Forgiveness
Receiving & Giving
“14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 6:14–15, KJV
Forgiveness is an essential characteristic for any Christian.
We must forgive other in order to be forgiven ourselves.
Jesus said so directly and indirect (through parables).
It is good good to remember that we were forgiven first:
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
Colossians 3:13, KJV
With this being the case, it is only the right thing to do for us to forgive others who have wronged against us.
But this is not all there is to forgiveness.
We must also confess our sins:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9, KJV
We are to confess our sins individually.
If you can’t remember what to confess, you can ask about it in prayer - the Holy Spirit will remind you.
When we confess our sins, our heavenly Father forgives us, and cleanses us.
It is always worth doing.
I hope you’ve been blessed by today’s message.
Reflection:
Why is forgiving others sometimes so difficult?
How does God’s forgiveness change how we forgive?
Prayer Suggestion
Merciful Father, thank You for forgiving me through Christ. Help me to forgive others just as You have forgiven me. Soften my heart when I struggle to let go of hurt, and remind me that true freedom comes through forgiveness. Teach me to confess my sins honestly and walk in the cleansing You promise. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.