What Does the Bible Say About Forgiveness?
The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.). If this is the case, then all of us need forgiveness. Biblical forgiveness means a release or dismissal of sin. The forgiveness that we have in Christ is priceless since it is by His death that all charges against us are now dismissed or canceled (Romans 8:1). In Christ, we have redemption and forgiveness of sin (Colossians 1:14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.). By studying what Christ did for us on the cross and how He graciously forgave all our sins, we will be able to understand and learn how to extend forgiveness to others.
Forgiveness is indeed a great word that conveys warmth and peacefulness, but forgiveness that is acted upon is far more beautiful. It is when we demonstrate “forgiveness” to others that we understand its true value. When you forgive someone, you feel free. This is because you are releasing your hatred toward that specific person. Forgiving someone means that you are dismissing all the bitterness and pain that you are feeling inside. You will definitely feel the gradual but real release of a burden as you forgive those who trespassed against you. No wonder forgiveness makes us feel happier, more confident, and more at peace.
The Benefits of Forgiveness
But what is more beneficial about forgiveness, aside from releasing the load of burdens off your back, is that it gives more space for love in your heart. The more you forgive, the bigger the chamber of love in your heart becomes. Carrying hatred, bitterness, strife, and fear is unhealthy. But perfect love drives out fear and all negative things (1 John 4:18). Forgiving someone who has wronged you is also extending love to that person. We are expressing our love to our enemies when we forgive them, and this is pleasing to our Lord since Jesus commanded us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!). The more we forgive, the more we love, and the more we love, the more we understand God. Above everything else, the Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8).
Always remember that forgiving other people is a prerequisite for our own forgiveness. Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (NIV). God is always willing and open to forgiving us of all our sins, but our Lord has also asked us to extend the same forgiveness to others first. Having a forgiving nature is of God. Forgiving people who have sinned against us should not be a daunting task if we cling to the Word of God. It is when we lay down our pride and hatred that we are able to sit beside God’s fountain of love and taste the sweetness of Jesus’ forgiveness.
Forgiving the Undeserving Ones
Even if we think that the person doesn’t deserve our forgiveness, we must extend forgiveness and become obedient children of God. Every time you are having a hard time forgiving someone that you think is undeserving, it is helpful if you remind yourself how unworthy you are of forgiveness. Yet in His grace, you were truly forgiven. Remind yourself that God saw fit to love and forgive you. Ponder on this thought and let the magnitude of such a grace steep in your heart. Calling to mind the love and forgiveness that God has extended to you should make you feel motivated to forgive. From rejoicing in the fact that God has forgiven all your sins even though you don’t deserve it, forgiving other individuals, even those you hate most, becomes trivial.
It is also important for us Christians to keep in mind that we owe other people an unlimited amount of forgiveness. In Matthew 18:21-22, Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Always remember that with God, anything is possible. Extending forgiveness to other people is the will of God, and if it is His will, will He not supply us with all strength and wisdom to make it possible? Forgiving other people over and over again is possible. God can give us the wisdom to be reasonable in life, and He helps us make smart decisions. So, don’t worry about the thought that others are taking advantage of your forgiveness. Just forgive. Pray to the Holy Spirit that He will give you the power and ability to forgive someone no matter how many times he or she has wronged you.
The Ultimate Example of Forgiveness
The ultimate example of practiced forgiveness is Jesus Christ Himself. In (John 8:7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”), Jesus said, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus was talking about the woman who was brought by the Pharisees and Jewish leaders because of adultery. Jesus then wrote something on the ground, and each one of them began to go away. What did Jesus write on the ground? We really don’t know, but some Bible scholars suggest that it might be the list of sins of those who were condemning the woman. Instead of condemning the woman, Jesus forgave her. The woman was sinful just like you and me, but our Christ did not condemn her and, in fact, forgave her. Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11) We can easily forgive other people if we fix our eyes on Jesus and make Him our ultimate example. Always pray to the Lord that He will give you a forgiving heart. Read the Bible and meditate on passages that talk about forgiveness. Also, don’t forget that forgiveness brings healing and that it can restore broken relationships. And a restored relationship always brings breathtaking joy.
