But Now...
Although...
Despite...
Even Though...
Its God telling us that our slate of sin is wiped clear. Its all God. We can do nothing to be forgiven.
But forgiveness demands a response. God wants us to respond by putting Him as Lord of our lives. Otherwise, does God's forgiveness really mean anything to you if you don't respond to this massive gesture from God?
Also, Jesus teaches us that because God has forgiven us, we must forgive others. He teaches this plainly, through parables and through the Lord's Prayer. Its not because other people are worth forgiving (they may, but that is not the point) but because God has set the example of love by forgiving us of all our sins against God - our creator and ultimate judge.
Satan may be wrecking havoc in our world still, but we know that through Jesus' death and ressurection, God's love reigns over Satan's sinfulness. God's plan reigns Satan's schemes. God's Kingdom reigns over Satan's demonic powers. We will have troubles in this world, we will do stupid things and stupid things will be done to us. But God is always at work.
Joseph's example in Genesis rings to bell. His brothers despised him and one day, they captured him and sold him as a slave. What an act of injustice! But God still works. Years later, Joseph was elevated to a high position in the Egyptian palace and manages to bump into his brothers, who were poor because of the famine. By nature and knowing what his brothers did to him, Joseph could have reacted badly and had the power to do anything to his brothers. But how does Joseph respond?
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
How much more true is that today?
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