Do We Really Forgive?

The end of Jeremiah 31:34 says, “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Can we be brutally honest with ourselves? When was the last time we forgave like that? When, after we have been wronged, have we never thought of it again. I know my tendency is to keep detailed lists of the wrongs people have done to me. It is not part of our normal nature to forgive like this; in fact it requires a divine nature that only God can give.

As we live in a “religious world” full of rules and expectations, we become masters of following the rules so others see us as Spiritual. Then their positive view of us leads us to assume that we are more spiritual than everyone else, or that we deserve to be treated better than everyone else. I was having a conversation about this topic with my brother-in-law, Joe Henson, and he mentioned a saying that has stuck with me over the last few weeks. Here is the saying, it was from Chris Anderson: “We want to be a church in which everyone is more aware of his own sins than the sins of others, and more aware of God’s grace than either.” My heart desire is to be a part of church like that, but too often I am far from that goal.

How much time do you spend focusing on God’s grace compared to your sin and the sin of others?  How often does the church, which is us, struggle with the right focus? We turn on backs on hurting people because they have wronged us. We are quick to remember the faults of others, and slow to forgive. We want others to prove they are really sorry before we accept the apology and forgive. 

I am so glad that our Heavenly Father doesn't forgive as we forgive. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” While we were still sinning and in no place to even desire repentance, Christ died for us. He did not wait for us to come to Him groveling and begging for forgiveness, He just gave it. He forgave before we even asked for it.

In Jesus' example prayer he prayed that God would forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors. How much would we be forgiven if our forgiveness was based on how well we forgave? 

Imagine how different church would be if we started forgiving before we were even asked. Imagine if we lived like we were forgiven of more than everyone else, imagine how God’s grace would shine like a beacon of hope to those who are lost in sea of darkness. If the church has any hope of reaching the surrounding world with the Gospel, the Gospel must first shake us to the core and transform us to people who live like Christ lived. May we make much of Christ by forgiving as He forgave!

Next Post: Does Grace Mean I Can’t Judge?