No Shades of Gray Kenneth Copeland 16 March This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. 1 John 1:5-6Oftentimes people associate forgiveness only with those major resentments theyve been carrying against someone. But true forgiveness is also for all those little hurts and offenses that cause you to go out of your way to avoid someone. Its those memories that cause you to treat someone with less warmth and love because they have injured you in some way. Im talking about any attitude you have that falls short of the full light and love of God Himself. Some people dont want to give up those kinds of things. Theyll say, I love God. Glory! Hallelujah! My fellowship with Him is fine. Im just having a tough time fellowshiping with Sister So-and-So. But after what she did to me, I just cant help it. According to the Bible, people who say things like that are lying. Theyre trying to walk in darkness and light at the same time, and 1 John tells us it cant be done. Notice in the above verse, he didnt stutter. He didnt say, Well, bless your heart. Unforgiveness is a sin, but I know how hard these things can be sometimes. No, he said bluntly: If you walk in darkness and say you have partnership with God, youre lying about it. The sad thing is, many Christians who are walking in unforgiveness dont know theyre in darkness. They think that because they read their Bible and say Amen at church, theyre in fellowship with God. But 1 John 2:11 says, He that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. A man who does not forgive is hating his brother. I dont hate him, you may say. I just dont like him very much! How far outside of love do you have to go before it can be called hate? As far as God is concerned, just one step outside of love is hate. To Him there are no shades of gray. In His eyes, anything less than love is sin. So make the decision today to forgive…every little hurt.Numbers 36; Deuteronomy 1; John 18I determine to walk in love and to forgive others, even as God for Christs sake has forgiven me. Ephesians 4:32
Scripture Reading: 1 John 2:7-11
