02/21/2025
E-4: Equipping the Saints 2/16/2024
Lesson 3: Gaining A Clear Conscience
9. Why can't I just apologize to the offended people and get it over with? Why the long process to prepare?
ANSWER: Because true repentance is not just "going through the motions" with those
we've wronged. The real goal is to actually be clean in the eyes of God. In so doing, we also seek to bring salvation to the heart of the offended one. How does a godly confession of wrongs lead to salvation?
When a person has become resentful and offended by something we have done, this person is brought low by the spiritual cancer of bitterness. But, when we offer an
apology with Spirit-filled attitudes and genuine repentance; our attempt at restoring of relationship brings the prompting of the Holy Spirit to the one we are asking forgiveness from.
This gives the opportunity for forgiveness to replace bitterness in the offended person's heart. And as they are enabled to forgive, God can forgive them also (Read Matthew 18:35). This brings salvation.
Thus, a genuine turning around from our sin brings the opportunity for salvation to those we've offended.
—Equipping The Saints, Julieto D. Magbanua
