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Introduction:
Identity
Derek Poole
Comment:
What's in a Name?
Janet Morris
From
the Director
David Porter
End
Game of the End Times
David Porter
We
Will Not Have Home Rule
Alywn Thomson
The
Lost Field
Tony Davidson
Divine
Assumption
Alan Wilson
Walking
the Tight Rope
William Storrar
Certificate
in Biblical Peacebuilding
Lynda Gould
Liberal
Evangelical Post-Unionism and ECONI
Esmond Birnie
O
God Our Help in Ages Past
Christopher Catherwood
Transformation
Lynda Gould
A
DIVINE ASSUMPTION
He introduced the topic in a strange and somewhat surprising way, like
a bolt out of the blue. There was no forewarning, no introduction, no
indication of what was going to come, just an incredible assumption, an
unbelievable presumption that would shock and bewilder any discerning
hearer. He was half way through a talk on prayer when he said the words:
"Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors."
These familiar words are taken from what is commonly known as the 'The Lord's Prayer'. They are words known by Christians and non-Christian alike all over the world. However, because they have become so common we have lost the impact of what Jesus was saying. Jesus was not commanding us to forgive others, or encouraging us to forgive others, he wasn't even teaching on how we go about forgiving others. No. He was simply assuming that we would. He assumed that we would forgive others just as he assumed we would need God's forgiveness. As we read on, we discovered that Jesus not only assumes that we will forgive, but he continues by spelling out the consequences if his assumption is wrong, He says:
"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins your father will not forgive your sins." (Matt 6.14-15)We need to stand back and think about this. Surely there is nothing more difficult in the entire world than to forgive someone who has caused us a bitter blow and deep pain. How do you forgive someone who has wrecked your life, or your family? How do you forgive the person who has inflicted life-crushing consequences from which you will never fully recover? Was Jesus being unrealistic? Were his expectations of mankind too high? Was he just young, enthusiastic and a bit idealistic? Was this the naivety of innocence speaking? The answer to all these suggestions is no. Being able to forgive others, as Jesus assumed we would, is the result of:
Knowing
God as your father Our Father in heaven
Of honouring his name Hallowed be your name
Submitting to his rule Your kingdom come
Doing his will Your will be done
Depending on Him Give us today our daily bread
Recognising our own sin Forgive us our debts
To have a forgiving heart is to have a heart that is submitted to the reign and rule of our father. A forgiving heart is a heart that is being transformed by the gracious rule of God. Forgiving others is more that a matter of the will, "I must forgive." It is a matter of transformation. Maybe our unwillingness to forgive others is an indication that we have not experienced the spiritual and life-changing dynamics Jesus refers to in this prayer. As we go into a new century we will need more than strong resolution if we are going to become a forgiving community.
We will need to know God as our father.
We will need to hallow his name.
We will need to experience his kingdom.
We will need to do his will.
We will need to live a life of dependence.
We will need to be honest about our own sins.
Then we will have a heart that can say:
"Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors."
Alan Wilson - member of Hamilton Road Baptist Church. Throughout this year he will be filling the spot previously filled by Graham Cheesman, who is taking a rest from column.
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