Inspiration & Worship

Forgiveness goes hand in hand with grace, and is a concept that sets Christianity apart from many world religions – but it’s not easy to internalize.

Above all, there’s God’s unconditional forgiveness toward his children, thanks to His plan for salvation and the obedience of Jesus Christ. That’s difficult to fathom. How can we forgive ourselves for the things we do, much less accept that God has wiped our slates clean?

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9.

Perhaps the best way to comprehend this is to think of how willing we are to forgive our own children. They do foolish things often, and while we don’t approve, we love them so much that we easily forgive and encourage them. The adhesive that makes this work is love; God is a loving God and wants us to be a loving people.

But how can we find the strength to forgive people we don’t love – people we may not even like very much?

There’s no getting away from Jesus’ two greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40.

Sometimes we trick ourselves into believing we’re only required to forgive “righteous” people like ourselves. But who knows a man’s heart, except God? To judge others as unworthy of forgiveness is, in itself, sinful.

Jesus says: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” – Luke 6:37.

In the end, it’s our love for God that gives us strength to genuinely forgive. Sometimes it takes much time and prayer. Jesus never said that imitating him would be easy.

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” – Ephesians 4:32 ❚ -Janine Pumilia