HOW GOD FORGIVES AND HELPS US FORGIVE

HOW GOD FORGIVES AND HELPS US FORGIVE

Jesus said our Father will “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors…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” (Matthew 6:12-15). Nevertheless, some people may feel it’s too hard to forgive some wrongs against them. Jesus said, “What is impossible for people is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). We “can do all things through Christ who strengthens” us (Philippians 4:13).

PARABLE OF FORGIVENESS

Jesus told a parable of a man who was forgiven but would not forgive. This man owed his master many thousand pieces of gold. When his master came to collect, the servant was unable to pay. The master ordered him and his family and all he had be sold to pay what he owed.

“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

However, when that servant found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins, he demanded to be paid.

The fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

“But, Instead, he had the man thrown into jail until he could pay. When the other servants saw what had happened, they told their master..

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. (Luke 18:23-35).

HOW GOD FORGIVES US

The Bible tells us: God gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die as an atonement for our sins while we were still sinners and enemies of God (Romans 5:8).

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
And the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you (Colossians 3:12-13).

HOW GOD HELPS US FORGIVE

God’s love and forgiveness inspires his disciples to love him with all their hearts; and to love and forgive others, as he has loved us (Matthew 22:37-39; John 13:34).

Jesus said he would send those who are his disciples the Holy Spirit from the Father, who would help and empower them to do the will of God (John 14:15-17; Acts 1:8).

Whoever repents and believes in Jesus Christ is born again of the Holy Spirit (John3:5-7, 16).
You are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ (Romans 8:9).
Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Our God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).
Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7).

God forgives whoever repents in believes in his Son Jesus Christ who died to atone for their sins (John 3:16; Acts 2:38) . And he strengthens us who are repentant believers with the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to be able to forgive and do God’s will (Philippians 4:13; John 14:15-17).