In my study this morning I keep thinking about how 'sin consciousness' is my enemy.
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." - Colossians 3:12-13 ESV
The word used for forgive and forgiving is charizomai (Strong's G5483) it comes from the same root as grace but it is a verb. It can be translated 'give grace' or even 'gracing' which sounds a bit strange to our ears. It is also used here:
"Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ," - 2 Corinthians 2:10 ESV
The idea of forgiveness can have a sin oriented focus but this word has a grace oriented focus. When we give grace we give a favor that is divorced from performance good or bad. It is outside of that.
When we put on Jesus Christ we give grace. If we became a lion we would roar like one or if we became a fish we would swim like one. When we put on Christ we give grace like God does. God is not thinking with a sin focus. Sin is paid for and has been put away. God is free to lavish grace.
When we have a complaint we shift into grace mode. That does not erase the complaint or sweep it under the rug per se. We just don't focus on the issue and get blinded by it. We focus on the relationship and deal with the person like Christ has dealt with us.
There may be people in our lives that give us a lot of trouble. They may just rub us the wrong way often but instead of thinking, 'I need to just forgive this idiot again.' we function is the grace that has been given to us. Forgiveness is rolled up into that grace package. We give that person the favor we would give to anyone because God has given us great favor hasn't He?
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