3 Bible Lessons About Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a virtue that is referenced throughout the Bible, and particularly in the gospel of Jesus. Forgiving a person means letting go of the anger and resentment he has caused and deciding to love him as if he never wronged you. Although this is a virtue we should all embrace, people often find it hard to forgive due to the overwhelming anger that results after they are hurt. However, the Bible is clear that forgiving others should be inherent to our being. Jesus set an excellent example for us when he forgave his tormentors (Mark 9:23). The following are three lessons that the Bible teaches about forgiveness:

Forgiveness is the key to unlocking God’s Miracle

The Bible teaches us that we cannot receive the blessings of God before we forgive others and ourselves as well. Mathew 6:14-15 says that God cannot forgive you before you forgive others, which is a clear indication that we cannot receive the favour of God until we forgive our transgressors. Holding a grudge against anyone, be it your neighbour, husband, or wife, is enough to withhold the blessings of God from you. It is also common to find people who blame God for their shortcomings or the challenges that they are experiencing in life. The Bible states that even God deserves forgiveness, not because He falls short, but because being resentful towards Him can also be a reason why your blessings are delayed.

The difficulty in forgiving others 

The Bible acknowledges that forgiving those who have wronged us is a difficult thing to do. Thankfully, it provides a solution and more importantly, it reminds us that we do not forgive others because we are weak, but because we deserve to live a life without the burden of resentment and anger. Philippians 4:12-13 says that we can turn to Jesus when we do not have the power to forgive others. We are also reminded that Jesus himself went through the worst form of brutality, but He was still able to forgive those who subjected Him to it. 

Jesus died on the cross for our past, present and future sins

Hebrew 9:26 gives us hope that we do not have to worry about our sins because Jesus sacrificed himself to do away with sin for our sake. However, this does not mean that we should sin deliberately or be careless in our relationship with God. 1 Peter 1:16 is clear that we should strive to remain holy just like our Father in heaven. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can avoid sin, and in the event that we sin, we can always ask for forgiveness from Him.