CAN WE BE FORGIVEN?
In this Scripture is Paul talking to the Corinthians and telling them that bringing lawsuits (moral issues) between Christians to a secular court instead of the church is not right. The Christian community should settle its own dispute rather than use Roman law. He says believers are better suited to settle moral issues than pagans. And in 9-11, Paul says ' Don't you realize that this is not the way to live?' Wouldn't it be better to just take it, to let yourselves be wronged and forget it? People who use and abuse others don't care about God, and will not join His kingdom. (The Message)
Are any of us guilty of using and abusing others? Have we ever been wronged ourselves? Yes, probably at some time, we have all been there. Can we be forgiven for wronging others? Yes, yes and yes.....The question is: How? The question is: Why?
HOW? Every morning get up, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness. WHY? Because we want the kingdom of God, we want to be forgiven and not carry around the guilt that sin places on us. By following the how and the why, we can have peace inside and be able to go on.
The more I know God, the more I'm aware of my own sins. I have sins I need to tell God over and over and ask for forgiveness over and over. Some sins are heavy and weigh me down, but because I want to live in God's kingdom, I have to confess, I have to cry to God and ask for forgiveness every new day. It's hard and I don't always want to, but I believe it's what God wants from me, so I keep trying.
Paul ends by saying, 'You have been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.'
(The Message)
