Genesis 20 - The Same Ole Mistakes

Genesis 20:1-18
Abraham and Sarah journeyed to Gerar.  Once again, they told the king, this time Abimelech, that Sarah was Abraham’s sister, and she was once again taken into the king’s house.  This time, God appeared to Abimelech in a dream and told him that Sarah was Abraham’s wife.  Abimelech returned Sarah to Abraham untouched and have him 1000 pieces of silver.

Like Abraham and Sarah, we often make the same mistakes, or poor decisions, over and over again.  Because we are human, we do this, and God is faithful to forgive us.  Therefore; we in turn should forgive others when they do wrong toward us.

Look up and read the following scriptures:
Matthew 8:22
Matthew 6:14
Mark 11:25-26

What do the scriptures listed above tell us about forgiveness? 




Is there someone in your life who has wronged you that you need to forgive? 


After you have forgiven this person, go by Abimelech’s example and go to that person and offer them some kind of gift or kindness.  Use the space below to journal about how you can show love and forgiveness toward that person.

Condemnation

Condemnation

 is the act of passing an unfavorable judgement, or disapproval of someone else.  It is to declare them as unfit or express our disapproval of them, verbally, or with our actions.

Condemnation of the Lost:

John 3:16-17

For God so loved the world, that he sent His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His son into the world to condemn it; but that the world, through Him, might be saved.

Christians love to quote John 3:16.  But are often the first to ignore John 3:17, which tells us that Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but to save it.  If Jesus didn't condemn the world for sin, neither should Christians condemn others for sin.  It is easy for Christians to forget who they once were and what God delivered them from, and begin to condemn others, often for the same things they were once guilty of themselves.  This self righteous attitude is not Godly.  God teaches us to have a loving, forgiving attitude toward others, as God loves them, and us.  As Christians, we are no better than the lost.  Their sins are no worse than our sins.  Even as Christians, we all sin.

Condemnation of the Saved:

Romans 8:1-2

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law could not do because it was weak, God has done through his son, Jesus.

Just as we are not to condemn the lost, neither are we to condemn other Christians for their weaknesses, temptations, and sins.  As Christians, we no longer live under the law, we are free in Christ, and forgiven by faith in Him. Just as the lost are.

Summary:

If Jesus didn't come to condemn us when we were lost, and does not condemn us when we are Christians, we, as humans, should not, and have no grounds to condemn others.

Forgiveness

Who do we need to forgive?

One of the hardest things for me as a Christian has been forgiveness.  The people who hurt us the most are often those we care the most about, or we have invested ourselves in.  If we didn't care for, or love the person who hurt us, it wouldn't have hurt as bad.  We deal with disappointment differently depending on who it is hurting us.  We don't really expect a stranger in a grocery store to treat us with love, so when they offend us it is pretty easy to just go on about our business and forget about it.  However; if the person who offends us is someone we care about, such as a spouse or sibling, we expect them to treat us a certain way and when they don't, it is often hard to forgive them.  If we don't forgive others, God will not forgive us for offending him.  (Mark 11:16, Matthew 6:15, Luke 23:34, Matthew 18:35)

So many relationships are destroyed by unforgiveness.  I have heard of siblings who had not spoken in twenty years because of an argument over a card game.  Marriages are often destroyed because one person hurts the others feelings or breaks their trust and are never forgiven for it.  Unforgiveness leads to anger, bitterness and even hate.

How often do we forgive?

It is true that some people continue to hurt us over and over; but we must forgive them. This has been a real struggle for me, and I have to pray often and ask God to help me forgive certain people. In Matthew 18:21-22, Peter came to him (Jesus) and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother offend me and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?"  Jesus answered him, "I say to you, not seven times, but seventy times seven."  My feeling on this is, that when you are continually hurt by someone, forgive them, but then lower your expectations of them, and perhaps spend less time with them, or separate yourself from them completely (unless you are married to them).  Just because we have to forgive them, does not mean that we have to continue to be abused by them.

If you close your eyes, and think about a certain person and feel anger or another negative feeling, you have not forgiven them.  When you can close your eyes and think of that person without feeling those negative feelings you have truly forgiven them.  You can think about that person and not even think about that hurtful thing that they did to you, and that is where we find peace and freedom!

Summary:

If there is anyone in your life, your past, or even your childhood that has hurt you, and you still feel anger or hate over it, please ask God to help you forgive them, so that He can forgive you of your sins against Him.  It is so important for you.  I believe you cannot grow spiritually until you have forgiven them and by continuing to harbor those hurt feelings is like giving them power over you, your happiness and your spiritual life.

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