FAITHFULWORD.ORG | TEACHINGS

Ephesians 4:32; 5:1-2; Mark 3:1-7; 10:1-9; Jeremiah 23:29; Hebrews 4:12; Luke 3:-5; [Romans 10:17]; Matthew 18:21, 22; Colossians 3:10-16; John 13:34, 35; I Peter 4:8; Ephesians 4:32; Proverbs 4:23

As we await our Lord’s return, we want to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so we can become more Christ-like every day. Part of this transformation process is to develop a tender heart. When we have tender hearts, the things we say are sweet, we have more compassion for others and are more apt to think of others instead of just ourselves. Those who are tenderhearted are more often willing to overlook things, rather than take every insignificant matter personally and become offended.

There are many kinds of people in this world who may tempt us not to be kind and tenderhearted. But yet Paul writes in Ephesians that we are to put off the old man and put on the new man. One of the qualities or characteristics of this new creation in Christ is to be tenderhearted. We must remember how God forgave us when we are considering being tenderhearted and forgiving towards others.

We are to walk in love as Christ did who gave himself as an offering and a sacrifice to God. The scriptures are our standard — not what someone else or some book would say. We are to imitate our God and walk like His Son, Jesus Christ walked. Being tenderhearted will open to us vistas of understanding that are shut off to the hard-hearted.

When we are first born again, we receive kindness and forgiveness; as we go on, we give this to others. Eventually, we realize how important such a mind-set is. When we become involved with people, we may find those who do offensive things to us, yet we must still extend God’s love and forgiveness to them. In fact, we are at times those offensive individuals! Luke records Jesus’ teaching that if someone trespasses against us, we are to talk to that person and forgive him. Forgiveness is a way of life.

Forgiveness is not an option for Christian living. It is a commandment! The Word of God contains our answers on how to do so. We are to let the Word of God pertaining to Jesus Christ be at home in our hearts and to love one another as he taught us to love.

As we think in our hearts, so we are. That is why we are told in Ephesians to be tenderhearted and forgiving. This is the doctrine. Then in Philippians we find reproof for wrong behavior in this regard and Colossians corrects the wrong doctrine that arose from people talking about it, but not living it. Ultimately people get to the place where they believe they are justified in not forgiving. This is wrong doctrine that has to be corrected with right teaching or doctrine. This right doctrine is declared in Colossians 3:13 where the scriptures declare, “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

If we have a quarrel against anyone, we must forgive the way we were forgiven by Jesus Christ. This is a very simple yet powerful way to live.