{"id":23324,"date":"2025-08-08T14:53:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T11:53:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/?p=23324"},"modified":"2025-08-08T14:53:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T11:53:16","slug":"what-is-forgiveness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/what-is-forgiveness\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Forgiveness?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong data-start=\"247\" data-end=\"263\">Description:<\/strong><br data-start=\"263\" data-end=\"266\" \/>Forgiveness is one of the most powerful\u2014and most difficult\u2014acts we are called to as followers of Jesus. This episode explores the deep biblical roots of forgiveness, revealing how unforgiveness poisons relationships, breeds bitterness, and separates us from God. From the Old Testament sacrificial system to Jesus&#8217; words on the cross, this episode walks through key Hebrew and Greek terms for forgiveness, theological insights, and real-life applications. You&#8217;ll learn what true forgiveness looks like, why we all desperately need it, and how to both receive and extend it in your daily relationships. Whether you&#8217;re holding a grudge or wondering if God could ever forgive you, this episode offers hope and healing.<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.blubrry.com\/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Friverside_caleb_suko_compressed-audio_the_gospel_today_0013_1_.mp3&amp;modern=1&amp;podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fsukofamily.org%2Fwhat-is-forgiveness%2F#mode-Light&border-000000&progress-000000\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"165\" frameborder=\"0\" id=\"blubrryplayer-3\" class=\"blubrryplayer\" title=\"Blubrry Podcast Player\"><\/iframe><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/media.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/content.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/riverside_caleb_suko_compressed-audio_the_gospel_today_0013_1_.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/?powerpress_pinw=23324-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/media.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/content.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/riverside_caleb_suko_compressed-audio_the_gospel_today_0013_1_.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"riverside_caleb_suko_compressed-audio_the_gospel_today_0013_1_.mp3\">Download<\/a> (Duration: 42:20 &#8212; 19.4MB) | <a href=\"#\" class=\"powerpress_link_e\" title=\"Embed\" onclick=\"return powerpress_show_embed('23324-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Embed<\/a><\/p><p class=\"powerpress_embed_box\" id=\"powerpress_embed_23324-podcast\" style=\"display: none;\"><input id=\"powerpress_embed_23324-podcast_t\" type=\"text\" value=\"&lt;iframe src=&quot;https:\/\/player.blubrry.com\/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Friverside_caleb_suko_compressed-audio_the_gospel_today_0013_1_.mp3&amp;modern=1&amp;podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fsukofamily.org%2Fwhat-is-forgiveness%2F#mode-Light&amp;border-000000&amp;progress-000000&quot; scrolling=&quot;no&quot; width=&quot;100%&quot; height=&quot;165&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; id=&quot;blubrryplayer-4&quot; class=&quot;blubrryplayer&quot; title=&quot;Blubrry Podcast Player&quot;&gt;&lt;\/iframe&gt;\" onclick=\"javascript: this.select();\" onfocus=\"javascript: this.select();\" style=\"width: 70%;\" readOnly><\/p><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_subscribe_links\">Subscribe: <a href=\"https:\/\/subscribebyemail.com\/feeds.blubrry.com\/feeds\/nowisthetime.xml\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_email\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe by Email\" rel=\"nofollow\">Email<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/feeds.blubrry.com\/feeds\/nowisthetime.xml\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_rss\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe via RSS\" rel=\"nofollow\">RSS<\/a><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is forgiveness?<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s first look at a few words that are often translated \u201cforgiveness\u201d in the Bible.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u05db\u05bc\u05b8\u05e4\u05b7\u05e8<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To appease, make atonement, forgive, be merciful. Literally a covering<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: (reminds us of the covering God gave Adam and Eve in the garden after they sinned)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the most common word in the OT that refers to forgiveness. We see it most often in relation to the sacrifices in the Temple. These sacrifices made a \u201ccovering\u201d for sin. That is, they didn\u2019t really atone for sin on the heart level but rather were a sign of the need for God to atone for sin. This word shows us that whenever there is sin something must be sacrificed in order to atone for it. Without atonement sin will become something worse. In some contexts this word speaks more directly of God himself miraculously atoning for our sins and purifying our hearts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Isaiah 6:7 NIV &#8211; 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, &#8220;See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this verse we see a beautiful picture of the prophet Isaiah. Here Isaiah is before the throne of God when he realizes his sin and guilt before God. As a picture of the forgiveness that only God can offer, the Seraphim comes to him with a burning coal and touches it to his lips. True atonement and forgiveness from God purifies us from the guilt of sin in our life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let me just say here that we all need this forgiveness from God. Isaiah wasn\u2019t some sort of \u201cevil criminal\u201d yet when he was confronted with God\u2019s holiness he was able to clearly see the defiling effects of sin in his life. He realized that he was guilty and had no right to stand before God. One of the reasons that people often don\u2019t even think they need forgiveness is because they go on comparing themselves to other people who are, in their opinion, worse than themselves. When it comes to sin and righteousness there is only one with whom we should compare ourselves and that is the Almighty, All Holy, and All Righteous God. Look to Him and you will certainly feel your need for forgiveness and find a way to obtain that forgiveness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u05e1\u05b8\u05dc\u05b7\u05d7<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To forgive, pardon, or spare<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Strongs)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This word is the most specific in its meaning. Primarily, we see this as something that God does towards us.