Forgiveness

Forgiveness

But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.

Psalm 130:4

If we were to research the major religions of the world, we would find that most of them teach some variation of working to obtain God’s favor. But the Bible teaches that God completely forgives sins. God says that sin deserves punishment because it violates his holy character. Yet he also tells us that he is a God of grace and pardon, and that he initiated our forgiveness by sending Jesus to be our Savior.

God offers us forgiveness not so we will be scared of him, but so we will want to worship and honor him. He wants us to see him for who he is and respond to him with reverent and affectionate obedience.

One morning during my senior year at Moody Bible Institute, I overslept for Bible Theology class. Later that morning, I tiptoed into Dr. Luck’s office with fear and trepidation. I had missed four classes that semester, and I was only supposed to have missed three. According to the student handbook, I deserved to fail the course. But Dr. Luck forgave my absence, and every time I saw him on campus after that, I felt an extreme sense of gratitude.

God’s forgiveness not only prompts our gratitude but also prompts us to follow him lovingly and shrink from anything that would offend him. God does not forgive us so that we can take advantage of him and keep on sinning. In response to his forgiveness, he wants us to reverence him.

Loving Father,

Because you are so willing to forgive our sins, we want to respond with gratitude. May we not hold back from forgiving people who have wronged us. You are the one we can turn to for help in this area. In Jesus’ name, amen.