Why Forgiveness Is Essential To Christian Living

Believers in Christ are forgiven people living in forgiveness. Because we have been forgiven through Christ, we are also commanded to forgive. It’s not an option. It’s essential to Christian living.

The King James Bible teaches us that forgiveness is essential to Christian living. In the New Testament, Jesus tells us to “Forgive one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Matthew 6:12).

Forgiveness is an act of the will. It is a choice we make to let go of the hurt, the anger, and the resentment we feel toward someone who has wronged us. When we forgive, we are choosing to love. We are choosing to let go of our need for revenge and to instead extend Christ’s love and grace to the one who has hurt us.

Forgiveness is not a feeling. It is not something that just happens to us. We have to make a conscious decision to forgive.

Forgiveness is essential to Christian living because it is what Christ has called us to do. It is an act of love and a demonstration of His grace in our lives.