“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7; NKJV).
Forgive. To forgive is “to send away” (Thayer’s). To truly forgive is to cease to feel angry or resentful toward, to remit or let off. Some synonyms of forgive are overlook, pay no attention to, clear, let off, cancel, erase. God sends our sins away from us and from Him. He ceases to feel righteous indignation toward us when He forgives. He remits our sins and removes the punishment. With Micah we stand in awe and ask, “Who is a God like You?” (Micah 7:18-20).
Forgiveness. Forgiveness in involves “release – as from bondage, imprisonment” (Thayer’s). Some synonyms of forgiveness are mercy, compassion, grace. God releases us from the bondage of sin when He forgives. We release others from the bondage of sin when we forgive them of the sins they have committed against us. We rejoice that “there is forgiveness” with the true and living God that each of us has sinned against (Psalm 130:5).
I am to pray for forgiveness. “And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us” (Luke 11:4; NKJV).
When someone repents, I am to forgive them. “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32; NKJV).
God will not forgive me unless I forgive those who have sinned against me. “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26; NKJV).
Lessons from “The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant” (Matthew 18:21-35). The difference between the two amounts is the difference between the sins against our neighbor and the sins against Almighty GOD. No one can pay the debt due from him to his Lord. Forgiveness is God’s amazing Grace in action. Forgiveness is God’s mercy in action. Learn to give people not what they deserve, but what they need. As I forgive without limit, so His mercy is infinite and will be extended to me in measure unbounded.
We pardon to the extent that we love. Receive His love. Receive His grace. Receive His forgiveness. When and only when you receive His love, grace, and forgiveness will you be able to give it to others. “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:47; NKJV).
Jason Cicero
