As kids, we were taught that saying “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you” were essential tools for resolving conflicts with friends. If we committed some minor childhood mistake, those phrases would allow us to continue playing together. Forgiveness stemmed from those three words, resolving small issues.
However, genuine forgiveness goes beyond mere words. It involves releasing ourselves from resentment and progressing in freedom—regardless of whether the person who wronged us acknowledges their actions or offers an apology.
So, think about that individual who comes to mind. Yes, the one. Perhaps you’ve come here questioning how you can truly forgive and move forward with your life.
Or, maybe the person you need to forgive is yourself.
In any case, grasping the concept of God’s forgiveness is the first step in this journey. His teachings offer transformative guidance on how to accept that gift and extend it to others.
Let’s explore what the Bible reveals about the following themes:
- The authentic essence of forgiveness
- The necessity of forgiveness
- The way to receive God’s forgiveness
- The impact of forgiveness on us
The authentic essence of forgiveness
Forgiveness involves acknowledging that we’ve been wounded but deciding to free ourselves from that pain—as well as the urge to retaliate or harbor ill will against those who have hurt us.
Rather than nursing a grievance, we choose to release bitterness. It’s akin to a present we give to ourselves and to those who have wronged us—even if they never request it or acknowledge their wrongdoing. Forgiveness exemplifies both immense strength and profound love.
This gift of forgiveness comes from the very heart of God. He sent Jesus to bring us “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14, NKJV).
What does this scripture imply?
It speaks to how Jesus entered this world and willingly laid down His life for us.
Here’s the reason He did so.
At the dawn of humanity, God created two flawless individuals (Adam and Eve) who, when given the opportunity, chose to defy Him. They turned away from God seeking knowledge (to understand both good and evil).
The result? Mortality. They became subject to death (Genesis 2:16–17).
Now, we are experiencing the outcomes of their choices in a world filled with both righteousness and wrongdoing, facing a constant stream of decisions between the two.
However, God didn’t wish for us to remain distant from Him forever. He didn’t intend for one error (even a significant one) to sever His relationship with us. Therefore, He formulated a plan for us to receive forgiveness and restore our connection with Him, should we choose to do so.
He sent His Son, Jesus, to this planet.
Through His crucifixion, Jesus took upon Himself the wrongs we’ve committed against Him—and against others. We deserve the suffering and consequences, but He opted to bear it on our behalf.
Why do we require forgiveness?
We require forgiveness because we have sinned, or strayed from God’s loving standard. This sin alienates us from Him, and the only route to reconcile with Him is to acknowledge and accept His forgiveness.
God’s standard is His law of love (Galatians 5:14, Matthew 22:37–40). When we sin or violate this law (1 John 3:4), the ultimate consequence is death (Romans 6:23) since sin distances us from God (Isaiah 59:2), who is the essence of life.
Our bond with God is fractured, and we tend to withdraw from Him due to our shame. Could He genuinely desire us back?
Consider it this way:
As a child, did you ever do something you knew was wrong? Perhaps you damaged something precious, like your mother’s collectible vase, and subsequently avoided her, fearing her anger. Maybe you couldn’t even meet her gaze.
Since you hadn’t yet felt her forgiveness, your relationship with her suffered. Even as a child, you inadvertently created a barrier.
The same occurs in our relationship with God. If we think He’s upset or let down by us, we keep our distance. Whatever wrongdoing we committed becomes a barrier between us and God.
We are unable to experience a genuine connection with Him until we recognize the extent He has gone to forgive us.
Forgiveness in the salvation process
As stated before, the consequence of sin is death, which God informed Adam and Eve of prior to their disobedience (Genesis 2:16–17; Romans 6:23). In order to forgive humanity, Jesus had to bear that consequence.
In this act, Jesus exemplified the utmost expression of love (John 15:13). Forgiveness would demand the sacrifice of His very life (Matthew 26:28). But that’s how deep God’s love is for us; He’ll stop at nothing for the opportunity to reconnect with us.
This was an integral part of the plan to rescue humanity from evil and restore their relationship with Him. He loves us immensely and will do anything for us, all while respecting our free will.
Before this ultimate sacrifice, God provided the people with a model. He established an example of this process through the animal sacrifices performed by the Israelites in the Old Testament.
When an individual committed a sin, they were required to bring an animal, typically a lamb or goat, to the sanctuary located within the Israelite camp. That individual would place a hand on the innocent animal to represent the transfer of sin (or to Jesus), confess their transgressions, and slay the creature. (Refer to Leviticus 4:27–35.)
Indeed, it was a horrific ritual.
Death is always tragic. However, it illustrates the lesson we sought to understand back in the Garden of Eden—evil. Our decision to comprehend both good and evil means we now witness it all. Yet, God remains willing to rescue us from it.
Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
Hebrews 9:22, ESV
For a certain time, animal sacrifices fulfilled that role since they symbolized and foreshadowed Jesus' death—which would atone for eternal death and offer forgiveness and everlasting life (Romans 6:23).
