Freedom Fighters

A long time ago, someone let me into a spiritual truth of immense power. It is this: unforgiveness imprisons two people–the sinner and the one sinned against. Until that point, I had not realised that my failure to forgive a particular person actually bound me in spiritual chains as well as them. For, like it or not, the choice to not forgive someone is to stand in judgement upon them in a way that it is not our right to do. “Judge not”, says the Lord, “lest ye be judged”.

It is no coincidence that the prayer which Jesus gives his disciples as a model includes the words: “forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us”.

Jesus knew our need to forgive just as much as our need to be forgiven. And it was this need for mutual forgiveness, the need to be reconciled and at peace with one another, that drove him to the Cross.

This Easter, as we remember Christ’s Passion, death and Resurrection, perhaps we can look into our hearts and find forgiveness for the one who has grieved us. Remembering how much we have been forgiven, taking a good look at our own hearts, will help us find the compassion to forgive the one who has sinned against us. The Psalmist says, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting’.

The church is a sign to the rest of the world that God’s Kingdom is real and that there is another way of living. If we hold unforgiveness in our hearts, we are giving a lie to that statement and bringing the church into disrepute. Jesus died in order that you and I and they should be forgiven. This is his purpose–that everyone should be reconciled to our heavenly Father. He has even paid the price himself. This Easter, let’s remember just how much our freedom cost  Him and find it within us to act with such generosity to our neighbour.  That way, we will release ourselves and them into the freedom of Christ.

 

With every blessing,

Mark Bennett

Vicar

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