2014-08-29 Forgiveness


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Dear Brothers and Sisters in IAUA (ee-ah-oo-ah) our Father,

Greetings on this day of preparation for the weekly Sabbath. I pray this newsletter finds you in good health and happy in the service of IAUA. This is the 3rd day of the 6th month of God's Sacred Calendar in the estimated year 6018 Anno Mundi.

The Fall Sabbaths begin in 4 weeks with Trumpets on the evening of the 1st day of the 7th month (Friday, September 26th on the 2014, Gregorian Calendar, at sunset on Thursday, September 25th).

The Sacred month begins on the world day after lunar conjunction and the sacred year begins with the Spring Passover Rule dates my research and others have identified for determining the Gregorian Calendar dates of God's Sacred Calendar. The Millerite Calendar (Spring New Moon Rule) is the same this year. The Calculated Rabbinical Calendar is one day early in the fall.


I heard an interesting devotional about forgiveness. I was pondering deeply on this subject. I have written previously on some of my observations about forgiveness.

Forgiveness - Healing
http://www.iaua.name/Archives/2005-04-15.html

There was an element of the devotion that bothered me more and more as I pondered it. An illustrative story was given of a person who had been horribly mistreated as a WWII POW. Later in life he felt the need to offer forgiveness to one who particularly mistreated him. He travelled all the way to Japan to seek his tormenter and offer him forgiveness. His tormenter refused to meet with him.

Now, initially this sounds like a wonderful inspiring gesture of a life devoted to God to seek to offer his tormenter forgiveness. However, something didn't seem quite right to me and I couldn't quite identify what it was. After carefully reviewing what the Bible says about forgiveness and considering the example of our Savior, I suddenly realized the issue.

Our Savior gave us an inspiring example:

Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing." The soldiers threw dice to divide Jesus' clothes between them.

He also told us to pray:

Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And said:

Matthew 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

But in everything He said and every example given it is not described that we track down those who have wronged us and give them forgiveness. We are certainly to seek forgiveness when we have done wrong.

Matthew 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

I then realized that it seems like an act of selfishness to push someone to hear you have forgiven them when they have not sought your forgiveness. It could even be seen as confrontational or antagonistic. You can easily sound self-righteous.

We certainly must have forgiveness in our heart and will give forgiveness when it is sought or there is a proper opportunity. Making a show of offering forgiveness is more in danger of being about drawing attention to you.

This issue affects me in a very personal way. I have been wronged in many ways by many people, sometimes severely, even by people at 3ABN. I quickly forgave them in my heart but I know if I was to confront them to offer forgiveness, it would sound very mean spirited to point out they have hurt me. It seems like people either don't realize what they have done or they just want to not think about it.

There is a very important way to practice and grow forgiveness in your heart every day. When people have been difficult or done something to you, quickly forgive them in your heart instead of criticizing them to other people behind their back. Seek comfort from our Father in Heaven rather than from a co-worker, where you would defame someones character by confiding what has happened and how you feel.

My wife and I often struggle with identifying the boundary between open, honest communication in our relationship about our feelings and experiences and the danger of criticizing other people.

Our Savior provides a lot of other guidance for dealing with interpersonal difficulties. The most well known:

Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

I have often thought that in these types of situations one also needs to consider whether the problem is actually serious enough to require resolution or whether we can simply forgive them in our heart and forget about it. It would depend on the severity of the problem and how public the problem is.

Similar guidance from our Savior:

Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Again, I suggest that sometimes a problem is not serious enough to require a confrontation. A difficult subject that will sometimes require a great deal of prayer. The Holy Spirit will be our guide.

I have been subjected to some serious and unfounded verbal criticism. Sometimes, even mean-spirited and excessive. I accepted this misguided rebuke meekly, without particularly trying to defend myself. Sometimes I was hurt very deeply and it took a while to recover. None ever recognized what they had done and accepted responsibility for their actions to seek forgiveness, but I always forgave the person in my heart. You must let go of the hurt, though it may take time. I never confronted anyone offering forgiveness that was not sought.

Is there daily forgiveness in your heart?

I pray we may all continue to seek love, peace, and unity in truth preparing for the soon coming of IAUShUO (ee-ah-oo-shoo-oh) Messiah, the Son of God.

Frank T. Clark
Eliau@IAUA.name
www.IAUA.name

Next: 2014-09-05 Excuses


Revised 2014-09-05