Forgiveness, What Is It and Where Does It Come From

Ask the average person about what forgiveness is and where forgiveness comes from you usually get a response similar to; forgiveness is excusing another’s mistake and it comes from the decision and willingness to do so. The Easton Bible dictionary defines forgiveness as “the act of excusing or pardoning others in spite of their slights, shortcomings, and errors. As a theological term, forgiveness refers to God’s pardon of the sins of human beings.” Merriam-Webster defines forgiveness as a “willingness or able to forgive, allowing room for error or weakness.” Both of these describe the act of forgiveness and does not answer our question, of what is it and where does it come from.
Forgiveness has more to do with who you are then it does with what you do. Forgiveness is not about a decision you made or will make, it is about the condition of your heart. Forgiveness does not come from your intellect it comes from the overflowing abundance of your heart. Forgiveness is not an action it is who you are.
For example look at the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. The prodigal son left his home, telling his father all but that he wish he were dead. After wasting away his whole inheritance and finding himself in a destitute position. He decided to return home and ask to be a servant in his father’s home. A key verse of this parable is verse 20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” Why did the father see his son when he was still a great way off, the father was looking for him to return, so that he could forgive him. I say he wanted to forgive him because the verse also says that the father had compassion for him. The Hebrew wording that is translated to compassion means he was filled with an exuberant joy.
The father forgiving the son had nothing to do with who the son was or what the son did or did not do. The father forgave the son because of who the father was. This is true of how and why you and I are forgiven by God. It has nothing to do with who we are or with what we do or don’t do; you cannot earn God’s forgiveness.
Jesus died on the Cross for all of humankind, past, present, and future sin was forgiven that day. Forgiveness comes from God because of who God is, not because we have done anything to earn it. The only thing you need to do, to receive God’s forgiveness, is to duplicate what the prodigal son did, return home to the Father.
Forgiveness is being like God and it comes from a heart that is surrendered to God.
If you would like to know more about receiving God’s forgiveness I have a 3 part sermon series on the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Contact me by email pastor@fcogw.cggc.org or call me 410-848-7131. There is no charge, God’s Word is freely given.