The grace of God is God’s gift of salvation. His grace is expressed through His forgiveness. God forgives sins when we repent and confess (1 John 1:9). He is gracious, faithful and true to forgives us based on what Christ has done for us: dying for the sins of all human beings (1 John 2:2). And ‘by grace through faith’ in Christ we can be saved (Ephesians 2:6, 8). Salvation is a gift—for you and me! The Gospel of grace and salvation in Christ is God’s Love Letter to humanity.
God’s gracious salvation in Christ—His greatest gift to humanity—comes to us in that God forgives our sins. He removes the debt we owe due to sin. Christ died to carry sin’s punishment so that we can receive forgiveness and with it gain a release from the punishment on sin. Jesus paid the price for our forgiveness. Forgiveness is powerful and important. Here’s why.
Justice and Forgiveness
When someone breaks the law, measures are in place to deal with it. Justice requires restraint of and punishment for a crime. In the same way, sin makes us liable to punishment as it is breaking God’s law. This is not a negative thing, but rather an expression of justice. Imagine the chaos if crime is no longer restrained and punished! Law establishes the boundaries of justice in a country. These differ, of course, but the respective laws represent justice. And part of justice is punishment for crime. It’s the same with God’s law.
Through Christ, God established justice—the price was paid—and He established the way for forgiveness—release from punishment. Christ’s atonement upholds justice and provides forgiveness. It’s the solution to the aspects of God’s holiness and love, justice and grace. His holiness and justice require punishment, His love and grace call for forgiveness. God established both in Christ on the cross. God can forgive without violating His justice.
Love and Condemnation
Not only did ‘God so love the world’ and demonstrated it through the death of Christ for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:6–8), God did not send Christ into the world to condemn it, but to save it (John 3:17)! Yeshua (Jesus) is the Saviour who saves people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Forgiveness brings salvation. His love triumphs over condemnation; His mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13). Although sin requires punishment and condemnation, God’s love for human beings provided a solution for this situation: forgiveness through Christ’s death. But why did it require a violent death on the cross and the shedding of Christ’s blood for God to provide forgiveness? Can’t He just forgive?
Christ’s Atonement, God’s Forgiveness
The biblical message of forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ might appear to some as… well, let’s say, bloody! And it is. But why? Because without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:22) and that is because life is in the blood (Leviticus 17). All life is in the blood and without blood there is no life. Sin is a dead serious matter and could only be atoned for by life-giving blood. Sin brings death (Romans 6:23), but Christ brings life—eternal life—through His sacrifice on the cross where He shed His blood for the remission of sin. Therefore, only the shedding of blood could atone for sin.
Under the Old Covenant, innocent animals were used as sacrifices for sin and atonement. It was a substitute death. Therefore, Christ is figurately called ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29). The animal sacrifices were used in the Temple on the altar to pay the price for forgiveness. In the New Covenant Christ took the place of the animal: a sacrifice for the atonement. Christ is also called the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). That sacrifice was specifically used to mark the homes of God’s people in Egypt in order to protect them from the judgment of God shortly before He saved His people from slavery. Christ saves us from the slavery of sin and the wrath of God on sin (1 Thessalonians 1:10). This redemption bought our freedom and brought us salvation!
Forgiveness and Love
God’s forgiveness is the highest expression of His love. Jesus died for our sin and redeems us by His blood. Forgiveness is God’s way to remove what stands between humans and God. It paves the way for reconciliation. Christ died for the ungodly and unworthy and makes us godly and worthy. God loves us and doesn’t want us stuck in the slavery of sin. He wants us in the freedom of righteousness. God doesn’t want humans to be slaves to sin and destroy their lives. He wants us to enjoy life and experience it in fulness by living in His will.
Forgiveness is not only the expression of God’s love for us, but equally important our expression of God’s love for others. Those who have been forgiven are free to forgive others. This is the idea behind the line from the Lord’s Prayer: ‘And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors’ (Matthew 6:12). Jesus repeated this emphasis after the prayer (vv 14–15) and gave a powerful illustration of this truth in a parable (Matthew 18:23–35). This parable was given in response to Peter’s question about how many times one has to forgive (v 21). Seven times ain’t anywhere near what Jesus had in mind—it was ‘seventy times seven’ (v 22). In other words, to not even limit forgiveness to 490 times, but to have forgiveness as a heart attitude and natural lifestyle of forgiven sinners made righteous in Christ. Not to forgive is simply not an option!
Martin Luther King Jr. certainly understood the idea of Christ:
‘Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude.’
