What comes after Love?

Once you have established a life of love and have learned to expect others for what they are you can take the next step in growing in God, Its Forgiveness. in Mat 16:19 ERV Jesus says "I will give you the keys to God's kingdom. When you speak judgment here on earth, that judgment will be God's judgment. When you promise forgiveness here on earth, that forgiveness will be God's forgiveness."  Forgiveness plays an important part of who you are. Walking up to someone and telling them you forgive them for something that they have done to wrong you does not mean anything with out you truly forgiving them in your heart. Once you forgive someone it cannot dwell in your heart or mind. Think of it this way;



You allow a friend to barrow your car and they wreck it. You tell your friend its ok and that you forgive them. Your friend come to you later to barrow your car. Your first thought is of the time he wrecked your car. Do you let him barrow the car or say no? 


If you say no then you have not forgiven him because you are holding the fact that he wrecked your car before against him. When God gives us forgiveness for our sins we are no longer held accountable for that sin. 



Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, when someone won't stop doing wrong to me, how many times must I forgive them? Seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, you must forgive them more than seven times. You must continue to forgive them even if they do wrong to you seventy-seven times."
(Mat 18:21-22 ERV)