The Forgiveness of God 

 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."—Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) 

By Danny Saavedra

Forgiveness doesn’t come naturally to us. The idea of letting go, of wiping the slate clean and clearing the debt of transgression . . . it really stretches our character muscles. Many people claim to be forgiving, but their actions tell a different story. 

Often we forgive but we fail to forget. Have you ever secretly held a grudge? Maybe you’ve brought up a past offense you “forgave” during a fight to prove your point? This brand of forgiveness is not generous, kind, or loving. And compared to the way God forgives, it sure makes us look petty. 

Isaiah 43:25 (NIV) tells us that God “blots out your transgressions” and “remembers your sins no more.” He doesn’t use them against us like a weapon or bring them up to prove a point. He casts our transgressions “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12 NIV). 

One of the most powerful examples of this is found in 2 Samuel. After seducing and impregnating another man’s wife, and then having that man killed to cover his tracks, the Lord confronted David through the prophet Nathan. Realizing the error of his ways, David said, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13 NIV). But Nathan assures him, "The Lord has taken away your sin.” Did David and the people around him have to endure the consequences for his actions? You bet. But the Lord restored and fully forgave His servant. And what did David do, even after suffering great loss because of his sins? “He went into the house of the Lord and worshiped” (2 Samuel 12:20 NIV). Contrast this story with the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21–35).

So why is it so hard for us to generously give others this kind of forgiveness? Because we remember what they did to us and the vulnerability and rejection we felt. We only see the pain and hurt it caused. In those moments, we forget what Paul said in Romans 8:28 (NASB): “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.” We forget that God works even in the pain, hurt, vulnerability, and rejection to accomplish His good and perfect will and to conform us deeper into the image of Christ.

So, how can we overcome this? Take a page out of Joseph’s book. If we approach our relationships with the mentality that God works all things for the good of those who love Him, then we can apply this principle: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done” (Genesis 50:20 NIV). When we do that, our ability to generously forgive will reflect the character of Christ, as opposed to the unforgiving servant.

Today’s verse is fitting, isn’t it? There in Ephesians, we’re told that kindness and compassion are essential to God’s forgiving nature. Do you sense a pattern developing here? 

Embracing the generous gospel as a reality in your life requires you to embrace all the virtuous qualities of our Lord. They’re all linked and part of a bigger, more beautiful picture. You can’t truly be a generous person if you’re not kind, compassionate, and forgiving. You can’t embody the gospel and live in its power if you’re not embracing and displaying these Christ-like characteristics. 

This isn’t meant to discourage you or make you feel guilty. Instead, it should motivate you to grow in Christ and be conformed to His image. As you practice this every day, you’ll become an  imitator of Christ . . . so that this lifestyle of generosity may take hold and become a reality for you. 

But in order for that to happen, there needs to be a full-scale, wholesale commitment to discipleship, to becoming more like Jesus, to experiencing a deep and abiding relationship with Him daily. Are you ready for that? Are you ready to commit to the life of a growing, passionate disciple of Jesus?