When should I forgive?
Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation - Lesson 5, Forgive as God Forgave You, Question 17, p. 76
When we are called to forgive as God forgives us, it is essential to first understand how and when God extends His forgiveness to us. Let’s explore this through various scriptures.
Consider Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This verse reveals that God's forgiveness is proactive. He doesn't wait for us to be perfect or even to seek Him before He makes a way for our redemption. His love is so immense that He chose to forgive us through Christ's sacrifice even while we were immersed in sin.
1 John 1:9 further assures us of God's forgiveness: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." This passage emphasizes the importance of confession in our relationship with God. While His forgiveness is always available, our acknowledgment of our sins and our need for His grace allows us to fully embrace His mercy.
In Matthew 26:26-28, Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper, saying, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Here, Jesus is preparing His disciples for His impending sacrifice, highlighting that His blood, shed on the cross, seals the new covenant of forgiveness for all who believe.
Acts 22:16 encourages us to embrace this forgiveness through baptism: "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." Here, we see the connection between our Baptism and God's forgiveness. Through the simple water, combined with His Word, God accomplishes this miracle of forgiveness.
1 Peter 2:24 reminds us of the cost of our forgiveness: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." This powerful verse speaks to the substitutionary atonement of Christ, underscoring that our healing and forgiveness were made possible through His suffering.
Even from the beginning of humanity's story, God’s plan for forgiveness was set in motion. Genesis 3:15 is often referred to as the first gospel, where God hints at the coming of Jesus who would ultimately crush the serpent's head, providing a way for our reconciliation with God.
Ephesians 1:4 takes us even further back: "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." This scripture reveals the timeless nature of God's forgiveness. It was part of His divine plan even before the world was formed.
These scriptures collectively show that God’s forgiveness is not constrained by time. He forgave us even before we were born, before we recognized our sins, and even before we could repent. His forgiveness is an outpouring of His boundless love and grace, calling us to embrace, reflect, and extend the same forgiveness to others.
This blog series is adapted from Conflict Resolution vs Reconciliation. You can experience this teaching in several ways:
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