God is gracious, meaning that he gives us blessings we don’t deserve. He is also merciful, meaning that he doesn’t give us the punishment we rightfully deserve. It is because of these astonishing attributes that God chose to forgive us. But this forgiveness, while freely offered, is not cheap. God had to pay an unspeakably high price to secure it—the death of his only Son, Jesus. Only Jesus could do what we couldn’t possibly do for ourselves. He took God’s righteous wrath against our sin on himself as he hung on the cross. There, our sin was imputed, or credited, to him, so that his righteousness could be justly imputed, or credited, to us who believe.

Since God has done an amazing work to purchase our forgiveness, we are expected—indeed commanded—to forgive others. In fact, the Scriptures say that if we don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive us. It doesn’t matter how terribly we’ve been wronged or harmed; we must forgive. If we don’t, we doom ourselves to exist in a miserable state of bondage that eats at us like acid. As the saying goes, being unforgiving is like taking a poison pill and expecting someone else to die. Our refusal to forgive the offense of another doesn’t hurt anyone but ourselves. We may have to forgive over and over again for years, even if it’s for the same singular offense that happened in the distant past.

The only way we can sincerely and completely forgive is through the powerful assistance of the Holy Spirit as we choose to surrender the matter to God. When we forgive as God forgave us, we can escape the damning pains of past hurts and be free to enjoy all that God has for us in the present and future.

“[It is] cheaper to pardon than to resent. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, and the waste of spirit.” — HANNAH MORE

GOD’S WORD

DANIEL 9:9 “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.”

ISAIAH 43:25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

PSALM 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

COLOSSIANS 2:13–14 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

MATTHEW 6:14–15 “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

EPHESIANS 4:32 (NLT) Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

COLOSSIANS 3:13 (NLT) Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

JOB APPLICATION

1. How does unforgiveness hurt us more than the offender?

2. What are the most important reasons why we should forgive others?

3. Who do you need to forgive? Whose forgiveness do you need to ask? Where can you get the power to do this?