“And be ye kind, one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
So many people struggle with forgiving others. I have dealt with this, myself, on numerous occasions. It is one of the most difficult things we will ever have to do. It goes completely against the grain of our deepest instinct of self-preservation. Because we often do not understand what forgiveness is about, we can be hesitant to extend forgiveness to others.
To truly understand the meaning of forgiveness, we must understand the way that God forgives us for our sins. When we can grasp that understanding, it helps us channel God’s grace to those who have wronged us.
There are three basic aspects of God’s forgiveness:
First, God removes the offense. Because God is eternal, He can see your past, present and future simultaneously. Because He is all-powerful, He has the ability to reach into your past and remove the sins that offend Him. Psalm 103:12 tells us, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.“
Second, God removes the stain of the offense. Many times our sin leaves its mark on our lives. We may still see that evidence in our lives until we get to heaven, but God no longer sees those stains. The blood that Jesus shed on the cross has covered our sins and God remembers them no more. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9
Third, God removes the cause of the offense. Those who have called upon the name of the Lord for salvation and forgiveness of their sins, have received the righteousness of Christ as their new covering before God. God no longer sees us as wicked sinners, but as His children, accepted in Christ. “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:2 The word, “propitiation,” means, “covering.” This righteous covering is given to all believers, and offered to everyone.
In the fourth episode of the GraceFlow podcast, titled, “We Have Been Forgiven (Updated)”, I share a story that beautifully illustrates these aspects of forgiveness.
This leads to the question, have you received God’s forgiveness? If you haven’t, and would like to know how you can receive this wonderful gift of grace, click on this link to find out how you can do this.
Know the blessing of God’s forgiveness!