Introduction
The modern Christian church may not follow the example of Christ in forgiving its members. The main concepts that involve following Christ are atonement and forgiveness, the main provisions of Christian doctrine. Tolerate atonement comes from the Old Testament and is the most important term of the Christian system. This study will connect the atonement of Jesus Christ and attitudes towards forgiveness through the revision of the current church, Love and God’s commandment to forgive.
Atonement refers to the death of Christ, whereby the sinner is reconciled to God. Atonement is linked to human sin, God commanding Israel to set aside one day of the year, which He called “the day of atonement”. The concept of forgiveness and atonement as an absolute necessity for gaining earthly happiness is rarely considered in the research literature. The researchers emphasize that forgiveness should not mean justifying the actions of oneself or another person. Modern reasoning calls into question the very possibility of achieving forgiveness in a godless world4. However, to truly understand what forgiveness is and how to act in accordance with the word of God, one must rely on the Holy Texts.
A full understanding of the atonement of Jesus on behalf of people enables them to better evaluate themselves. Christians have no merit in the work of salvation; everything comes from the love and favor of Christ. Therefore, whenever the dissatisfied heart of people wants to grumble before God for not having what it desired, they must remember that they have already received from Christ what is necessary for their happiness. All mankind has gone astray because of sin, but the atonement of Jesus is for all sinful mankind.
Love and Forgiveness from Christ Teachings
The natural course of people existence, contaminated by the effects of the sins from Adam and Eve, would lead them to an eternity of condemnation. For the God’s Love to human beings, He sacrificed His own to relieve humans form sins. However, the death of Jesus was not an isolated act taken by a violent passion. The Lord knew what He was doing and that’s the sacrifice He made for the sake of humans. The Devil tried at all costs was to prevent the sacrifice of the cross because, at that moment in history, he could already deduce that the crucifixion would not be Jesus’ failure, rather, there would be the beginning of people victory. The possibility of substitutionary sacrifice was far from reality, since people were all closed under the habitual practice of sin and, consequently, destined to condemnation. People owe their existence to the Creator, and after the Fall of humanity. They immediately became worthy of eternal punishment; however, the Eternal granted them permission to continue living, but conscious of the maintenance of a debt they needed be paid.
Jesus teachings directed his followers to love and forgive their neighbors as the Father forgives them. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven” – the Holy Scripture teaches. The Christian knows that he has been forgiven by the Lord with a free and provident mercy. People have been forgiven and, therefore, that they must forgive. If someone does not know how to forgive another, without looking at the number of times he has granted forgiveness, then he does not recognize the received forgiveness. God forgives freely, His love must never be deserved, but it is necessary to accept his gift and extend it to others.
Love, the compassionate feeling of accepting people without conditions leads to the general view of forgiveness. In most cases, people fail to forgive because they have no love for their transgressors. Loving is the way of accepting the teaching of Jesus Christ. If people are not ministering of that mercy received from God, who always forgives people and has forgiven them once and for all through Jesus Christ, he withdraws his forgiveness. The teachings are related to love, people without love have limited God’s presence and cannot value the commandment of forgiveness.
Jesus gives the followers the last and definitive account of God. For Christians, God’s mercy is the essential feature to know Him, it is the way people get in communion: it is the way in which God reveals His omnipotence. It is not easy to accept this face of God, because all religions have always preached a God who does justice, who punishes the wrong committed. However, from the teaching of Jesus, Mercy is paramount and God is merciful, He forgives and is willing to accepts people who are willing to follow His teachings. Thus, those who are merciful, they should expect mercy in return.
Consequences of Humanity’s Ideas About Forgiveness
The human interpretation of mercy and forgiveness may go astray with the Bible teachings. The misunderstanding of God’s mercy leads to confusion on punishment and atonement. Some churches believe in full forgiveness of sins and no punishment befalls them after sins. Other understands God as a punisher and does not view God as merciful. The confusion revolving around mercy makes most believers not to have a stand to their faith. The division between the wrath of God and His mercies in churches has led to disunion.
Misinterpretations of the Bible can occasionally lead to confusion regarding the teachings of the Bible. However, it is the result of believers’ sloppy Bible study habits and the teachings of false authors, teachers, and preachers. Even the most accurate translations are twisted and distorted, either intentionally or out of ignorance, to serve their own ends or conform to worldly thinking. Such Prophets has led to division in churches since they interpret the Bible in their own way either to install fear to the followers about God punishments. The pseudo-gospel is spread actively, people are defending the absurd thesis that forgiveness is the freedom to become anything, including the cause of suffering for others. In people days many imprison people in their spiritual “childishness”, binding them to envy, greed and arrogance. In such churches, forgiveness is not given a chance and thus draw people away from God.
