The true meaning of forgiveness

Hebrews 10:15-18 (The Message)

11-18Every priest goes to work at the altar each day, offers the same old sacrifices year in, year out, and never makes a dent in the sin problem. As a priest, Christ made a single sacrifice for sins, and that was it! Then he sat down right beside God and waited for his enemies to cave in. It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process. The Holy Spirit confirms this:

This new plan I'm making with Israel
isn't going to be written on paper,
isn't going to be chiseled in stone;
This time "I'm writing out the plan in them,
carving it on the lining of their hearts."
He concludes,
I'll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins.
Once sins are taken care of for good, there's no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them.


I remember those days when I was young. When my playmate takes my toys, I get angry and tell on him to his parents. His parents will tell them to return our toys to me and ask for sorry. And I forgive him, but only for sometime. When he makes another mistake that hurts me, I oftentimes make him remember what he did to me previously.

I do not really forgive my friend if and when I bring up the previous mistakes he committed.

Similarly, as young christians, we often become historical. We bring up previous mistakes of our friends and make them remember that they hurt us before.

As we mature in our christian walk, we should look to our Lord Jesus Christ in finding the true meaning of forgiveness. When he sends out his forgiving love to one of us who asks sorry for our sins, he makes us clean again...whole again. All our past mistakes are erased and we are given the chance to start anew.

Such is the loving mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. He does not look back to past mistakes. He takes us back under His wings and comfort us, just like a shepherd who comforts a lost sheep found.

God is looking at us to exercise the supreme act of humility...that of forgiving those who have caused us pain. It is through the forgiveness of other people's mistakes against us that we show our true color as the sons and daughters of th Lord.

Today, I thank the Lord for being so much of a Father to me that he is willing to forgive my sins and trespasses as long as I acknowledge that I have been a sinful person and I would like to change. I pray, that the Lord grant me the gift of humility. That with such gift, I will be able to ask forgiveness for all my sins and errors and, also, be able to forgive others who have caused me suffering and pain.

Amen!