The believer who has received mercy is commanded to extend that mercy to others. Forgiveness is not offered as a suggestion. It is issued as a requirement for those who have been forgiven by God. The foundation of this command rests on the finished work of Christ. The cross does not merely cancel guilt. It establishes a pattern of mercy that every believer must follow. The refusal to forgive contradicts the very grace the believer claims to have received. No part of the gospel permits the withholding of pardon. The instruction to forgive arises from salvation itself. Those who have been cleansed by the blood of Christ are obligated to respond to others with that same grace. Forgiveness is not measured by emotion, circumstance, or explanation. It is measured by the example of Christ and the command of Scripture.
Forgive Others as Christ Forgave You
Scripture commands, “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 present forgiveness as a virtue to pursue over time. It defines it as a direct command based on what God has already done. The believer is instructed to respond to others with the same mercy that has been personally received. The measure is not human understanding. The standard is divine action.
Colossians 3:13 reinforces this instruction: “…forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” The context does not limit the command to minor offenses or agreeable circumstances. The obligation applies to every grievance. Forgiveness is required because Christ has already set the pattern. The believer is not left to determine the terms. The terms have already been established by the gospel. Obedience to this command reflects agreement with what God has done through Christ.
Unforgiveness Contradicts the Grace You Have Received
The message of the gospel is rooted in undeserved mercy. Through the cross, the believer has been fully pardoned. That pardon was not earned through apology, explanation, or restitution. It was granted through the sacrifice of Christ. The one who has received that kind of forgiveness is no longer permitted to withhold it from others. Withholding forgiveness places the believer in direct contradiction to the grace that has been received. This contradiction is not subtle. It exposes a heart that refuses to align with the pattern established by Christ.
Scripture does not separate salvation from responsibility. The one who has been forgiven must now forgive. That expectation is not based on temperament or emotional strength. It is based on the character of God and the work of Christ. Refusing to forgive is not framed as a temporary failure. It is treated as disobedience. Every believer who lives under the mercy of God is called to reflect that mercy in every relationship. The command to forgive does not rest on the nature of the offense. It rests on the reality of the cross.
Extend the Mercy You Have Received
Forgiveness must be extended in light of the mercy that has already been given. The believer is not authorized to withhold what God has freely granted. Obedience to this command does not require emotional readiness. It requires submission to the authority of Scripture. The instruction is clear: forgive as Christ has forgiven. That forgiveness must be offered without delay, without condition, and without personal justification. No explanation can replace obedience.
The believer must make a decisive choice to release every offense. That choice reflects agreement with the gospel. Holding on to offense while claiming to follow Christ creates a contradiction that cannot be justified. Forgiveness is not a display of personal virtue. It is a response to what has already been done. To obey this command is to walk in alignment with the mercy of God. The one who has received grace must now demonstrate it without exception.
Closing Prayer
Father,
You have shown me mercy that I did not deserve. You have forgiven my debt fully 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.
