The Ability to Love and Forgive

1 John 2:2

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

God so loved the world that He gave His Son to die for the sins of all of mankind.  In this one act, we see the perfect love and the perfect forgiveness of both the Father and the Son.  The advocacy of the Son is limited to believers, but the propitiation for sin extends as far and as wide and as deep as the evidence of sin in all people.   

When we receive the Son, Jesus Christ, as Our Savior, we are receiving the fullness of His perfect love and forgiveness.  We also receive the indwelling Holy Spirit who instills in us this perfect love and forgiveness to share with the world around us.  As it is with the Father and the Son, we are to withhold love and forgiveness from no man.  

With all the anger and bitterness that is spewed every day in our society, we should not withhold even the smallest portion of love and forgiveness from any man anywhere.  Our ability to love and forgive under all circumstances is what marks us as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the unlimited flow of love and forgiveness that comes from Your Throne. We bless the name of Jesus for becoming sin for every man so that we all could receive the eternal gift of salvation.  We pray, Lord, that the Holy Spirit will guide us as we learn to become free flowing vessels of Your perfect love and forgiveness.  We ask for the grace to overcome all bitterness, anger and unforgiveness in our lives so that we may in no way hinder the provision of Your love to the world around us.  We ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord Our Redeemer.