What does the bible say about forgiveness?
This is for the woman who doesn’t believe she’s been forgiven for her sins. I pray this post finds the woman that has asked for God’s forgiveness but is still chained to her past, her sins, and her failures. This is for you.
Maybe you’ve prayed to God over and over to forgive you but you just can’t accept that you’ve been forgiven. Or maybe you’re too ashamed to even ask God to forgive you. Maybe you’ve been avoiding God for a really long time because you can’t even approach him and you certainly don’t feel forgiven.
Your heart longs to be free from the weight and burdens of your sins. You’re desperate. You’ve pleaded with God before but you’re still gripped by this pain and misery.
Whatever the case may be, my heart plea is that God’s Word pierces your heart and you are met with the God of true forgiveness today!
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How Do I Forgive Myself & Accept God’s Forgiveness
No, there’s not a 10 step plan to get you to forgiveness. You do not have to punish yourself to pay for what you’ve done.
That’s not how God works.
He simply says, “Come.”
Come to God and confess to Him your sins. You can find this in the bible in 1 John 1:9, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
That is straight from God’s Word and clearly tells us if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness.
Does it sound too simple?
It really does, doesn’t it? I thought it was too simple for such a long time. How can the awfulness of my sin be taken away by merely saying a few words of confession?
How can that be?
The truth is, the forgiveness that we are given was not simple. In fact, it was bought with blood, sacrifice, pain, suffering, and wrapped in pure sacrificial love and grace.
It is easy to get so focused on how badly we’ve failed and how much of a royal mess we’ve made that we miss the gift of the cross.
I’ve done this and I have to share with you something that has completely changed my life! I know it can do the very same thing for you!
What does the bible say about forgiveness?
Before diving into the importance of forgiveness in the bible, you need to understand that you and I are alike. You’ve sinned and I’ve sinned. We may not have done the same things but we both have been enslaved to sin.
In fact, everyone has sinned. Romans 3:23 tells us, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
Now, maybe you’re thinking that what you’ve done is far worse than the rest of us. Maybe you feel too far from God. Or maybe you’ve fallen for a lie that you’re just beyond forgiveness.
I hope today is the day you recognize and receive God’s truth.
Here’s the deal.
Forgiveness comes from Love. God knew exactly what your path of life would look like. He knew what sins you would commit. God knew the choices and decisions you would make or be forced to make.
And He deeply desired to rescue you. He still deeply desires to rescue you.
To rescue you, He gave His son, Jesus, to die for you.
God’s Word tells us this in Romans 5:8, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
He died knowing your sins.
He died knowing your sins yesterday, today, and the ones you will commit tomorrow. Jesus died for every single sin and carried each one to the cross. He did this for you and he did this for me.
When you honestly and authentically confess your need for Jesus Christ and his forgiveness of your sins, you are fully forgiven.
Completely Forgiven.
Now, some may have made this decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior years ago but never understood what true forgiveness means. I encourage you to read What is the Good News of the Gospel?
Forgiveness isn’t because of what you’ve confessed, it’s because of what Christ has done for you.
His dying on the cross was to save you and bring you to right relationship with God. This is only possible because of Christ in you. I always think of it as the Great Exchange.
He gives you Jesus to completely cover and redeem you. Jesus lived a perfectly sinless life – a life we could never live ourselves – for us. His life redeemed your life and mine!
This gospel truth is worth celebrating every single day! Without Jesus, we would be utterly lost and doomed for God’s wrath. Our Savior bore every single sin – even the one you may still be burdened with – at the cross so that we wouldn’t have to.
What a Savior we have in Jesus!
Bible Verses About Forgiveness & Healing
When God forgives our sins, He remembers our sins no more. These all speak to the power of forgiveness in the bible.
God’s Word tells us this in Isaiah 43:25 “I – yes, I alone – will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.”
“..and I will never again remember their sins.” Jeremiah 31:34
“And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Hebrews 8:12
When God forgives our sins, He casts them into the depths of the sea.
God’s Word tells us this in Micah 7:19, “Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!”
When God forgives our sins, He removes it as far as the east is from the west.
God’s Word tells us this in Psalm 103:12, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”
When God forgives our sins, He takes away condemnation.
God’s Word tells us this in Romans 8:1, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong in Christ Jesus.”
All of this is possible because of and through Jesus Christ.
It has no bearing on your ability to make your sins right. You do not have the power to do so and God knew this.
To rescue you, He gave His Son to save you and now, He wants you to accept and receive the gift of His Son for all eternity.
When you do receive His blood-bought gift, God sees Christ IN YOU. He is the very reason why your sins are taken away and there is no condemnation for you.
When you carry your sins after you ask for God’s forgiveness, you are saying what Jesus did on the cross was not enough. The gift of forgiveness and Jesus Christ in you is the greatest gift you could ever receive.
