Forgiveness

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

-Francis of Assisi 

I have not been quick to forgive  those I needed to forgive and in so doing I have misrepresented the forgiveness of God. 

 If you have hurt yourself by not forgiving anyone, God does not want to condemn you . He wants to help you turn back to forgiving others.

1 John 3:23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Leviticus 19:18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Jeremiah 31:34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 26:28  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Acts 10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Acts 13:38 Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and tender-hearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive any complaint you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 1:14 He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace,

Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

Hebrews 10:12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

Hebrews 10:14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Hebrews 10:18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

1 John 2: 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 

1 John 2:12  I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

 Just as God  through his only begotten Son Jesus Christ from his heart willingly forgave you , so too you need to willingly forgive from your heart, otherwise you are misrepresenting God and in so doing hurting yourself. 

If you have misrepresented the forgiveness God has for you by not forgiving anyone, deciding to turn back from not forgiving anyone helps you know the forgiveness God has for you.

Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Matthew 6:15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:32-35 Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Luke 6:37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 11:4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

Luke 17:3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.

Luke 17:4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

John 20:23 

If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

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.