One spiritual

commodity seems to be on the scarce side these days in the very house

where you hear more about it than anywhere else. In fact, the whole notion

of salvation by grace depends upon its veracity.

Talking about

forgiveness. I just bet there's more forgiveness at Manuel's Pub on Highland

Avenue than in most churches and among most church folks. In a bar, people

try to understand a fellow, but church folks seem to have an active memory

which prevents them from ever letting a thing or two go.

The church

house should epitomize forgiveness. It's the place where they should always

know your name and be willing to give you a second, third, and even a

fourth chance. At times in ministry, I have become near of the end of

forgiveness toward a couple of people, only to be reminded that the book

says to forgive an unlimited number of times (seven times seventy which

means limitless). When no one else will welcome you, the church should.

A mentor friend of mine said one time that the only reason the church

should ever exclude someone from fellowship happens when that person refuses

the fellowship and forgiveness of the church.

But that also

means that you John Q. Christian also have to forgive. The following are

the words of Jesus, not John's: "For if you forgive others for their

transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you

do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions"

(Matthew 6:14).

Jesus' declarative

statement, coming on the heels of giving the Model Prayer, minces no words.

It's not put diplomatically. It's straight to the point. After all, Jesus'

mission was all about forgiveness. Humankind was bound on all sides by

sins and its consequent guilt. Jesus made a way by forgiving us all our

sins and finding a way through death to victory.

Through law

keeping, guilt-trips, prophecy conferences, and animal sacrifice, humankind

has tried to deal with its sin. To no avail. We cannot atone for our sin.

But Jesus did.

Now, Jesus

the chief executive officer of the faith comes and puts a condition on

God including us in his forgiveness package: we must forgive others of

their sins against us.

Resident resentment,

revenge, and an unforgiving spirit will keep anyone at bay from the Father

in heaven. Seriously! This is a matter to be taken with great seriousness.

This is my

point: I am afraid that countless church members inactive and active are

harboring unforgiveness toward fellow church members. Often, they leave

the church and leave the fellowship not only of that church body, but

also the fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I hear people

thinking to themselves: "Well, I have forgiven so and so for what

she did to me (or said about me) or didn't do for me, but I will never

forget." One of the foibles of human nature is that we can't forget

others' past sins toward us. God can. The Bible says that when God forgives,

he remembers our sins no more. Wow! He can. We can't. If we can't forget,

then what is a commitment to forgive?

When we forgive,

we are saying that the issue no longer carries weight or fuel in our relationship

any longer. We are saying that we commit never to bring the matter to

argument again. We promise we will never use it as ammunition in future

disagreements.

That's forgiveness!

I don't know

about you, but I tire of walking around people like on eggshells, in full

recognition that one transgression and the relationship is over. The church

house is supposed to be full of people who demonstrate the love of God

- "...in that while we were yet sinners he died for us."

John

Hatcher is pastor of

Outreach International

Center

1091 South Jeff Davis

Drive

Fayetteville, Georgia

30215

770-719-0303

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