In Jesus, we have been lavished— unrestricted, unlimited, unimaginable access to riches— with the blessing of forgiveness.
Ephesians 1:7-8 – 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
Have you ever willfully and deliberately violated a law? How about those signs that say, “No trespassing?” They do say, “Violators will be prosecuted.” That means, if caught, you could go to prison or pay a fine or both.
What, if the sign said, “Violators will be shot.” That is what we see in the first divine law to humanity in Genesis 2:16b-17. God said, “16b You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Yes, the death penalty was declared for the violators. Yet in Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve willfully and deliberately violated God’s law, God, in His great mercies, chose to shower them with the blessing of forgiveness through the promise of redemption in Christ.
The problem is that people choose not to forgive the violator for the offense because they want justice for the hurt that they experienced. They need to know that whether for themselves or someone else, what they seek is not justice but vengeance. And vengeance will not take the hurt away. Only forgiveness takes the hurt way. That is the blessing of forgiveness we have in Jesus.
Last time, in Ephesians 1:7-8, we looked at what redemption is in Jesus. Today as we return to the same passage to see why we need redemption and how we can get it, the focus moves from the blessing of redemption to the blessing of forgiveness. This makes the subject of forgiveness central to God’s plan of salvation.
The big idea today is, forgiveness has less to do with the violator and the offense against us and more to do with us— we who have the power to forgive. Are you struggling to forgive someone? Do you want the violator to pay for the hurt you experienced? Are you seeking justice? If the answer to these questions is, “yes,” do you not see how your inability to forgive hands over the control to the violator and the offense against you to hold you hostage long after the initial wounds of hurt? Where is the justice in that?
If you say, “Pastor, you do not understand. I simply cannot forgive.” I say that is unfortunate because you chose the hurt over relief and prison over freedom. My hope is that as we look at the blessing of forgiveness from God’s perspective, it may heal you and help you leave the “wounded you” at the cross to experience healing and restoration in Jesus.
Why Do We Need Redemption?
Ephesians 1:7 reads, “In him [that is Jesus] we have redemption through his blood” for “the forgiveness of our trespasses.” The Greek root word for “forgiveness” here is aphíēmi which means canceling one’s debt or pardoning someone and sending them away, that is, releasing them.
“Trespasses” in verse 7 is translated from pa-ráp-tōma, meaning sin which can also be unconscious and non-deliberate although in verse 7, this offense was willful and deliberate against God. This violation provoked God’s justice and His justice demanded payment.
Yet rather than making humans pay for their offense against Him, God chose to pay for the hurt they caused Him through His own Son’s sacrifice. He did that before either the violator or the offense even existed. Therefore, rather receiving God’s vengeance, the violators, that is, sinners, received the blessing of redemption and forgiveness before they even committed the offense.
In doing so, God showed that the true justice is in forgiving the violators of their offenses first because that is the only way we can separate justice from vengeance, thus avoiding sinning against God.
God, in Deuteronomy 32:35, said that vengeance is His. The blessing of forgiveness reveals the heart of God. What is in your heart? Vengeance or forgiveness? Forgiveness is the test that reveals the state of your heart. It reveals the truth of your confession of faith in Jesus.
Let me show you that by examining three areas that make up the whole being of the redeemed.
Our Heads. This is the area of our being that deals with knowledge. What do we need to know about the blessing of forgiveness?
First, in the Bible, forgiveness is covering one’s sins. Psalm 32:1 says, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” This means not only do we not hate the violator, but we actively protect him. That is what God did for all sinners to protect us against His just wrath through Jesus.
When I forgave Muslim persecutors, I began to share how to love Muslims by founding an organization dedicated to loving Muslims. In return, did they love me or Christians in Pakistan? No and it matters not because by forgiving, I experienced freedom from hate. My act of forgiveness was reflective of my heart and not theirs.
Second, in the Bible, forgiveness is canceling one’s debt in a legal proceeding. Colossians 2:13-14 articulate this process this way, “13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses …, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands…” Suppose a person who was buried under debt appeared before the judge to be sent to prison and the court simply could not find any record of debt against him. Thus, they had to let him go.
I often hear people advising, “You need to forgive, but you do not have to forget.” Now I may have said that, too, but that is keeping the record of the debt. It is like having a box of pictures and items related to a bad memory or an abusive relationship. Why do you want to revisit them? It is a choice we make. In Isaiah 43:25 God says, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” If He does it, we should too.
Third, forgiveness is pardoning the penalty and setting a prisoner free. Suppose of a convicted criminal who, not of any of his own merit, received a presidential pardon. Now that is the knowledge. However, unless it moves from head to heart it means nothing.
