A believer who has received mercy from God is required to extend that same mercy to others. This expectation is not based on emotion or personal readiness. It is based on the work of Christ. The command to forgive does not arise from the nature of the offense. It arises from the nature of the gospel. When forgiveness is withheld, the believer places themselves in contradiction to the grace they claim to have received.
The message of the cross includes both pardon and responsibility. Forgiveness is not reserved for those who earn it. It is given because Christ has already paid the cost. The one who has been forgiven must now forgive. There is no spiritual justification for keeping offense once God has released our debt. Refusing to forgive while living under the mercy of God is a rejection of the pattern established by Christ Himself. True obedience requires alignment with His example.
Forgiveness Must Mirror the Mercy of Christ
The instruction to forgive others is rooted in the character of God and the finished work of Christ. Scripture commands this directly: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). This verse does not suggest forgiveness. The standard is absolute. Forgive as God has already forgiven.
The pattern is repeated in Colossians 3:13, which states, “forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” The command does not depend on the nature of the quarrel. It applies to every offense. The authority of the command is based on the gospel. The believer must respond to others with the same grace that has been received from Christ. Forgiveness is not measured by the offender’s behavior. It is measured by Christ’s example.
These verses do not offer room for delay or qualification. The believer who has received mercy is accountable to extend mercy. That command is grounded in the reality of personal salvation. The cross does not leave space for resentment. It establishes the expectation that forgiveness flows from those who have been forgiven.
Withholding Forgiveness Denies the Gospel
Refusing to forgive while claiming to follow Christ creates a contradiction. The believer has received undeserved mercy through the blood of Jesus. That mercy was not earned through effort or apology. It was granted because Christ bore the full penalty for sin. When the believer withholds forgiveness, that choice stands against the very foundation of their salvation.
The command to forgive is not optional. Scripture does not place this instruction in the category of emotional maturity or spiritual gifting. It defines it as obedience. Forgiveness flows from understanding the gospel. The believer who has been cleansed must also release others from their debts. Forgiveness is not a personal virtue. It is a gospel obligation.
Choosing to remain offended after receiving full pardon exposes a heart that is resisting the pattern of Christ. The cross did not stop at canceling guilt. It established a new way of living. That way requires the forgiven to forgive. The command is clear. The standard is Christ.
Obedience Means Extending What Has Been Received
The believer must treat every offense in light of the forgiveness they have already received. Obedience requires more than agreement. It demands action. Forgiveness must be extended without delay, without condition, and without self-justification. The command to forgive does not depend on emotional peace. It depends on spiritual submission.
Every time the memory of an offense arises, the believer must respond by affirming the truth. Christ has forgiven far more than any person has ever done against us. That reality must govern the response. The choice to forgive is a decision to walk in agreement with the gospel. Holding a grudge places the believer outside that agreement. The one who has been forgiven must now obey by doing the same.
Forgiveness is a deliberate act of faith in what Christ has done. Each time the believer chooses to obey this command, that decision reinforces the authority of Scripture in daily life. Obedience restores fellowship. Refusing to forgive leaves the soul in conflict with the very mercy that made salvation possible.
Closing Prayer
Father,
You have shown me mercy that I did not deserve. You have forgiven my debt in full through the work of Christ. I confess that I have withheld that same mercy from others. I have made exceptions where You have given commands. I repent of that disobedience.
I receive Your Word without excuse. I choose to forgive because You have already forgiven me. I release every offense and every name into Your hands. I will not hold what You have released. I want to live in agreement with the gospel I claim to believe. Teach me to walk in that obedience daily. Strengthen me to reflect the grace You have already given.
Amen.
The Better Portion
Trade your distraction for devotion and your busyness for belonging, through scripture-centered reflections and questions.
