I don't know why I find the idea of God forgiving me of my sins and mistakes so difficult to comprehend. Perhaps it is because of my own limited view of forgiveness. Humanly speaking if someone hurts me, the natural tendency is not to forgive. No, it is to hurt the right back. To may even top them and lay a better hurt on them than they did on me. But God is not human. He is divine and that is not his way.
As 2015 draws to a close I decided to embark on a journey of discovering about God's forgiveness.
I share it with any who are interested on this blog. I realize that this blog is also a blog that I post articles and information about Crohns Disease so the intent of these postings on forgiveness is not to offend or hurt anyone but simply to share my thoughts.
So what does God say about forgiveness ? The first thing I learned is that forgiveness is not an option for a believer. It is a requirement that God places upon believers.
Mathew 18:35
This is how your Heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother and sister from the heart.
The preceding story tells of the unmerciful servant who when forgiven a debt he owed to someone else then refused to forgive the debt that another person owed to him. God's word says if that's how you treat other people then that is how he will treat you.
Luke 11:14
Forgive us also our sins for we also forgive everyone who sins against us and lead us not into
temptation.
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another just as in Christ God forgave you.
Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive one another. If any of you have a grievance against someone, forgive as the Lord forgave you.
So it is clear from that God does forgive us for sinning against him and he also expects us to forgive those who may have wronged us.
SO WHY DOES GOD FORGIVE US ?
1) Because of his compassion
Exodus 34: 6 & &
And he passed in front of Moses proclaiming, The Lord, The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.
Micah 7: 19
You will again have compassion on us. You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depth of the sea.
2) Because of his great love
Psalm 51:1
Have mercy on me, Oh God according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
3) Because of his grace
Psalm 103: 8
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
4) Because of his mercy
Isaiah 55: 7
Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord and he will have mercy on them and to our God he will freely pardon.
