Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Col 3:13 NIV)
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another,a forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.(Eph 4:31-32 NIV)
Accepting Christ's Lordship over our lives and His sovereignty in all things also means that we have allowed Him to take responsibility over our lives as our Shepherd, Keeper, and Savior (2Tim.1:12). It also means that, from now on, He stands between all things and me; in Him I am crucified to the world and the world to me (Gal.6:14). It also means that nothing can cross over to me without touching Him first, as He stands in between me and all things. It also means that I am not allowed to connect or relate or disconnect or unrelate in anyway whatsoever that He will not approve of. It is no longer I, but He who relates, who connects, who cares about, who judges, who leads.
He stands not as a mediating principle but as the Person, the Lord, controlling all things in between. His mediatorship affirms His centrality and sovereignty over our lives. Nothing happens by chance or human whim when He comes in between. Therefore, there can be no room for fear, for worry. There can be no room for bitterness or unforgiveness, because whatever happened happened because He has mediated and intervened.
A young man feels angered at another man for doing something to him that is hurtful. Suddenly, there is a surge of bitterness and hurt. Not that he wishes to hurt the other; but, there is a feeling of pain. But, then he is reminded that whatever has happened has not happened outside the knowledge and control of our Lord. Also, when the Lord comes in between I have no right to hold any grudge against any other. I cannot grudge against what He has allowed; because whatever He allows is for my good, though it be painful. I cannot leave unforgiven what He has already forgiven.
Related Verses
Eph.2:16-19; Col.1:20; Mark 9:41; Eze. 3:7; John 15:18,19; Gal.2:20; Rom.14:10; Eze.3:17-21, 27; 1Pet.4:11; 2Cor.5:18-20
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