5 Truths About ForgivenessSýnishorn

Forgiveness is Impossible

Yes, you read that right. Forgiveness is impossible. Before you start throwing Bibles at me, let me explain. I don’t mean forgiveness is always impossible, but that it’s impossible when we are walking in the old nature. We can know in our minds that forgiveness is the right step to take, but if you or I are trying to take that step in our own strength, we’re going to find ourselves facing an impossible task.

The way God makes forgiveness possible for us is by giving us the nature of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross in order to accept the punishment for sin that we deserved. We owed an enormous debt that we could never pay, but Jesus paid our debt with His own life. When He did that, He offered the righteousness of God to everyone who believes in Him.

God expects us to release others of their debts because Jesus willingly went through hell in order to release us of ours. Walking in the nature of Christ means keeping the truth of His sacrifice in the forefront of our hearts and minds. It means allowing the gospel to influence every aspect of life.

By placing our complete hope in what Jesus did for us, we’re able to consistently respond with grace instead of a grudge. That doesn’t mean we are perfect—we’re still human. However, the more we are walking in the life Christ provides, the more our actions are going to reflect His character.