We might liken these sacrifices to a postdated check.
If you wrote a check for a purchase but didn’t have sufficient funds in your account, the seller may allow you to put a future date on it. That check serves as a promise of payment, even though it won’t be processed until a later time.
In a similar way, animal sacrifices in the Old Testament functioned as God’s postdated checks for the consequence of sin.
Whenever individuals brought animal sacrifices to the sanctuary, they arrived weighed down by the guilt of their sins. However, upon completing the sacrifice, they could depart with a clean conscience and feel the transformative guidance of God.
How God grants us forgiveness
God forgives us by opting to pay the penalty we deserve—death—and taking upon Himself the agony caused by sin. He does not hold that suffering against us.
As Jesus anticipated His imminent crucifixion, He experienced deep anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. The weight of that pain pressed upon Him so intensely that He sweat drops of blood and felt like He would be overwhelmed by it (Luke 22:44; Matthew 26:38).
When He accepted our sins onto Himself (1 Peter 2:24), He cried out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). He was experiencing the sorrow of separation that sin brings between humanity and God.
Yet even in that moment, He whispered words that reach out and uplift us today:
Father, forgive them.
Luke 23:34
That forgiveness is accessible to each one of us—regardless of our identity or actions.
How can we accept God's forgiveness?
God generously extends forgiveness to each of us, but we need to accept that gift. Here are some steps we can follow:
- Recognize God’s love.
- Confess that we've fallen short.
- Collaborate with God on a plan for growth.
- Let’s go through that process.
1. Recognize God’s love
This initial step involves grasping the cost of forgiveness that God paid out of His love for us. He endured the ultimate suffering we deserved so that we could avoid it ourselves!
As the Holy Spirit convicts us of His goodness, it softens our hearts and ignites our desire to draw closer to Him.
Jesus shared a story about an ungrateful son who demanded his inheritance while his father was still alive—only to squander it on a life of excess (Luke 15). He desired his father's wealth, but not his father's presence. He failed to comprehend his father's love.
That son also had an elder brother. He remained at home. He did not demand his inheritance. He had followed all the right paths.
But did he understand his father any differently? Pay attention to his words:
Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends
Luke 15:29, CSB
You see, he also sought his father's wealth, as well as recognition for “doing what’s right,” but not necessarily his father himself. (Otherwise, none of those things would have mattered.)
Ultimately, his brother received his father’s grace upon returning, humbled and repentant.
But he did not. Why? Because he was unaware of his father’s love. He continued to focus on himself—not on his father and not on his brother.
That’s why it’s crucial to seek and recognize God’s love. His love helps us to acknowledge and confess our sins so we can accept His forgiveness, as well as His assistance in turning away from them.
2. Confess that we’ve fallen short
Once we have perceived God's love, we are prepared to confess our sins and understand the reasons behind them. The term sin in Greek literally translates to “to miss the mark.” We need to acknowledge that we have fallen short of God’s measurement of love (Romans 3:23). This stage of the process is often referred to as repentance and confession.
Repentance signifies that we no longer like our sins and genuinely wish to eliminate the desire to commit them. We aspire to make a positive change.
In fact, part of the dictionary definition of repentance is “to change one’s mind.” ((https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repent ))
As we seek God’s assistance in understanding why we find ourselves ensnared in sin, the Holy Spirit grants us the gift of repentance (Acts 5:31).
By acknowledging and confessing our wrongs, we are choosing to be open about our mistakes instead of concealing them. This allows us to seek God’s forgiveness.
King David expressed it in this manner:
I confessed my sin to You, and I did not conceal my wrongdoing. I said, ‘I will reveal my transgressions to the LORD,’ and You forgave the guilt of my sin.
I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin
Psalm 32:5, ESV
3. Collaborate with God on a plan for growth
When we falter and turn to God for forgiveness, He desires for us to transform and not remain stuck in the same pattern of sin. As we partner with Him, He changes our lives through the Holy Spirit.
Philippians 2:12–13 clarifies the interplay between our responsibilities and God’s role:
Work out your own salvation with reverence and awe, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to act for His good pleasure.
As we navigate the path of forgiveness, we present ourselves to God so He can operate within us. He aids us in perceiving things with clarity, which ignites within us a desire to do what is right.
However, it is essential to remember that growth takes time. Therefore, do not lose heart if you find yourself returning to a sin for which you have been forgiven. God never grows weary of extending His forgiveness to us (Matthew 18:21–22).
We can have confidence that His forgiveness will always be available when we need it, and as long as we remain willing, the Holy Spirit will finish the work He began in us (Philippians 1:6). Victory is achievable!
Does God forget our sins when He forgives us?
Forgiveness does not imply that God forgets our actions, minimizes them, or grants us permission to repeat them. Forgiveness does not make what is wrong correct (Isaiah 5:20).
You might be curious about the verse in Micah 7:19, which states that God casts “all our sins into the depths of the sea” (ESV).
