Michael continues: A critical spirt is a spirit of condemnation, of focusing on sin, iniquity, guilt, and shame. It’s easy to find fault and then blame others. When we’re acutely aware that someone has offended us, we fall into the trap of a victim mentality. A critical spirit kills relationships. It builds a resentment bank against the other person … after all, they’ve offended me by violating my “so-called” right not to be offended. I’m concerned about your critical spirt. In Matthew 5:11-12 Jesus said, blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven. We need to learn to recompense no man evil for evil, but to respond to others with a heart of love. Understand Jesus’ model prayer, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
When we discern in our own hearts, God’s grace and mercy toward us, then we will have no problem forgiving others. He forgave us when we were unforgivable. The wages of sin is death – (Ephesians 2:1). But even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. Without God’s mercy and grace resulting in our salvation through Jesus Christ, we would not have the capacity to forgive others. Jesus said, “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
From a heart motivated by the love of God, we can forgive those who have wronged us, even when we’re maligned and mistreated. Jesus said in the last beatitude: Blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, rejoice and be exceeding glad, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
From a pure heart we can love God above all. Through the pain and affliction of this fallen world and despite unjust and unkind treatment from the unsaved, we can pray for them as Jesus prayed for the soldiers who nailed Him to the Cross, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. Then we can be a living epistle showing them the example of Christ’s unconditional love. mercy, goodness and grace. For it is God’s goodness and kindness that calls a man to repentance unto salvation. For Jesus with a heart of love, came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
Therefore, judge not lest ye be not judged. Yank the plank of judgmentalism, for in Christ we have been judged righteous, not because of who we are but because of who he is; because In that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. In forgiving others we may be witnesses of God’s grace and mercy to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ, Michael
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