Daily Devotion, September 30, 2020

 

Devotion: Read Ephesians 4:30 - 5:2.

“Forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” We truly rejoice in living as “forgiven people,” but we often grumble and struggle with forgiving others. True forgiveness usually costs someone something. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says, “It is costly grace because it cost God the life of his Son.”

Dr. E.Y. Mullins in 1935 penned these words, “Verses 1 and 2 in chapter five are among the most striking and beautiful in all the New Testament. Briefly summed up, they include the following: First, we are to imitate God as beloved children, and second, the particular point of the exhortation to imitate God is that we are to ‘walk in love.’ The degree in which this love must manifest itself in order to be a true imitation of God is suggested by the last verse of chapter four, namely: the forgiveness of those who offend against us.”

One of the most admirable examples of forgiveness in recent years is offered by the people of the Emmanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, SC. “I forgive you,” are the words spoken by many of the relatives of the nine who were killed by the young man as he faced the judge in his first court appearance, in June of 2015.

My Ethics Professor, Dr. Glen Stassen, said that Christ gave us the example of the “transforming initiative of forgiveness.” He said, “Christ did not wait for people to say, ‘I’m sorry, or I repent, or I apologize.’ Christ initiated this transforming forgiveness in giving His life for our sins.” This is the highest degree of love.

The verses in Ephesians 4:30-5:2 call us to walk and follow in this way of Christ’s love and forgiveness. With the enabling power of the Holy Spirit it is possible for us to grow into this life of love and forgiveness. Personal Worship Option: Forgiving God, we are overwhelmed and transformed by your forgiving our sins. Forgiving others is one of the most difficult tasks you have called us to do. Empower us by your Holy Spirit to forgive others and to follow the example of Christ to walk in His way of love. Amen.