People can be misled about the Bible; a false hope of salvation can result from misunderstanding forgiveness and Mercy. Satan used a misunderstanding of the Bible to tempt Jesus. He misinterprets the truths of Scripture today using the same strategies and Word of God can be twisted by Satan with enough skill to produce disastrous outcomes leading to no mercy. The damage is felt when Christians no longer believe in mercy and see no point of forgiveness and following the scripture.
There are at least three wrong positions on the issue of forgiveness in churches today. On the one hand, some believe that forgiveness cannot be given for free, it must be earned. Others are convinced that it is always necessary to forgive, and once a relationship is established, to maintain the same level of closeness, regardless of the behavior of other people. Still others believe that it is unnecessary to ask for forgiveness, since Christians should forgive each other automatically. It would be a denial of the God that one professes and proclaims to be forgiven by him and then not forgive others. The Church is a community of people who forgive; people may be ministers of forgiveness and mercy in the Church itself. God’s forgiveness for people sins knows no bounds. God has compassion and mercy on people and forgives them for all their shortcomings.
The effort to forgive is a concrete response to the Father that people are dedicating themselves to become better. From the words of Jesus, it is possible to live a free life, without ties, in peace with people and in harmony with God. Jesus gave his own life so that people could be forgiven of their sins and opened the door for everyone to reach eternal life. From a Divine interpretation, forgiving is a union of repentance and sacrifice. There is only forgiveness if one of the parties is truly repentant and the other truly willing to feel compassion. Forgiving requires owning up to the mistakes people made and, above all, forgiving themselves. The first step is opening the door of the soul. Forgiveness is part of a process that is often painful, but extremely necessary for humans’ release. Exposing the wound of the soul and treating it is not a comfortable act, but crucial for people to achieve healing through accepting Jesus Christ and forgiving others.
Christlike Forgiveness in Today’s Church
Christlike forgiveness can be argued in the approach of God forgiving man. That is, the essence of forgiveness is not for people to forgive each other but to receive forgiveness from God at the same time. Christ gave, after His resurrection, a special empowerment of the Holy Spirit’s power to His disciples, which would enable them to both forgive sins and withhold forgiveness. The Bible teaches, first of all, that it is God who forgives sins. People are admonished that faults against other persons must be confessed and made right, if necessary, directly to them.
Christ has given to the Church, as a community of believers, the obligation to receive as members all who demonstrate, by their conduct, the genuineness of their repentance. He gave authority to remove from his fellowship all those whose conduct represented a clear denial of the faith. By accepting some and rejecting others, based on biblical criteria, the Church exercises the authority to forgive and retain sins. The disciples of Christ must recognize those who repent as forgiven by God, and consequently, by His Church, and the unrepentant as unforgiven.
The gospel describe ways in which man is addressed: accusing, naming sin – demanding; or absolving, not counting the sin – gifted. The distinction between law and gospel creates a contrast to the previously disastrous life situation. However, this can only arise when the human allows to be spoken to about the disastrous life situation, while willing to feel the pain. The theology taught that repentance must be a real contrition of the heart over sin. In part, it is expressly assumed that human beings are capable of producing love and repentance on their own, which are the prerequisites for the forgiveness of sins.
It was precisely the teaching that had brought authors to despair in the monastery, because the effect of the sacrament of penance was linked to proper human preparation. Failure to comply with the law releases something positive, because the reversal idea of repentance is considered, namely man’s turning to God, gained through belief in divine mercy. God’s judging power through the law and the horror of this judgment that is imposed on the conscience. His medium is the word that is put into the mouth of man and is received in faith. The Christian believes that he has been absolved of his sins. This belief in God’s mercy replaces the satisfaction owed to God for the sins committed.
In most cases the digression from the practical application of forgiveness lies on conditioning forgiveness. On the contrary, being unconditional is an attribute of forgiveness. “If God’s forgiveness of humans is unconditional, so must their forgiveness. If people demand a condition, it ceases to be a pardon and becomes a peace agreement, subject to being broken. People stop evolving, growing, they are stuck in time, suffering for things from the past that they cannot resolve. Forgiving is not forgetting; it is remembering without feeling pain and reconciling with the challenges. Forgiving and forgetting are completely different: forgiveness has this ability to prevent a mistake, a hurt or an offense from not influencing relationship with the person. If that act against people still influences their life, it happens because there was no real forgiveness.
Those who do not express the majesty of divine love can be defined as sinful people. This is the breadth of love in people lives, which constitutes the guiding element of all their attitudes and choices. If love does not fit into some decision one intend to make, it should not appear as an alternative. Christians are to be known exclusively for love, for their insistence on trying to behave like the blessed Christ, that is, living for love. There is no love of neighbor that excludes eternal values and the Highest himself from the affective equation. Love that is based on iniquity is nothing more than a libertine trick practiced by people who, desirous of escaping their consciences tired by their daily transgressions, seek to dope themselves with spiritual fallacies.
