The Bible teaches that Jesus died so that we can be forgiven. We all sin and need forgiveness. Forgiving means not charging for offenses anymore. Forgiveness sets you free.
God forgives those who repent
The Bible teaches that God loves us but is also just. Therefore, He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins, so that we can be forgiven. We just have to regret it. To repent is to change your attitude, rejecting sin and turning to God. Whoever repents and accepts Jesus as his savior receives total forgiveness from God ( Acts 2:38 ).
We cannot deserve God’s forgiveness. Nothing we do can cleanse our sins. Jesus paid the full price; God’s forgiveness is free ( Ephesians 2: 8-9 ).
Do you have doubts about God’s forgiveness? See here: how can I know if God has forgiven me?
We must forgive
Just as God has forgiven us, we must also forgive those who offend us. When you forgive someone, you reflect the forgiveness of God, who loves you so much that you have decided not to demand punishment for the sins you have committed.
In Matthew 18: 23-35 , Jesus told a parable about a man who owed his master a lot of money. You forgave your debt, but then this man did not forgive a much smaller debt to his partner. When he heard this, his master was very angry, because he received forgiveness but did not want to offer forgiveness.
Our offenses against God are far greater than the offenses others commit against us. Even so, God forgives us. We too must follow God’s example and forgive those who offend us. If we don’t forgive, we show that we don’t understand God’s forgiveness.
Here are some steps to forgive those who hurt you.
Forgiving is a decision we make. If you have a hard time forgiving someone, ask God for help to forgive.