This does not indicate that He forgets our sins. After all, God knows everything about us (Psalm 139).
But the crucial point is this:
When we are forgiven, God chooses to focus on us rather than our sins. He does not hold our sins against us.
He sees us as new creations—as if we had never committed those sins (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Does forgiveness remove consequences?
Forgiveness does not absolve us from the repercussions of our actions. However, these consequences become part of our journey of growth.
This aspect is also significant in our interactions with one another.
You may have encountered abuse from someone close to you. It may have involved emotional manipulation from a family member, boundary violations by a coworker, physical abuse from a partner, or other distressing experiences.
Forgiving someone who has abused you is never a simple task.
However, we can find solace in knowing that forgiving that person doesn’t mean erasing the offense or acting as if it never took place.
Not at all! The abuse you experienced is genuine. Your pain is valid. The abuser will face the repercussions of their actions.
In such cases, it might even be unsafe for you to reconcile with them, and that’s completely acceptable. True forgiveness is an internal journey, and you are not alone in this; God is there to support you. This type of forgiveness serves your own wellbeing. It liberates you from resentment and aids you in navigating your healing process.
Why is it essential for us to request forgiveness?
Even though God grants us forgiveness even before we ask for it (Luke 22:34), it doesn't imply that we automatically receive it. When someone presents us with a gift, it is our responsibility to reach out and accept it. In the same way, we need to embrace the forgiveness God extends to us (2 Chronicles 7:14).
When we recognize God’s love, acknowledge that we have fallen short, and collaborate with Him on a path for growth, He assists us in healing from the root causes that lead us to sin. If we neglect to ask for forgiveness, we miss out on this transformative experience.
In what ways does forgiveness transform us?
Forgiveness transforms us by enabling us to release our burdens (in particular, guilt and shame), deepening our understanding of God’s love, and allowing us to overcome sin.
It enables us to relieve ourselves of burdens.
Through the act of forgiving, we can release the burdens that impact our daily lives and relationships. These burdens may consist of shame, guilt, resentment, and feelings of vengeance.
Guilt is intended to be a fleeting emotion. It serves as a signal that we’ve done wrong and need forgiveness. It inspires us to seek assistance for our challenges. When we accept God’s forgiveness and strength in our lives, we are freed from guilt.
Shame, however, is a bit more complicated.
Shame is a deception from the devil that insists we are inherently bad. Even when we have sought God’s forgiveness, the devil coerces us into believing that forgiveness is unattainable.
As this falsehood resurfaces, we can claim God’s forgiveness to liberate ourselves from it. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
Ultimately, forgiveness frees us from vindictive feelings and encourages us to evolve and move forward.
Once we have received God’s forgiveness, we are more equipped to extend forgiveness to others. This process enables us to release bitterness and grudges against those who have wronged us (Psalm 37:7–8).
It aids us in grasping God’s love.
Forgiveness eliminates barriers in our connections with God and others.
When we fail, we often feel compelled to distance ourselves from God—similar to how Adam and Eve hid from Him after their disobedience (Genesis 3:8–10). However, by accepting His forgiveness, we become open to His love. Our relationship with Him is restored.
How does this process unfold?
Confessing our wrongdoings and seeking forgiveness necessitates vulnerability. It involves laying bare our souls before Him and allowing Him to carry our shame and guilt.
The wonderful truth is that He never exploits our openness. Rather, He embraces us, enabling us to experience healing and a stronger connection with Him.
Furthermore, when we forgive others, it paves the way for potential reconciliation with them as well (if it is safe and suitable).
It aids us in overcoming sin.
Experiencing God’s forgiveness empowers us to triumph over the sin in our lives.
The Scriptures are filled with examples of this transformative power.
When the religious authorities in the Bible dragged a woman caught in adultery before Jesus, they sought to condemn her, but Jesus chose a vastly different response.
He extended forgiveness to her.
This woman, who anticipated punishment, was instead met with God’s grace and compassion.
He told her, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11, ESV).
Instead of granting her permission to continue in her wrongdoing, Jesus aimed to restore her dignity and value, breaking the cycle of shame that often leads back to the same sins.
This allowed her to embrace a new life.
Accept and offer God’s forgiveness.
When Jesus proclaimed “It is finished” on the cross (John 19:30), He completed the act of total forgiveness for us. He bore the pain that was rightfully ours and absorbed it Himself, allowing us to find freedom from our burdens, a deeper understanding of God’s love, and the chance for eternal reconciliation with Him.
If you’ve ever thought that forgiveness is beyond your reach, please understand that this gift is offered to you without cost. He provides it due to a love for you that exceeds your imagination.
God desires to eliminate the barriers that keep us apart so that He can bring us back to Himself. All He requires is for you to recognize your need for forgiveness and engage in the journey with Him. You will discover that it transforms your heart and aligns you with God’s purpose for you.
As you heal and develop, He guides you in extending this same beautiful forgiveness to others.
Related Post: Forgiveness
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