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Isaiah 55:7 NIV &#8211; 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here we can see that for forgiveness to happen in our hearts we also must participate. Isaiah instructs us \u201cLet them turn to the LORD.\u201d Without a turning to God there is no real forgiveness. God\u2019s forgiveness requires that we turn to Him. Another word we use for this turning to God is \u201crepentance.\u201d Repentance describes a deep change in mind and heart when we recognize our guilt before God and humbly turn to him and ask for his forgiveness, believing that he can and will forgive us.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How amazing it is to realize that God offers his forgiveness freely to those who seek it with a repentant heart. You don\u2019t have to donate a certain amount of money to the church, you don\u2019t have to repeat some prayer or complete some religious function. Forgiveness is offered free and without regard for race, class, or position.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u05e0\u05b8\u05e9\u05c2\u05b8\u05d0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To lift, to bear up (literally), to forgive (figuratively)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This word has the most figurative meaning. Most often it is simply used to describe the action of lifting up the head or the eyes, or something else. However, figuratively it can also describe the idea of our sins being lifted off of us.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Micah 7:18 NIV &#8211; 18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">forgives<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What a beautiful thought this is! God\u2019s forgiveness is greater than his judgement! God disapproves of your sin but he is waiting and wanting for you to repent. He loves to forgive and he will forgive. God\u2019s forgiveness teaches us that we do not have to live in fear of an angry God. Yes, he is holy, and powerful, and he can destroy evil, but he is also kind, gentle, and forgiving when we come to him with a repentant heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u1f0c\u03c6\u03b5\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2\/\u1f00\u03c6\u1f77\u03b7\u03bc\u03b9<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To let go, remission, forgiveness \/ to send away, to leave, to forgive<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These two words are very similar in their meaning. The first literally means to release something or to remove it. The second word speaks literally of leaving or sending away. In the context of sin it describes the idea that in forgiveness we are released from the weight of our sin, that sin along with its punishment are released.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Matthew 26:28 KJV &#8211; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the New Testament we see this word applied primarily to the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. His death and his resurrection are what release us from the power and punishment of sin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Matthew 6:12, 14-15 KJV &#8211; 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. &#8230; 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We also see that this is used in our personal relationships. As people we love to hold on to the sins of others, especially when they have sinned against us. Sometimes it can be very hard to let go of a sin and to forgive someone. How appropriate it is that at the end of the Lord\u2019s prayer we have these words from Jesus about forgiving one another. One thing we see clearly in the Bible is that if you and I have been released from our sins, we must also release those who have sinned against us. A willingness to let go of sins, to forgive those who have sinned against us is one of the greatest sins that God\u2019s grace is working in our lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forgiveness defined<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After looking at theses words in the Bible we can conclude that forgiveness is:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe release from guilt and punishment from wrong done towards another.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biblical forgiveness includes both a relational aspect as well as a judicial aspect. F<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">orgiveness can affect our relationships but can also have a legal aspect<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some cases forgiveness is purely relational. It means simply overlooking an offense in order to restore a relationship. This is most often the case in our personal relationships. If my brother or sister offends me, I don\u2019t have the authority to legally punish them for that offense, but I can withhold my grace and mercy from them, I can give them the cold shoulder, I can treat them with disrespect, I can ignore their presence in my life. But when I forgive, then I chose to treat them with love and care as if they didn\u2019t sin against me. I choose to give them grace, I choose to do what I can to restore my relationship with them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other cases forgiveness is judicial. That means a pardon is given and the punishment for the offense is removed. Only individuals with authority can forgive in this way. A judge can grant a pardon for a crime but he can\u2019t restore the relationship between the victim and the criminal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in some cases we see both relational and judicial forgiveness are offered. This can happen only when the person sinned against has the authority to punish. This usually doesn\u2019t happen in the court system. Why? Imagine a criminal murders a child. He gets caught, put in jail and is waiting for trial. A few weeks go by and he\u2019s brought before the judge. When he comes into the courtroom he realizes that the judge has the same last name as the child he murdered. He looks at the judge and the judge looks at him and the Judge says, \u201cSir, you are on trial for murdering my son!