First Christian Church

By Bruce Humes

Pastor

The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 23, Verses 33-34, reads, “And when they had come to a place called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ And they divided his garments and cast lots.”

The Holy Bible speaks a lot about forgiveness and forgiving. The Greek word for “forgive” means “to send away.” Here, we get the idea of “to set free, to let go, to release, to discharge, or to liberate.”

We could easily say to just forget, which means “to lose out of mind, implying neglect or forgetfulness.” But things we forget come back to remembrance sometimes. Forgiving goes beyond just forgetting; we must “send it away,” never to be found again.

Psalm 103:11-12 says, “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him; As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed (forgiven) our transgressions from us.”

How far are the heavens above the earth? How far is the east from the west? Both are immeasurable, and that is how far he has removed (forgiven) our transgressions. This gives us a clear picture of God’s mercy, grace and love for those who fear him, meaning those who believe and have faith in him. He has “sent away” their transgressions, never to be found.

Many Scriptures speak on the subject of forgiveness. Let’s take a look at a few: Jesus said in Mark 11: 25-26: “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

Colossians 3:13 says to “bear with one another, and forgive one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Just as Christ forgave those who crucified him, so we to are forgive those who trespass against us.

Ephesians 4:32 reads, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

God through Christ forgave us of our sins or transgressions.

1 John 1:9 puts it like this, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Just as God forgives us of our sins against him through his son, Jesus Christ, and takes away the hostility that separated us from him, we are to forgive each other, thus taking away the hostility and anger that exists between those with unforgiving hearts.

Earlier, I mentioned that to forgive gave the idea of “to liberate.” When we confess our sins to God, he liberates us from the bondage of sin, bringing victory to us over that which held us in bondage.

The same is true with us. When we forgive those who have transgressed against us, we are liberating both ourselves and them from the hostility that separates us from each other. With God, all things are possible, even the ability to forgive.

We just celebrated Thanksgiving and are headed toward Christmas; what better time to extend forgiveness to those who have transgressed against us, sending the transgressions away, never to return.

To speak to someone at the church or if you have a need, call the church office at (562) 431-8810. Leave a message and someone will return your call.