Faith and Forgiveness: Part VI – Conclusion

Being forgiven and being forgiving are central to our relationship with God and with others. Forgiveness from God is a possession granted by Him to those who believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ and restores our relationship with Him. When God grants us forgiveness He separates us from our sin and will no longer remember it. All believers are to be forgiving toward others in accordance with the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ. In so doing we demonstrate our relationship to God, maintain that relationship and insure a path for continued reconciliation.

To forgive someone we must sacrifice our pride and our lust for vengeance and may even be required to make a material sacrifice. We forgive when we decide to continually set aside any debt or punishment we believe is due as a result of the offense.

We are not forgiving simply because we no longer feel bad toward, or think evil against an offender. Our feelings concerning the offensive may take time and consideration to resolve but they are our responsibility and should not be left for someone else to deal with. If someone decides to forgive us we should not presume that their trust in us is restored. We should be willing to discuss our offense with them and help them where we can to resolve their hurt. All offenses are costly and we should strive to avoid them as much as possible.

All forgiveness, the power to forgive and the very act of forgiving can only be gained and accomplished through Jesus Christ.