.
- Those who offended, but even knowing their fault, will never admit it.
- Those who offend, and if you give them the opportunity, they will offend you again without remorse.
4.- Who should we forgive?
After having known, according to the Bible, the kinds of offenders that exist in life, we must recognize which of all these people, we must forgive, as our God does not demand. We must forgive:
- To the one who offended us, without guilt.
- To the one who offended me, but doesn’t want to admit it.
- To the one who offended me, and asked for forgiveness but continues to offend me.
We must forgive everyone, but everyone those who have offended us, because the word says that if we do not forgive all those who have failed us, God will not forgive our sins and offenses either.
5.- The most powerful weapon against our enemies.
Without a doubt, the most powerful weapon against our enemies must be forgiveness. It is the only way that we do not go from being victims to double victimizers. And that way we don’t destroy ourselves.
In the Bible, our Lord Jesus shows us a great example of forgiveness, by praying in the midst of all his suffering to God, to forgive all those people who at that time had become his offenders or judges:
Luke 23:34
And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided their clothes among themselves, casting lots.
Jesus, left us the best weapon to defend ourselves against our enemies, forgive and pray for them.
6.- The power to console.
God invites us to forgive, and tells us the consequences of not doing so in our lives. But many times, even though we immediately make the decision to forgive our offender, we can still continue to feel that pain that the offense leaves, that does not mean that you have not forgiven from the heart. Only that the offender left an open wound, that although for now despite having forgiven, he continues to hurt, God will begin to suture it, and then to heal day after day.
The wounds are things that we are going to have to take to God, so that he heals through his love and consolation, however, from now on I tell you that perhaps it will not be a quick process, because it will take time, but do not stop To think that you feel pain like this, God is doing the work in your life, and soon you will see the reward.
In the Bible, God tells us about the consolation that comes from him when we feel hurt or heartbroken:
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, so that we can comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted. Oh my God.
For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundantly ours, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are troubled, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are consoled, it is for your comfort, that he works by enduring the same afflictions that we also suffer. And our hope for you is firmly established, knowing that as you share in suffering, so you share in consolation.
7.- After suffering comes Joy.
Without a doubt, depending on the size of the offense, it can leave tears, suffering and grief. And although these are things that should be said, you also have good news, because the God of promise in the Bible tells you:
1 Peter 5:10
And, after you have suffered a little while, God himself, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will restore you and make you strong, firm and stable 1 Peter 5:10
What a great blessing, God leaves us a promise, and tells us: I know you are suffering, but I also know that you have…