The Fundamentals of Forgiveness, Part 10

Love – it is a word which seems so simple. And yet, it is a word which increasingly perplexes us because the world in its fallen condition continues to shift the definition of love. We have actually come to the place now where the word is devoid of objective meaning. It is like an empty vessel which can be filled with whatever substance our whim dictates. It can mean one thing today and another thing tomorrow. Indeed, love (as it is often currently defined) is the foundational principle driving some of the greatest wickedness we are likely to confront today. But if we confine our understanding to the biblical concept and practice of love, we will find a pure and beautiful reflection of the divine love. If we search for that concept and practice in the Word, there are few better examples than the biblical doctrine and practice of forgiveness. Divine love is expressed in the giving of a Savior whose sacrifice covers the sins of His people. It is also expressed in the forgiveness we give to one another in grateful recognition of our being forgiven by God. And when we forgive, love covers the sins we commit against one another as well. – Pastor Schlegel