You’re Not Condemned. You’re Forgiven.
This is probably going to be a brief post but I know it would help someone today. I want to tell you that you’re forgiven. Some may raise an eyebrow as to what authority I have to declare such a bold statement. Unfortunately, that statement is not one that I formed. It is a fact: A fact that has been in existence for many centuries, made possible by Jesus Christ. His death on the Cross of Calvary and resurrection has brought forgiveness to all who accept him. I really don’t care what you’ve done, when you did it or how bad it is/was, but know today that you’re forgiven. It sounds too simple, right? But it is true. Most times, we miss great opportunities because they sound too simple to be true.
Someone once asked Christ a question, “How many times do I have to forgive?” Christ replied, “70×7 times daily.” This sums up to 490 times per day, which is a lot of forgiving to do! I don’t think anyone is offended that many times a day. For this reason, Christ’s message was for us not to place a limit on forgiveness. Nonetheless, my point is on the principle behind the conversation between the two men. If Christ proposed 70×7 times for us to forgive daily, then his forgiveness is much more, since he is the originator of forgiveness. Hence, my statement YOU’RE FORGIVEN holds true.
A young girl told everyone that she had visitations from Christ each night. They did not believe her and said she was making up stories, but she insisted she wasn’t. One day, a priest told her he was going to test the validity of her claim. “When Jesus Christ visits you this evening, ask him to tell you what I did last night. I did something unpleasant, so have him tell you exactly what I did?” The young girl took up his challenge and promised to get back to him. The next Sunday, as she was getting out of church with her parents, the priest waved to her. “Hey young lady, what did Jesus Christ say?” he asked in a sarcastic tone. The young girl grinned and said “Oh yeah, he told me!” From her confident look, the priest for the first time believed her and thought to himself that he had made a big mistake asking her to request his secret sin! He quickly took her to a less populated area before she spilled his dirty misdeeds before his congregation. She chuckled. The guilt-ridden priest stuttered, “I-I I wo-won’t do it again, I p-promised him. S-so ttttell me, wh-what did he say?” The young girl replied, “Jesus said, . . . he doesn’t remember!”
Dear friend, you’re forgiven, so stop living in condemnation. Jesus Christ loves you and paid for your sins. He doesn’t remember those things you’ve done. If he has forgiven you, why can’t you forgive yourself? He will give you the strength not to go back to it any longer. Take this good news to those around you and tell them “You’re Not Condemned. You’re Forgiven.”
At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, “Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?” Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven. Matthew 18: 21-22.
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