“An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” Hurt me, and I’ll hurt you more. These attitudes characterize the vengeful world humanity lived in—and still does—until Jesus Christ came. His mission brought freedom from sin and offered hope for a better way in a bleak world.
That’s good news—but not everyone accepts it.
1 John 1:8, 9 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
These verses show two attitudes toward personal sin: deny it or admit it. If we deny it, we deny the truth about ourselves. If we admit it and confess it, the unchanging, faithful, and righteous God will not only forgive us but cleanse us from all unrighteousness—not just some.
A Personal Experience
I recall the guilt I felt when I lied to get out of a sticky situation someone else caused. I couldn’t sleep and literally banged my head against a wall in shame. But the moment I acknowledged my sin and determined to make it right, immediate peace filled me. I slept better that night, and the following days looked and felt brighter.
Mercy is a wonderful gift from a gracious God who isn’t stingy with it as we often are. He doesn’t hang our failures over our heads or rub it in. He erases it.
As Far As the East Is From The West
Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Living in the Philippines, my wife and I fly east every time we visit the United States. East is always east and never bumps into—or fades into—west. The two never meet. The psalmist likens God’s forgiveness to the distance between these two. God’s forgiveness is complete, undeserved, and transforming.
The Transforming Power of Forgiveness
It’s transforming because, being recipients of God’s mercy, we know the joy of release from guilt. That joy should inspire us to release others who sin against us—an uncommon response in today’s world.
There was a person I hadn’t spoken to for several years after a disagreement. I felt convicted to proverbially leave my gift at the altar (Matthew 5:24) and seek—and offer—forgiveness. He forgave but didn’t reciprocate an apology. It happens sometimes. We can’t control others, but we can be obedient to God’s conviction.
Forgiving isn’t easy. It runs against human nature. But God forgave us—and that changes everything.
Posts, in this series:
- An Introduction: Forgiveness Isn’t For Them—It’s For You
- God Forgives Us—And That Changes Everything
- We’re Commanded to Forgive—But It’s Also for Our Good
- Jesus’s Example: Forgiveness in the Midst of Pain
- The Healing Power of Forgiveness
- Set Yourself Free: Practical Steps Toward Forgiveness
Post Script
Coming soon: Behold, All Things Are Become New (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV). Will Tyler finally break free from bitterness toward his father that has chained him—or find the freedom that forgiveness brings? Stay tuned.
|
|
