Forgiveness. What is it? How to do it? Part 1

I wanted to talk about forgiveness. I know it gets talked about often, but it is because it is an important topic that affects all of us. I want to encourage you right off the bat, that what I have to share, isn’t a many-step process that takes tons of work. It’s easy, because it is just a decision and a heart position, that is already done for you. The work is in renewing your mind to the word of God, so that you can be transformed from the inside out. And you will want to do that anyway, believe me! Everything in life is better when you are always drawing closer to God.

There is a punishment for sin, there has to be for it to have an end, and not to continue on for eternity. The penalty is death; but Jesus paid that penalty for us. He paid it for all people for all time. He bore the stripes, and the punishment for our peace. His blood on the cross was shed for our sins. He did it to rescue us, to redeem our life from the pit. He paid a penalty so we could walk free. His sacrifice was huge, and I want to honor it.

Forgiveness for our selves comes from accepting and believing that Jesus paid that penalty for us, so that we can walk free, become completely new creations, and be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We are new; meaning, the old is gone. We do not go back, and receive punishment or reminders of our past. We don’t have to go back and pay back time wasted, sins committed, lies told. Of course, if you could undo something in the natural to help someone else heal from something that you did, then by all means, go ahead and do that. But you are free of all guilt and shame. Jesus bore it for you on the cross. You don’t need to let anyone remind you of it. If someone tries to, you can tell them that that person they are remembering is dead. Buried with Christ. You are now a new creation in Christ. God will never remind you of your past sins. It says in Hebrews that He chooses to remember them no more. You get to stand on that, and respectfully stop people from bringing up your past in guilt or blame.

The same is true for people you are forgiving. You get to realize that Jesus paid that penalty. Forgiveness doesn’t mean reconciliation, or trust. That is a separate thing. Forgiveness means that Jesus paid the punishment, so you will not require punishment for sins committed against yourself or another. You may not trust a person after an incident. Trust is built. Perhaps it means you will not be around someone, until there is true repentance. Forgiveness means you will not keep a record of their wrong(s), because love doesn’t keep record of wrong. It means that you will not bring up the other persons past, and continue reminding them of things they have done wrong in the past. It is not because that person “deserves” it. In reality, none of us deserve forgiveness, it is the free grace gift from God. So, take hold of it, and walk in it. Honor what Jesus did, by forgiving others, and receiving forgiveness yourself. It is truly freeing!

I think that it is important to remember that forgiveness doesn’t mean that all the emotions are gone, or that the memories are gone. You could have feelings of sadness over something that someone did in the past, and be tempted to walk in unforgiveness, or just believe that you are in unforgiveness because you felt sad. We are not ruled by our emotions. They are not the truth. We can realize that if our heart still wants to forgive, the emotions are okay to have. Just keep getting closer to Jesus. Keep your eyes on Him, and walk in the light as He is in the light. It is good!

I will end with this verse, reminding us that forgiveness brings blessing! "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose iniquity the LORD does not count against him, in whose spirit there is no deceit." Psalm 32:1-2 BSB

I am going to add the Passion translation of these verses, and several more as well. Feel free to read if you want, and remember that they are talking about forgiveness ourselves, rather than forgiving another person, but it has the same awesome effect! "What bliss belongs to the one whose rebellion has been forgiven, those whose sins are covered by blood. What bliss belongs to those who have confessed their corruption to God! For he wipes their slates clean and removes hypocrisy from their hearts. Before I confessed my sins, I kept it all inside; my dishonesty devastated my inner life, causing my life to be filled with frustration, irrepressible anguish, and misery. The pain never let up, for your hand of conviction was heavy on my heart. My strength was sapped, my inner life dried up like a spiritual drought within my soul. Pause in his presence Then I finally admitted to you all my sins, refusing to hide them any longer. I said, “My life-giving God, I will openly acknowledge my evil actions.” And you forgave me! All at once the guilt of my sin washed away and all my pain disappeared! Pause in his presence." Psalm 32:1-5 TPT

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References

Scripture quotations marked (BSB) are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB Copyright 2022 by Bible Hub Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation. Copyright 2017, 2018, 2020 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com.