Forgive and Be Forgiven: A Biblical Study on True Forgiveness
Forgive and be Forgiven
Forgive and Be Forgiven: The Healing Power of God’s Grace
Introduction: The Power of Letting Go
Few things are harder—or more freeing—than forgiveness.
Forgiveness reaches into the deepest wounds of the heart and invites healing where pain once ruled. The Bible portrays forgiveness not as a feeling, but as a choice, an act of faith, and a reflection of God’s own mercy.
From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture tells the story of a forgiving God who teaches His people to do the same. To forgive is to mirror the heart of God; to receive forgiveness is to experience His transforming love.
Ephesians 4:32 – “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Section 1: God — The Source of Forgiveness
The story of forgiveness begins with God Himself. From the very first sin in Eden, God’s response to human failure was not to destroy, but to redeem. When Adam and Eve sinned, God clothed them with garments of skin — a symbol of atonement and mercy (Genesis 3:21).
Throughout the Old Testament, God revealed His character as “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love” (Exodus 34:6–7). The sacrifices in the temple system pointed forward to the ultimate act of forgiveness — the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Psalm 103:10–12 – “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
When Jesus came, He embodied God’s forgiveness. He did not just speak about it—He demonstrated it. To the paralytic, He said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). To the woman caught in adultery, He said, “Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more” (John 8:11).
In every encounter, Christ showed that God’s heart is always ready to forgive those who turn to Him.
Section 2: The Call to Forgive Others
While receiving God’s forgiveness is the foundation, giving forgiveness is the proof that we understand it. Jesus made this unmistakably clear in His teaching.
In the Lord’s Prayer, He instructed His followers to pray:
Matthew 6:12 – “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
Then He added a sobering reminder:
Matthew 6:14–15 – “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Forgiveness is not optional for believers—it is the natural response of a heart that has been forgiven. In the parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21–35), Jesus illustrates this vividly. A servant forgiven of an impossible debt refused to forgive someone who owed him very little. His lack of mercy revealed he had not truly received grace in his heart.
True forgiveness breaks the chain of resentment, not by ignoring injustice but by releasing judgment to God, trusting Him to deal rightly.
Romans 12:19 – “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
Forgiving others is an act of faith — it means believing that God’s justice and mercy are enough.
Section 3: Receiving Forgiveness — The Freedom of Grace
Forgiveness is not earned; it is received through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
No matter how deep the sin, God’s mercy is deeper still.
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Receiving forgiveness begins with acknowledging our wrong, confessing it honestly to God, and accepting His pardon. When King David sinned grievously, he cried out in repentance:
Psalm 51:10–12 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me... Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.”
David’s story teaches us that God’s forgiveness brings cleansing and restoration, not condemnation. Once we receive His grace, guilt no longer defines us.
Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
When we experience God’s forgiveness, it transforms how we treat others. The forgiven become forgivers. Grace received becomes grace given.
Section 4: Living a Forgiven and Forgiving Life
To live in forgiveness is to live in freedom. It breaks the power of bitterness, resentment, and guilt.
Jesus called His followers to forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven — meaning, without limit (Matthew 18:21–22).
Forgiveness does not always remove the memory of pain, but it heals the heart and restores peace. It doesn’t mean excusing sin or trusting an unrepentant person, but it does mean releasing the offense into God’s hands.
When we forgive, we reflect the character of Christ, who prayed from the cross:
Luke 23:34 – “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
And when we receive forgiveness, we walk in humility, gratitude, and renewed strength to live righteously.
Colossians 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Conclusion: Forgiveness — The Bridge Between Hearts
The story of forgiveness is the story of the Bible itself — a story of love stronger than sin, mercy deeper than guilt, and grace greater than any failure.
To forgive is to reflect God’s heart; to be forgiven is to experience His heart. Both are acts of freedom.
Forgiveness restores relationships, heals souls, and opens the way for peace with God and others. When we forgive, we are set free from the chains of the past. When we receive forgiveness, we step into the joy of salvation.
Micah 7:18–19 – “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity... He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”
In the end, forgiveness is not weakness — it is divine strength in action.
It is the heartbeat of the Gospel:
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32