Our Hearts. The heart represents the area of our being where transformation happens based on the knowledge of God. Many professing believers have the head knowledge, but it has not changed their hearts, which shows in their character. This is a person who speaks of God, the gospel, love, and forgiveness but does not practice it what he preaches and holds grudges.
Our Hands. The hands represents the areas of our being where the action happens. Forgiveness is an action we take toward the one who has wronged us; call him the violator, offender, or perpetrator. Essentially, this area of our being reveals who we have become as a result of the redeeming work of Christ in our lives. If we cannot forgive others, it is most likely because either we are still infants in our faith or perhaps our profession was a lie and a sham.
You may say, “Pastor, do you mean that our salvation is conditioned upon forgiving others?” No, we have been saved by grace alone, faith alone, and Christ alone, and there is nothing that we can add or remove to increase or decrease assurance of salvation. However, the act of forgiveness shows the true state of our hearts and exposes whether we are saved or not.
Matthew 18:21-22 says, “21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” First, Jesus removes limitations and tells Peter in a community of believers one must practice forgiveness always.
To explain why it is necessary, Jesus shares the parable of the unforgiving servant. Matthew 18:23-27 continues “23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.” The master took pity on the servant, releases him, and forgave the debt. In forgiving, the master absorbed the debt that the servant owned. God is the master and He absorbed the debt, the offense, and the penalty of sin against Him.
Matthew 18 continues, “28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
As an application, let me draw a few lessons from this parable of the unforgiving servant. The parable reveals the heart of the master and the servant through their actions of forgiveness and the lack thereof.
The servant experienced forgiveness, but it did not change his heart toward others. In our heads, if we know we received what we did not deserve, that is, forgiveness, and fail to practice it toward others that shows that we probably never understood the gospel, never allowed the gospel to change our hearts, and didn’t experience a complete transformation. This is why we all need to have spiritually mature people in our lives who can advise us on our blind spots.
How Do We Get Redemption?
God knew we could not pay the debt owed to Him, so in His mercy, He had pity on us before we were even born and He decided to absorb the debt, pay for the hurt we caused, and forgive us. He offers redemption freely in the blood of His Son Jesus to cover all our sins.
Ephesians 1:6 ends with “in the Beloved,” that is Jesus, and then how verse starts “In Him,” which, again, is Jesus. The verb tense used here is possessive which means it is something we currently possess.
In Jesus, redemption is our present possession. Thus, we have the blessing of forgiveness.
In Jesus, redemption is our future promise. Romans 8:19-21 tells us the work of redemption completes in glorification which is our future eternal state with God.
In Jesus, redemption is our eternal purpose. Ephesians 1:7-8 ends with “7b according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” The word lavish in verse 8 conveys the idea of a child of a wealthy parent. There are 16- and17-year-olds driving some of the most expensive cars. We know that it is not their money, but their parents’. That is the idea of lavish— unrestricted, unlimited, unimaginable access to riches. In Jesus, we have been lavished with the blessing of forgiveness.
Application
Christ paid for all of our sins and we received the forgiveness for all of our sins of the past, present, and even, the future. However, 1 John 3:9 says, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.”
Imagine two trees of the same kind. One is bearing fruit and the other isn’t. It’s not that fruit gives a tree life but it reveals whether it has life or not which is the case with the blessing of forgiveness. In Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus said, “14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Action Step
Identify with the violator who has offended you. See them as God saw you when He lavished upon you the blessing of redemption and forgiveness.
Appeal
If you want to liberate yourself from the pain of the hurt, the prison of the offense committed against you, and the control of the violator, then forgive. Do what God did for us: pay the debt and absorb the hurt that you want others to experience. If you don’t, you will continue to experience the hurt over and over again long after the initial wounds of hurt.
Study Questions
- What does the Bible teach about forgiveness and trespasses?
- How is it connected to the blessing of redemption?
- What is expected of us as a redeemed and forgiven community of believers?
- How does a lack of forgiveness reveal our hearts?
- Why is the act of unforgiveness so serious that in Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus says that if we don’t forgive others, God will not forgive us?
- How can unforgiveness hold a person prisoner long after the offense is committed?
- How does forgiveness have less to do with the perpetrator and more to do with the victim?
Deeper Study Questions
- What steps should you take to begin the healing process?
- How far are you willing to go to forgive others?
- How might the original hurt by the perpetrator be causing bitterness and resentment in you?
- Are you hurting because you have not forgiven someone or do you want them to be hurt?