“… and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Matthew 6:12.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Matthew 7:7-8.

Choosing to forgive someone says more about what we believe God will do for us than what others have done to us. It is almost impossible to forgive someone if you are not convinced ultimately that justice will be done.  Otherwise, it is hard not to think that forgiving someone is allowing him or her to “get away with a wrongdoing.”

The basis for forgiving others is grounded in God’s forgiveness to us. We did not come up with the idea of forgiving others, this was the kindness of God towards a broken humanity that rebelled against Him. Forgiveness was one of the essential components for a holy God to restore fellowship with sinful humanity.

The motivation for a Christian to forgive another, is anchored in the conviction that God will bring about true justice in His perfect and righteous way. Either He forgives a person for their sin because he or she placed their full confidence in the substitutionary work of Christ on their behalf, or they will face God Himself in the final judgment.

Forgiving also means the child of God is willing to live with the consequences of another’s actions because they are convinced their heavenly Father will provide for them. Jesus does not talk about restitution or reparations; He only promises to provide for need. If His child asks for bread, He will not give them a stone. Restitution was a requirement of the Law for non-premediated wrongdoing, presumptuous sin was severely punished. In many cases there is no restitution, only loss. Forgiveness depends on God to provide for need to move forward.

In His grace,

Pastor Brad.