The Evidence: Forgiveness

What's the evidence of Salvation? One of the first evidences is the ability to forgive. Often times people seek counseling after tremendous battles, leaving them with overwhelming bitterness and resentment between them and their fellow man. There is a falling-out with other people. We need to head Jesus parable in Mt. 18:21-35.

When we are saved, remember, a falling-out has been healed. We've had a falling-out with God, and who were the villains? We were; God was the Victim. As we get saved, there are many other people who have served as Villains in our lives: spouses, parents, loved ones... Many times when older people get saved there is much bitterness and hatred in their lives. One of the first evidences of Salvation is when they realize the greatness of God's Salvation for them. They realize the situation receiving God’s grace puts them in, and they are able to pass that on to others as they forgive others, just as God--through Christ--forgave them. (Eph. 4:32) We will study this in much more detail later on, as we discuss sanctification and how we continue to grow in Christ.

We also need to realize that if we do not forgive, neither will our Heavenly Father forgive us. (Mt. 6:14f) We may ask, how can that be? Isn't salvation by grace through faith without works? But inherent in the new birth is that the saved one become humbled, that humility which comes in realizing their horrible Villainy, worse than any Villain could ever be in the horizontal realm. We violated our loving, heavenly Abba--our daddy in Heaven. We violated Him worse than anybody in this world could ever violate us.

But Our Father forgave us, through Jesus Christ. And it is imperative that we understand this in salvation. And if we do, how can we not forgive our brothers?

Let's say you run into a person in the highways and byways of life, and he says, "I am a Christian! I have received Jesus Christ!" Can a person receive Jesus Christ and still be lost and going to Hell?

Yes; it is possible to believe everything about Jesus Christ and still not be converted. Cognitive understanding of Jesus Christ is much different from surrendering your life to Him, throwing yourself unconditionally and unreservedly at His feet and committing yourself to be His bond-slave. He is the Lord; we are His bond-slaves; we cannot have it any other way. Yet I have met many who do not understand that reconciliation with God is necessary for a relationship with Him. Understanding of Him is not enough. They may understand the 4 Spiritual laws and even have much sound theology. They may know a lot about God, and yet still not know Him. For they have not come to a point of throwing themselves at His feet unreservedly and unconditionally. But those who do, will find mercy and life! And one of the first evidences is to extend God’s grace in forgiveness to those who have sinned against us.

We need to be carefully evaluating our gospel. Our gospel does not make people feel good; usually it makes them feel worse. But remember, there is hope! Our gospel is one of hope (Romans 15:13). Most people aren't fooled by a ticket to Heaven.

Once, many years ago when I would go around with the Four Spiritual Laws, people would say, "It can't be that easy." And they were right; it's not. So we need to give them the full gospel; the real thing, realizing that unless God opens their eyes, they're going to perish anyway. At least now, however, they'll perish without an excuse. They won't be able to stand before God and say, "No-one ever told me." They will realize on Judgment Day that they ultimately only served themselves; we need to let them know beforehand. At least then they'll have an opportunity to experience the life of Christ. And our hands will be free from their blood.

If we're going to help battered and broken people, we need to do a lot more than make them feel good. We need to lead them to the foot of the throne, where they can surrender to the King of Kings, and learn to live in His Kingdom!