I Corinthians 11:28-31 - But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep (or die premature). For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.

What is the reason why so many are weak and sick amongst us and many are dead? Not discerning the Lord's body!

Now he is not just talking about the body of Jesus that hung on the cross, who suffered and died for our sins. He's also talking about the corporate Body of Christ, the Church (See I Corinthians 12:12-27).

Earlier in this same chapter of First Corinthians 11, Paul is rebuking the church because of the divisions and factions that where among them. They were not discerning the Lord's body (See verses 17-22).

One of the major hindrances to the healing of our bodies as Christians is unforgiveness towards a brother or sister in the Body of Christ. Not just a brother or sister, but this would also include unforgiveness towards ourselves too. Notice to who Paul was writing this letter. He was writing to the Church, to the Body of Christ.

One way to not discern the Lord's Body is to live a life of unforgiveness toward another member of the Body or even ourselves.

I remember in the early years of ministry going to visit one of our church members who was at the time in the hospital suffering with cancer. She was a young wife and mother between 35 to 40 years of age. During my visits with her over a period of a month or so she would continually bring up the sins of her past, and every time I would give her scriptures on God's forgiveness, and how she was a new creature in Christ Jesus, the righteousness of God, and so on. Well during the course of my visits with her she died and went on to be with the Lord.

Well being young in the ministry I got a little discouraged because of her death, and not getting healed. But thank God for the Holy Ghost. He began to speak to me in my spirit and He taught me somethings about the importance of forgiveness and forgiving yourself. You see the Word of God is powerful. It is able to heal and deliver us from all the works of the devil. He began to teach me that the reason for her lack of failure to receive was not because it wasn't God's will for her to be healed. Or, even a lack of faith on my part. It was that she could not forgive herself of her past sins, and as a result of her lack of forgiveness towards herself, she was not able to mix faith in the Word of God that was ministered to her. The Word that had the power to heal her and set her free. So she died with a lack of righteousness conscience that hindered her from receiving her healing.

Hebrews 4:2 - For indeed the gospel (the good news) was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

So you see unforgiveness towards others including ourselves can not only make us sick, but it can kill us!

Why Prayers Aren't Answered

Unforgiveness is a reason why so many Christians don't get answers to their prayers and wonder why their faith is not working for them. Let's look at what Jesus say's about the connection between prayer, faith and forgiveness.

Mark 11:24-26 - “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

What are the things and the them that He's talking about here in these verses? Could it be healing for your body or someone else's body? Could it be finances, or the salvation of a loved one? It's whatever you or I are praying about and believing for.

Jesus goes on in the next verse and talks about forgiveness. Notice the connection of faith and forgiveness (also see Matthew 18:15-20; and Luke 17:3-5). Faith will not work in an unforgiving  heart ( Galatians 5:6 - . . . but faith working through love).

How Are We To Forgive?

I hear alot of Christians in the church who know that they're supposed to forgive, but they just don't know how to forgive. They tend to think that forgiveness is some kind of feeling or emotion and once they feel this special feeling then they are able to forgive.

We need to understand something here, feelings are based on what we see around us. When someone wrongs us in some way, we tend to not forgive them until we see some form of repentance or change on their part, and once we do then we choose to forgive them. But that's not the kind of forgiveness the Lord requires from us.

Colossians 3:12-14 - Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

How are we to forgive? Even as Christ has forgiven you, so you also must do. Notice that statement. This is not a suggestion or advise. This is a must. It is a command. We must do this the same way that He has forgiven us. How was that? Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Before we ever repented of our sins. Before we ever turned to Him and choose to follow Him. God the Father forgave us and made us righteous in His sight through Jesus Christ. He did this by faith! (Also see, Romans 5:1-21; I Peter 1:20, 21). You see everything that Jesus said and did was by faith (Luke 23:34; John 8:29; Hebrews 11:6). It takes faith and an act of your own will to forgive someone who has done you wrong, as well as to forgive yourself when you've done wrong.

Luke 17:3-5 - “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. “And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

Let's also look at what else Jesus says about forgiveness and where it comes from. Read Matthew 18:21-35 and notice in particular verse 35 - “. . . from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Remember that forgiveness is not based on some kind of feeling or emotion that comes from what we see in others, and or ourselves. But is based on faith, and comes from our hearts filled with the Word of God. This is also true when it comes to our own personal relationship and fellowship with God.

So begin to forgive today, the same way as Christ has already forgiven you, and you will shut the door on weakness, sickness and premature death, and open the door to answered prayers and fellowship with your Heavenly Father. CLC

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