Principle 6: “Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.
“Happy are the merciful” – Matthew 5:7
“Happy are the peacemakers” Matthew.5:9
Step 9: We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
“Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your
brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and
be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” – Matthew 5:23-24
To complete Principle 6 we must make our amends, make restitution, offer our forgiveness, but most of all, we must receive and model Jesus Christ’s freely given gift of GRACE.
“My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.” So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can live in me. For this reason I am happy when I have weaknesses, insults, hard times, sufferings, and all kinds of troubles for Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NCV
GRACE Acrostic:
God’s gift – Grace cannot be bought. It is a freely given fight by God to you and me.
“Prepare your minds for service and have self-control. All you hope should be for the gift of grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ is shown to you.” -1 Peter 1:13, NCV
Received by our faith – We cannot work our way into heaven. Only by professing our faith in Christ as our Savior can we experience His grace and have eternal life.
“Through whom we have gained access by faith into the grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” – Romans 5:2
Accepted by God’s love – God loved us while we were still sinning. We can love others because God first loved us, and we can also forgive others because God first forgave us.
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” – Matthew 6:12
“If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” – Matthew 6:14
Christ paid the price – Jesus loves us so much that He died on the cross so that all our sins, all our wrongs, are forgiven. He paid the price and sacrificed Himself for us so that we may be with Him forever.
Everlasting gift – once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, God’s gift of grace is forever.
“And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns.” – Philippians 1:6, TLB