The word forgiveness is mentioned seven times in the entire Bible. The first time it is mentioned is in Psalm 130, verse four. (Read the chapter)
Look at verses one and two. In the depths of despair, the psalmist cried out to God, "Hear me! Help me!" Despair makes us feel isolated and distant from God, but this is precisely when we need God most. Despair over sin should not lead to self-pity, causing us to think more about ourselves than God. Instead, it should lead to confession, and then, to God's mercy, forgiveness, and redemption. When we feel overwhelmed by a problem, feeling sorry for ourselves will only increase hopeless feelings; but crying out to God turns our attention to the only one who can really help.
Now look at verses three and four. Holding a grudge is like building a wall between you and another person, and it is nearly impossible to talk openly while holding a grudge. God never holds a grudge; when He forgives, He forgives completely, tearing down any wall between us and Him. Therefore, we can talk to Him about anything. When you pray, realize that God is holding nothing against you. The lines of communication are completely open.
Jesus not only taught frequently about forgiveness, He also demonstrated His own willingness to forgive. Here are several examples that should be an encouragement to recognize His willingness to forgive us also.
In Matthew 18:21-34, Jesus tells the disciples the parable of the unforgiving debtor. (Read the passage) The rabbis taught that Jews should forgive those who offend them three times. Peter, in trying to be especially generous, asked Jesus if seven (the "perfect" number) was enough times to forgive someone. But Jesus answered, "Seventy times seven," meaning that we shouldn't even keep track of how many times we forgive someone. We should always forgive those who are truly repentant, no matter how many times they ask.
In Bible times, serious consequences awaited those who could not repay their debts. A person lending money could seize the borrower who couldn't pay him back and force him or his family to work until the debt was paid. The debtor could also be thrown into prison, or his family could be sold into slavery to help pay off the debt. It was hoped the debtor, while in prison, would sell off his land-holdings or that relatives would pay the debt. If not, the debtor could remain in prison for life.
| Jesus Forgave | Reference |
| the paralyzed man lowered on a stretcher through the roof | Matthew 9:2-8 |
| the woman caught in adultery | John 8:3-11 |
| the woman who anointed His feet with oil | Luke 7:47-50 |
| Peter, for denying he knew Jesus | John 18 and 21 |
| the thief on the cross | Luke 23:39-43 |
| the people who crucified Him | Luke 23:34 |
Because God has forgiven all our sins, we should not withhold forgiveness from others. Realizing how completely Christ has forgiven us should produce a free and generous attitude of forgiveness toward others. When we don't forgive others, we are setting ourselves outside and above Christ's law of love.
If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14 (NRSV)
AFTER trimming my rosebush this spring, I came away with a thorn buried deep in my index finger. It was tiny and almost invisible; but each time I grasped something in my left hand, I was painfully reminded of its presence. Removing it took time. The procedure was painful, but what a relief it was for the finger to heal! Soon I forgot about the thorn and looked forward to the first fragrant rose.
Holding a grudge can be like having a thorn in our heart. After a while, we may think it does not matter; but like an invisible barb, the grudge will cause us intermittent pain. We wouldn't think of leaving a thorn in our finger, but we may harbor bitterness and anger associated with a past hurt for years.
To forgive can be a great relief, but it takes conscious effort on our part. Praying for those who have hurt us and asking God to change our heart can free us from the pain of negative feelings and memories. Forgiveness brings peace and allows us to enjoy the blessings of everyday life.
Forgiveness brings peace to our hearts.
The Lord promises to do these things with our sins:
Forgive them all (I John 1:9)
Cast them into the sea (Micah 7:9)
Take them away (Isaiah 6:7)
Cover them up (Psalm 32:1)
Blot them out (Acts 3:19)
Put them away (Hebrews 9:26)
Remember them no more (Hebrews 8:12)
The last reference to forgiveness is in 1 John 1:9. (Read the verse) Confession is supposed to free us to enjoy fellowship with Christ. It should ease our consciences and lighten our cares. But some Christians do not understand how it works. They feel so guilty that they confess the same sins over and over, and then wonder if they might have forgotten something. Other Christians believe God forgives them when they confess, but if they died with unconfessed sins, they would be forever lost. These Christians do not understand that God wants to forgive us. When we come to Christ, He forgives all the sins we have committed or will ever commit. We don't need to confess the same exact sins all over again, and we don't need to fear that He will cast us out if we don't keep our slate perfectly clean at all moments. Of course we want to continue to confess our sins, but not because we think failure to do so will make us lose our salvation. Our hope in Christ is secure. Instead, we confess our sins so we can enjoy maximum fellowship and joy with Him.
True confession also involves a commitment not to continue in sin. We are not genuinely confessing our sins before God if we plan to commit the sin again and just want temporary forgiveness. We must pray for strength to defeat the temptation the next time it appears.
We can always be forgiven, but we cannot always escape the consequences.
To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because the inexcusable has been forgiven in us.
Forgiveness is an act of love. And to love deeply is to forgive someone no matter what. This is what we're called to do. 1) Forgive, 2) Reconcile, and 3) Love. They are all choices and actions.
Although we are continually sinning, God is continually forgiving us.
Take the initiative to love and forgive others.
After forgiveness, relationships are often much stronger.
Now I want you all to take out a piece of paper. Once you've gotten a piece of paper, I want you to sit every other person in your chairs. On this sheet of paper, I want you to write any sins you can think of that you need to confess to God. This will be absolutely confidential and I will not collect them. There should be no talking. I also want you to write down anyone you need to forgive. If someone has wronged you and you haven't forgiven them, now is a perfect opportunity for you to forgive them.
Try and remember anything you've ever done wrong since you were first saved. Confess sins that you committed today, yesterday, and last week. When you finish this, you should feel cleansed by God. The sins will have been washed away and you will be white as snow. Try and fill at least one side of your paper and take all the time that you need.
When you are finished writing, we will throw the papers away and burn them. When they no longer exist, it will symbolize how our sin no longer exists in God's eyes.
