God’s forgiveness. A gift none of us deserve, but one God so graciously gives out of His abundant heart of love.
Jesus died on the cross for us, bearing our sins and taking the punishment we all deserved…Just so we could have a chance to discover the redemptive power of His love. God offers His forgiveness to all of us when we repent, turn away from our sins, and choose to live our lives for God. Even though He has seen us at our lowest points, He removes our condemnation and declares us innocent through the power of His blood. His love is a free gift, that can’t be earned or lost.
None of us deserve this kind of forgiveness, which is why God emphasizes the importance of extending forgiveness to others. Even when it hurts, and even when it feels impossible.
Forgiveness is…a choice.
Forgiveness is the choice to release the debt of another who seriously hurt us into the hands of God. It’s choosing to no longer harbor animosity toward them.
This doesn’t mean that we will forget or reconcile with the person who wronged us, however. God does not expect us to tolerate more abuse or dismiss the person’s responsibility to do the moral thing. If this person has proven to be untrustworthy before, God wants us to protect ourselves. Forgiveness is not forgetting…but a powerful demonstration of God’s love working through us to relieve someone of their debt.
Forgiveness is more for you than them:
Many of us feel that we need to receive an apology in order to forgive, but this isn’t true. Sadly, some of us will never receive that godly, heartfelt apology we long for, and we need to take matters into our own hands. Forgiveness is more for you than the person who hurt you because unforgiveness can be like cancer to our spiritual lives. When we allow unforgiveness to stay in our hearts, we can ruminate and be consumed by anger, resentment, and bitterness. These are emotions that prevent us from bearing the good fruit we need to produce in our Christian lives.
God fights our battles:
When it seems impossible to forgive remember that God can see the situation from every angle and nothing goes unseen by Him. It’s God’s job to recompense evil, not ours. That’s why God teaches us to release people of their debts to us and allow Him to handle this person instead. God invites us to pray for our enemies because they’re already losing as long as they choose to live far from and in opposition to God. God will defend you. But it will be in His own way, in His own time, according to His perfect will and plan.
When it’s hard to forgive:
I think it’s important to keep in mind that when a person doesn’t have the gift of the Holy Spirit, that connection with God. They are not operating in the love of God, and cannot understand the evil deeds they commit. This is why Jesus said “forgive them; for they know not what they do”. These words of Jesus were an earnest prayer of concern for His abusers, a plea that they would find their way to salvation.
We must take the same attitude toward the people who have wronged us.
I found it helpful to pray a prayer of faith for this person whenever they entered my mind instead of ruminating on what they did. I would pray that they would encounter Jesus in such a profound way that it would change their hearts and bring them to recognize God’s unconditional love.
Prayer for forgiveness:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank you for your saving grace and the gift of your son, Jesus Christ. It’s because of His selfless act of sacrifice that I can boldly come to Your throne of grace and petition for myself and others. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins, and extending your love to me when I didn’t deserve it… Even during my times of ignorance, dear Lord. I am so grateful to be your son/daughter and I earnestly pray you will use me in your magnificent plan to help save as many souls as possible.
Please help me to keep a pure heart, always quick and willing to forgive the transgressions of others as you have forgiven me. Your unfailing love is the medicine we’re all searching for O God. I pray that people everywhere come to the knowledge that Jesus paid the ultimate price and that full forgiveness of our sins is available to us at any time. I rejoice that your great love and grace is sufficient to cover all.
In Christ Jesus name, Amen.
Here are 35 powerful bible verses on forgiveness.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
1. Matthew 18:21-35
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid lands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicket servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pray all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
This parable is a representation of God’s mercy on all of us as His undeserving servants, and how we’re expected to extend that mercy to others. It is beyond our capacity to repay the damage our sin has done and God doesn’t view certain sins to be worse than others, He sees sin as sin. Therefore we’re all guilty of sin and all deserving of forgiveness.
This parable shows us that forgiving others is a part of receiving our own forgiveness. We must forgive, if for no one else…for our own sake.
2. Luke 23:24
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
3. Proverbs 17:9
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
4. Romans 12:17
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
5. James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
6. Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
7. Matthew 6:14
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you
8. 1 John 2:2
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
9. Psalms 32:5
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest t the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
10. Matthew 18:21-22
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but Until seventy times seven.
11. Proverbs 28:13
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
12. Psalm 86:5
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
13. Mark 11:25
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
14. Micah 7:18
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
15. Acts 13:38-39
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
16. 2 Chronicles 30:9b
For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.
17. Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace
18. Colossians 3:13
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
19. 2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
20. Luke 6:37
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven
21. Joel 2:13
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of evil.
22. Acts 3:19
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord
23. Psalm 9:12
When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.
24. Isaiah 1:18
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
25. Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
26. Luke 17:3-4
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
27. Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
28. Psalm 32:1
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
29. Jeremiah 3:12
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.
30. Nehemiah 9:31
Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
31. Hebrews 8:12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
32. Colossians 1:13-14
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whim we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins
33. Micah 7:19
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
34. Hebrews 9:22
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
35. Matthew 6:9-13
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
In conclusion…
The forgiveness of our trespasses is an undeserved gift we’ve been given by the grace of God. Without Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we would still be bound by the chains of our sins and never experience true freedom. We can show people that we belong to Christ when we extend God’s grace to others. Walking a Christian life is all about shedding off our old selves and becoming a new creation, so like Jesus we must choose to forgive.
We get to experience the glory of God when we forgive our brothers and sisters seventy-seven times!
Thank God for His great power and steadfast love.
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