The so-called unforgiving servant of the parable (Matthew 18:23–35) failed to forgive a small debt after being forgiven a huge debt by the king. It was outrageous to the king and he reversed his gracious verdict. This is no joke, as Jesus compared the king in the parable to the King of the Universe—God the Creator is the universal Judge of humanity. He is gracious and forgiving, but He certainly expects us to be gracious and to forgive others. A failure to do likewise simply exposes a false heart. How could he not forgive a small debt after being forgiven a huge debt? It is only natural to forgive others in the same way we have been forgiven. The sinful woman who cried at Jesus’ feet in repentance loved much because God’s forgiveness towards her was great; Jesus used this act of genuine repentance as an illustration for the parable of two people who had been forgiven their debts. The one whose debt was grater loved more (Luke 7:36–50). It was only natural.
It is natural to forgive when we were forgiven and to love in gratitude when treated in a gracious manner. The Golden Rule, the summary of all of God’s commandments, is simply this: treat others the way you wish to be treated (Matthew 7:12). Paul experienced God’s forgiveness (1 Timothy 1:12–17) and wrote how we are to forgive one another as God in Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32). We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19) and in the same way we forgive as we were forgiven (Colossians 3:13). This is the expression of humility and kindness (v 12) and love (v 14), the greatest of all virtues and commandments. The only way to have peace rule in our hearts is to forgive (v 15), to live according to God’s word (v 16) and His will and for His glory (v 17). Forgiveness is an expression of love and leads to freedom.
Forgiveness and Freedom
Forgiveness brings freedom. After 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela knew he had to leave his bitterness behind in the prison cell or else he’d remain a prisoner for the rest of his life. Forgiveness sets the soul free. It’s powerful—to be forgiven and to forgive. King David praised God over His gracious forgiveness and spoke of the blessing of God that comes when God forgives our transgressions.
‘How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!’ (Psalm 32:1–2)
The apostle Paul quoted these special words when explain the Gospel of forgiveness (Romans 4:6–8). Forgiveness is fundamental to human existence. Resentment leads only to evil deeds. Buddha wisely observed that holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else, yet you are, in fact, the one getting burned. He was right; unforgiveness, anger and bitterness damages, above all else, ourselves. But forgiveness sets us free! Anger and resentment also cause more havoc in already damaged relationships. Forgiveness is the only way towards peace. Remember, it takes two to have peace; it only requires one to make war.
The one who hides his or her sin won’t prosper, but the person who is honest and confesses sins and forsakes the wrongs ways in life will find mercy (Proverbs 28:13). God is forgiving; He gives grace to the humble. The forgiveness we receive is then the forgiveness we can extend to others. Not to forgive would keep us a prisoner.
The gracious king in the parable of the unforgiving servant even revoked his forgiveness when he found out that the forgiven servant was, in fact, an unforgiving servant. He remained a prisoner for life… We must forgive—it’s not optional (Matthew 6:14–15). Some people even justify why they shouldn’t forgive and feel entitled to hold a grudge. Drop that hot coal before you hand gets burned. Feeling entitled to resentment or making excuses for bitterness is not right, nor good or beneficial. Only forgiveness paves the way towards peace.
Forgiveness is for our benefit, too—it sets us free and gives us peace! But it also gives release, freedom and peace to others. We won’t hold things against others. Love doesn’t keep a record of wrong (1 Corinthians 13:5). Love forgives. Jesus even prayed for those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34)—what’s your excuse? Follow the example of Jesus. Be gracious. Forgive.
A powerful example of forgiveness is Corrie ten Boom. She hid Jews from the Nazis in occupied Holland during the persecutions of Jews and the Holocaust of World War II. She was eventually arrested and sent to a concentration camp with her beloved sister. Sadly, her sister died there, but had given her an example of love and forgiveness in the face of the cruelty and horrors they had suffered. After the war, Corrie would speak of God’s forgiveness in Germany—of all places! She shared her account of meeting a Nazi prison guard in a church she spoke at, a man who asked for her personally for forgiveness... that’s when it really hit home and really mattered. It’s easy to forgive ‘small things,’ but your prison guard of the concentration camp where your beloved sister died and where you were mistreated and humiliated? That’s a different matter… ‘I forgive you, brother!’ Corrie cried out, ‘with all my heart!’ And, beyond that, she had experienced God’s love intensely by forgiving him!
Here's what she said about the power of forgiveness:
‘Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.’
Being forgiven is a blessing; forgiving others brings blessing to everyone. Receive forgiveness and forgive—and walk in freedom and peace!
Forgive others as God has forgiven you.
Very well written - thank you!
Amazing blogpost!