On the other hand, love that does not allow itself to be affected by the suffering of others, that ignores the anguish of the little and fragile, is pure pretender. Humans are exhorted to the practice of love, an experience that is structured simultaneously, vertically, in their relationship with God and horizontally in their daily communion with the other daughters and sons of Adam. Whoever proclaims love to God, but hates the sinner, the suffering, is nothing but a preacher of lies. Thus, Christians should be the source of love, the source of mercy and should forgive without hesitance.
The application of Christian principles must be based on conformity with God’s Teachings. First of all, it is necessary to let go of manifestations of anger, because anger is destructive, and forgiveness has a healing power. Another aspect of victory according to the Scriptures is total trust, that is, forgiveness of others, without fear of becoming vulnerable. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” – says the Bible. Applicable to the church community, it is necessary to use the principle of forgiveness, trust and patience. Regardless of the relationship between parishioners, mutual respect must reign in society.
God’s Original Definition of Forgiveness
The understanding of forgiveness can be attributed to Jesus Christ teachings on love and mercy. Jesus played the role of preaching and portrayed a picture of what God would want people to do. Forgiving is the fundamental act of the Christian faith, because, through forgiveness, people enter into the eternal life that Jesus promises them. God forgave humans through the work done on the cross by his Son. Forgiveness is the human action of getting rid of a guilt, an offense, a debt. Forgiveness is a mental process aimed at eliminating any resentment, anger, rancor or other negative feelings about a person. Jesus used this comparison when he taught his followers to pray by asking for forgiveness as they forgive those who trespasses against them.
On the contrary, God may determine forgiveness as a command. It imposes conditions on people receiving God’s forgiveness. If someone does not forgive, God will not be merciful to forgive them when they beg him for forgiveness. Even if one has sinned against a brother, they must ask forgiveness from that brother so that the request for forgiveness is granted by God. The one who feels offended, if he does not forgive the one who asks for forgiveness, his sins will not be forgiven either.
The teachings revolve around unconditional forgiving to all human kinds. The Bible clearly dictates that people must always forgive. Jesus said, when asked what people should forgive, he says people should forgive seventy times seven. This number, in Hebrew, means perfection, that is, forgiveness must always happen because, for those who grant forgiveness, this means being clean from guilt and sorrows, sadness and all sorts that do not please God. The reiteration of sins from one brother to another is a fact that must be questioned. If offenses are repeated, forgiveness does not have the power in the presence of God to erase the sin, even if the offender asks for forgiveness, because the reiteration of sin ends with death.
Forgiveness is the tool people need to break chains and shackles, and free themselves from the bonds that hold them to the past. These prisons, sometimes unnoticed, are what prevent people from living a happy and adjusted present with God. Through love people generate forgiveness, and only through forgiveness can they achieve healing from the wounds of the past. Love and forgiveness are two words that go hand in hand, and are involved with mercy “God is love”. This is the most beautiful definition the Bible presents of the character of God. Were it not for his love and mercy, humans would never be forgiven and, as a consequence, they would be lost. The greatest proof of God’s love for humans was to forgive all humans sins through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
Man’s difficulty in loving and forgiving others makes him need God, who is the source of love and mercy. Those who do not forgive have their hearts smothered by rancor and resentments, and closed to the action of the Holy Spirit. Humans do not deserve God’s forgiveness, but they experience His love, kindness and mercy, when they show Him a heart that is repentant and open to forgive those who have offended them. Forgiving is an irreplaceable and unconditional attribute of God. When people decide not to forgive, they nullify the relationship and communion with their brother, and they stay away from God. Not forgiving is a sin and evidences the absence of love. Without love there is no forgiveness as insisted by Jesus.
Conclusion
In conclusion, forgiving has great value for Christians in daily life. God promised man to forgive him if he accepts Jesus and practice the value of forgiving the neighbors. The more people forgive the more they are forgiven. To forgive means to stop regarding the other with contempt or resentment. It is having compassion, putting aside the whole idea of taking revenge for what was done, or for the consequences people suffered. Forgiveness is essential to people inner well-being, and it becomes an effective witness that humans are children of God, like Him, and like Christ. The basis for the act of forgiving is in the complete and genuine forgiveness they receive from the Father. As He forgave humans, they must continually forgive other people. They should be kind to one another, merciful, forgiving, just as God in Christ forgave his children.
The distortion of God’s love is established as follows: God’s grace is invoked as the guarantor of a life of sin, on the excuse that forgiveness makes people immune to the consequences of our irresponsibility. Being a disciple of Christ requires a heart that turns to God in everything, all the time. Once forgiven, it is people duty to be holy, full of compassion and mercy towards all. The liberating power of asking for forgiveness as a breakthrough experience is a church perspective that opens horizons – in social, ecumenical and interdisciplinary terms. In social terms, confession opens up one of several ways of processing guilt. The church should offer a place of reconciliation for the individual, who no longer has to be left alone with his guilt.
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