Accept it. It’s a continual gift that He gives over and over and over. When the lie creeps back in that tries to convince you are that you are not forgiven, go back to the cross and meet Jesus there.
Because of Christ, your life is now transformed into His! Once you receive this gift, you are then able to give it to those around you and His undeserved grace never ceases to stop falling.
Forgive Yourself and Move On
Forgive yourself and move on seems too simple. But maybe you think it’s hard to accept God’s forgiveness and move on, and it does not feel real.
It is hard to accept God’s forgiveness and even when we pray asking for God’s forgiveness and read scriptures on forgiveness, it still doesn’t feel real.
Then what do we do?
This is where faith plays a role. Faith is believing who God says He is and believing God can do what He says He can do.
Without faith, maybe we never would feel His forgiveness. We can’t depend on our feelings to verify if something is true or not.
But, we DO know God’s Word is true. It’s His written word for us and that’s where we have to put our trust in.
The importance of forgiveness in the bible and trusting what God’s Word says is paramount.
Even when we do not feel forgiven, we will believe God’s word on forgiveness. It only takes faith as small as a mustard seed! He will take that teeny tiny piece of faith and transform our hearts with it!
There will be no mistaking God’s power and forgiveness. Freedom will be the sweetest thing you’ve ever tasted!
For help in this, I’ve created a Forgiveness Guide to put into practice these truths so that they are not just words, but truth you can claim! You can find the guide at the bottom of this post.
Related: Bible Verses When You Feel Like A Failure
The Power of Forgiveness in the Bible
If you have come before God broken and in need of saving, and accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, your life is just now beginning! Jesus brings the power of forgiveness to you.
Yes, if you made this decision years ago but wonder if it still applies; yes, He is yours and desires to transform your heart! Let today be the day it starts!
I am convinced that so many Christian women have fallen for lies of this world and have allowed evil to convince them of their worth. Their value and worthiness is based on everything BUT the word of God.
If today is a brand new commitment or you are coming to understand the forgiveness you have received, my heart jumps for joy as you walk forward in true forgiveness and live in Christ Jesus!
Celebrate! Share this good news with someone. Tell me!
What spurred on this post was reading the words from Paul in Colossians 1:23a – “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.”
Stand firm and unwavering on truth. Hold tightly to the assurances you have received.
We have an adversary after our spiritual growth. Evil knows the freedom and power we receive from Jesus Christ. He wants nothing more than to muddy our understanding of it and keep us burdened by our sins and failures.
That is not God’s heart. Experience the power of forgiveness in the bible today.
Living in God’s forgiveness brings freedom! It is trusting in the work of the cross and living to please God.
With the Great Exchange, we are given so much more than the precious gift of forgiveness but also love, joy, thankfulness, guidance, and so much more through the power of his Spirit.
God knew we would still sin and struggle but now, we do not walk through this life alone! We have the power of the Holy Spirit inside us! He empowers us to live the way he desires!
This is incredible news!
You are no longer a slave to sin. You are no longer bound by guilt, failure, sin, or anything that entangles you. Receiving Jesus Christ brings freedom!
Breathe in deep what only Jesus Christ can do. He did it for you.
Paul says in Colossians 1:21-22, “This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”
You have been brought into God’s presence and are seen as holy and blameless – without a single fault – because of Jesus Christ. He alone makes us worthy.
Lord, I pray you take this straight to her heart and pour your love upon her.
Friend, today is just the beginning of the rest of your life in freedom. Stand firmly in this truth and continue to learn more about your Identity in Christ.
Related Post: Who Am I In Christ?
Related Post: Are You Embracing Your Identity In Christ?
You receive a brand new life the moment you ask Jesus to save you. He has given himself for you and now you get to decide if you will take him at his word and accept his gift of forgiveness.
I am praying you receive it and walk boldly forward as a daughter of the King, fully and completely forgiven!
Call to Action:
For further reading, turn to Ephesians to learn more about your Identity in Christ. Read a little each day until you are unwavering in who you are now that your identity is found in Christ.
Download the Ultimate Forgiveness Guide
Click here >> Download the Forgiveness Guide Today. This guide will help you take scriptures and make them personal to you. It will show you how to put action to the words you express and put into practice God’s Word on forgiveness!
This is such an important and powerful post, Erin! I hope there are many–those who do not know Christ–who visit and read this! The truth you are sharing is so life transforming! I especially love your reminder–Christ is in us! How sweet is that, for the believer?! And what a joy it will bring at such a crucial time as this! Thanks my friend! Pinning this for sure!
Oh, I hope and pray so too, Beth! Christ in us changes everything and there’s nothing sweeter than knowing Him! You always encourage me. Thank you so much for visiting and sharing! Blessings my dear!