How Do I Forgive Like God?

How Do I Forgive Like God?

It was just a few months ago that I received a text message out of nowhere from a dear friend that asked a question that in my own heart I have wrestled with for almost three months now.  It was not that I was unprepared to give an answer but it was because of the nature of the question that stirred me to want to make sure I communicated a correct biblical response to help my dear sister-in-Christ that I love dearly.

Here is the question:  How do I forgive like God?

I remember I was driving while I received it and I almost pulled over to the side of the road when as I read the text message.  It is one of those questions that I wanted to make sure I answered with a careful spiritual scalpel because at the time I did not fully know how loaded with emotions that question might of been.

How would you of responded in that moment with such a direct, honest, and an obvious heart’s desire to be obedient to Christ yet unsure how to do one of the hardest human tasks we can ever face.

It is now time I answer this question using Scripture as my authority and my exposition.

I decided not to share every Scripture that deals with both the nature of forgiveness and the how to’s.  I wanted to find a central Scripture that will keep us focused doctrinally as well as practically.

My response originates from the Scripture found in Colossians 3:12-17

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Remember God Desires You To Be Active In The Process of Forgiving Others

Colossians 3:12a
Put on then – compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

The process of forgiveness without a doubt is a true test of the sanctifying work of Jesus Christ in our life.  I want to make sure that I say this:  While The Holy Spirit is living in our hearts and at work: santification as whole which includes this difficult process of forgiveness is also something that we must want and choose.  Christ is already with us we simply must allow this process to work in our heart.

Sanctification is simply the process by which the Holy Spirit makes us more like Jesus Christ in all that we do, think, and desire as redeemed people of God.

There is a Biblical framework that I need in order for the process of forgiveness begins to occur in my life for whomever I may need to forgive.

Paul starts off this section of Scripture using the phrase “put on then”.  This is something that you must allow for the Holy Spirit to do in your life.  This is the biblical image of putting on these new clothes that comes as a result of being a new creation in Jesus Christ.  In context Colossians 3:1-11 deals with the new creation.  Paul is now addressing how to spiritually while at the same time practically dressing this new creation.

The framework to begin the process of forgiveness includes that we start ‘clothing ourselves’ with Jesus Christ and in context five specific articles of clothing:  compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

If you want to forgive like God, start right here.  Begin praying that God would be at work in your heart and filling your life more and more on a daily basis praying for Christ-like compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Be active in seeking this in your Christian walk.

Remember God Has Chosen You

Colossians 3:12a-b
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved

Paul takes a step back before sharing with us redeemed instructions for living in the kingdom of God and reminds all of us who belong to Christ who we are.

Paul reminds us that as believers in Jesus Christ we are God’s chosen people.  People who are both holy and beloved.  What does this mean?  This means that before the foundations of the world were set in place God elected you to salvation and by doing this God made no mistake at all and knew exactly what He was doing.

By being chosen you have been made Holy.  God has decided by His choice that you are now made holy by the blood of Jesus Christ.  This also means that now while you remain on this Earth you are set apart for Christ Jesus and the work that belongs to the redeemed people of God.  Being chosen also means that God has taken full responsibility to love and to care for you because you are His child.  By being made Holy through the blood of Jesus Christ, God is now well pleased with you because of Christ.

If you want to forgive like God, Paul knows we need to be reminded of these truths and consider deeply how precious we are to our Heavenly Father.  God is commanding us to forgive others not because it will be easy but because out of the close and deeply loving relationship God has with us.  It is out of His deep love for us that God commands us to do some difficult things so that we will know the depths of joy that God has for us as His dearly loved children.

Remember God’s Gift of Forgiveness To You

Colossians 3:13
As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

While we begin clothing ourselves with Christ and consider how deeply God does love us, the Apostle Paul now reminds us of the very obvious:  God has forgiven you and as a result so must we.

God forgave everything and God is asking can’t you at least forgive this ‘one’ thing.  Our hearts need to be reminded of both the ugly sin that God forgave as well as the ‘cost’ for that ugly sin to be forgiven.  God understands that it was not easy for Him and it will not be easy for us as well but the cost for God was so much greater regardless of how hurt we might be as the result of someone.

Paul is calling us to deeply remember all that is took for God to forgive us.  It cost God His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

If I want to forgive like God I need to remember how much God has forgiven me and the deep cost it was to God for that to happen.  This remembrance is essential as I learn to forgive others.

In fact forgiveness becomes Holy as I forgive them in the name of Jesus because Jesus is the one who has forgiven me.

Remember God’s Community For You

Colossians 3:13
…bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other…

Colossians 3:14
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

I will be the first to admit that a large degree of the sanctification process occurs in the context of Christian community, i.e. a church family.  It is biblical and commanded that as believers in Jesus Christ we be active in a church community.

It is interesting that as I go through a sanctifying process of forgiving someone or others that God would require of me to ‘bear with one another’.  This means to put up and be tolerant of others as God does work in them just as He is doing in you; it might be different kinds of heart work but it is work that God is doing just the same.

Forgiveness includes learning to share other’s burdens, tolerate other people, and learning to live in harmony, a better word in unity.  How much are you willing to actively share, put up with, and bear as you interact with the people of God?  God desires to stretch and grow you in a community where God is stretching and growing others at the same time.

If you want to forgive like God you must get active in a Christian community (church) and learn to live with and among the people of God as you serve as God has gifted you.

Remember God’s Gifts To Sanctify You

Colossians 3:15-17
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

While all the gifts of God are not mentioned in Colossians 3, the Apostle Paul shares some that can be something practical as you go through the sanctifying work of forgiveness.  To keep this blog post short I want to spend some time looking at the word of Christ.

This is something you can actively and daily do as you seek the hard process of forgiving someone.  It is simply letting God’s Word dwell in you.  Reading the Bible!  As the Word of Christ dwells in you then it is only a matter of time until every thought, word, and deed will conform to God’s will.

As you read God’s Word actively you will see powerful changes in your life.  The Scriptures will move you in your heart, it is going to change and correct your thoughts, it will also shape your behavior and attitudes as you serve others, which includes the one you are seeking God to help you forgive.

If you want to forgive like God, God’s Word needs to be in you!

Conclusion

The context of this passage is not primarily how to forgive by any means.  The context is how to have a thankful heart but interesting it spends some time dealing with the process of forgiving others.

I think it is safe to say that the primary purpose of sanctification is to become more like Jesus and what that looks like most to be like Jesus is to be thankful.  There is nothing more in this world for a believer to be more thankful for towards God than being thankful for His forgiveness towards us.

I think the end result is if I want to forgive like God it happens when my heart continually gives thanks to Him.

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