Sin is Sin

Have you ever had someone wrong you? Have you ever had someone say something bad about you? They could have hurt you, but can you forgive them? I know it's not easy. If you think about it, the hurt that you feel is exactly how God feels everytime you disobey Him. Yet God is gracious that He forgives you no matter how many times you have hurt Him in the past.

If God who is the almighty powerful God, who has control of everything, who doesn't even need us (it is we who need Him), yet chooses to forgive us. Who are we to refuse forgiveness of one another? When we start doing that, we are basically saying that we are better than God.

"Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."" - John 8:9-11

Jesus came not to condemn the world but to convict the world of its sin so that the people may turn from their ways and turn to God. Jesus came so that people could be forgiven of their sins, no matter how big a sin, whether it is telling a lie or committing adultery, sin is still sin to God. Yet whatever it is that we have done God is faithful and just to forgive.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9

Let us forgive one another as Christ has forgiven you. Forgiveness not only benefits the offending party but also benefits you. As you forgive you let go of that bitterness, harbouring that bitterness will only cause yourself to be hurt even more. Eventually bitterness leads to death.

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." - Ephesians 4:31-32