I want to talk about forgiveness this week.  Everyone wants forgiveness from God for any mistake or wrong they’ve done. We even want forgiveness from others.  The Bible says it is through Jesus that we are offered forgiveness. Forgiveness has two sides; our need to be forgiven and our responsibility to forgive others.

Colossians 1:14 and Ephesians 1:7 both tell us that it is through the Blood of Jesus that our sins are forgiven. Forgiveness is by the grace of God offered through the sacrifice of Jesus’ death on the Cross for our sins. Since forgiveness is a gift from God; it is not a prize we can win or earn. We must receive it by faith.

Forgiving others is a decision not a feeling; it is an act of obedience to God’s instruction and is done by faith. Whether we are seeking forgiveness from God or offering forgiveness to another, it’s done by faith.

Forgiveness is a continuous act, a manifestation of God’s love toward us, and is something we should continually offer to others. Forgiveness is the key that releases us from resentment, bitterness, envy, jealousy, and strife, to mention a few. So, living our life in submission to God to forgive others, and receiving forgiveness for ourselves, helps to keep us healthy.

Our ability to forgive those who have hurt us is possible through and by our faith. The only way our hurt feelings can be healed is by keeping the wound washed with the Word. This “washing” is done by faith, by believing in the promises of God. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:12, part of what we call The Lord’s Prayer,  that as we forgive others, we are forgiven. First John 2:12 says our sins are forgiven for His name’s sake. It is why God sent Jesus – to make a way for us to receive His forgiveness.

Ephesians 4:32 instructs us to be kind to one another; tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us. We can see from this scripture that forgiveness is an act of kindness. You want to be kind to people – forgive them of their faults.

We receive forgiveness from God by faith, and we offer forgiveness to others by faith. Forgiveness is the key reason Jesus came to save us. Forgiveness sets us free from our past, and sets of free for our future. When forgiveness is our lifestyle, our heart is free and in peace with God and with others.