Daily Devotions
Ephesians
"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
Text: Ephesians 4:32
THE WORD “FORGIVE”
In “The Lord’s Prayer” Jesus taught His disciples to ask for forgiveness. The word “forgive” in that context is “aphiemi”. The essential ideas of this word includes:-
1. Cancellation of sins and their penalties.
2. The sense of “pardoning” is very strong.
3. God has the prerogative to give us remission from our sins and their consequences.
A DIFFERENT WORD USED
The apostle Paul used a very striking word in the phrase “forgiving one another”. The word “forgive” in this particular text is derived from the Greek “charizomenoi”. This word has the following features.
1. The strength of this word is derived from the root “grace”.
2. It is out of God’s grace that we are forgiven.
3. It is out of God’s grace that we must learn how to forgive others.
4. We may overlook the faults of people around us.
5. We need not feel angry or wrathful towards people who have “wronged us”.
THE THINGS THAT MAKE PEOPLE ANGRY
Paul was fully aware of the flawed and sinful human nature. It is capable of becoming very bitter and angry. It is very easy to allow these feelings to simmer within the heart till they explode in clamoring and blasphemy.
What is a strong antidote for this problem? Paul urged his readers to learn how to exercise forgiveness. When God pardons our sins, great grace is expended. That experience of grace should enable us to feel tenderhearted and kind towards each other. It is in this context that we must exercise forgiveness.
EVEN AS GOD IN CHRIST, FORGAVE YOU
How does God forgive us? Paul used the word “echarisato”. The root word is essentially “grace” (“charis”). For Christ’s sake, God forgave us. He did not forgive us for our own sake, for we are far too sinful! God’s forgiveness of our many sins, has to stem from grace.
If we are to put the idea of “forgiving one another” into practice, we will have to learn how to draw from, and apply the grace of God!