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What do you think the outcome of that case would be? Most certainly that judge, that father, whose innocent child was murdered would do everything in his power to make sure this murderer received the maximum sentence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the situation God is in. He is the Judge and the one who has been sinned against. If we were in his place we would certainly bring the law down. Yet, God in his great mercy says, \u201cI will forgive!\u201d Only God can say these words and have the legal and moral authority to do it. God wants to pardon us from the punishment from sin and restore our relationship with him!<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why do we need forgiveness?<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simply put, we need forgiveness because we have sinned against God and against others. Our sin causes unspeakable damage. God\u2019s forgiveness is the only remedy to the destruction that sin causes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Sin destroys us<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have you ever met an angry and bitter person? That person lives in a swamp of unforgiveness. That person is more angry and more bitter within themselves than what you can see from the outside.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hebrews 12:14-15 NIV &#8211; 14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To fall short of God\u2019s grace is to live in the shadow of unforgiveness and bitterness. It means you have somehow failed to understand and accept God\u2019s grace for yourself and as a result you can not and will not give God\u2019s grace to another. The author of Hebrews describes this as a \u201cbitter root.\u201d A bitter root is something that is deep within your heart. It defiles every other aspect of your life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are two types of bitter roots that can poison our hearts and distort our understanding of self.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Holding a grudge because someone sinned against you and not resolving it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sinning against others and not resolving it.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leviticus 19:18 NIV &#8211; 18 &#8221; &#8216;Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bearing a grudge<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeking revenge<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trying to punish with a \u201ccold shoulder\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being self-righteous<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All of the above are self-destructive behaviors.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I once heard someone say that <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Unfortunately, that\u2019s true. Unforgiveness primarily hurts me when I don\u2019t seek it in my relationships.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both of these distort our view of self. Here are a few signs unforgiveness has poisoned your heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I always view myself as a victim<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am constantly frustrated\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am angry and don\u2019t know why<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I lack peace<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A bitter root is just that, it is a root, which means the source is deep down in our hearts. You can\u2019t remove a root by just ripping off the visible part above ground and then shoveling a pile of dirt over the top of it. Eventually, it will sprout again and this time it will grow faster than before. A root must be taken care of below the surface.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The only solution to this kind of bitterness is to lay your pride aside and seek God\u2019s grace once again. Seek it for yourself first. Don\u2019t make your joy, your peace, your wholeness rely on another person\u2019s forgiveness. If that person who sinned against you doesn\u2019t seek forgiveness and restoration, know that you can personally find freedom from that unforgiveness in Christ. If that person whom you sinned against won\u2019t accept your apology, know that Christ does accept you and will forgive you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Sin destroys our relationships with others<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, sin is part of every relationship. People often don\u2019t recognize the destruction sin does in their relationships. One of the reasons they don\u2019t recognize it is because we all tend to see the sin of another clearer than our own sin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I once heard it said that sin is the garbage of a relationship. You must take it out often and regularly. If you don\u2019t, your house will start to smell. Eventually, that garbage will attract all kinds of terrible critters into your home and your home will be ruined.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We must learn to take out the garbage in our relationships by learning to forgive quickly, and by having an attitude of forgiveness with each other.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ephesians 4:32 NIV &#8211; 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main reason we often find it so hard to forgive others is because we fail to realize how much God has forgiven us. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-righteousness is a barrier to forgiveness<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that can only be broken down through humility and admitting our own sin to God. Once I have done this, forgiving others becomes much easier.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sadly, many people would rather stand firm and stand alone in their self-righteousness rather than forgive and allow others to have good close relationships with them. The simple act of forgiveness is one that can save marriages, heal families, and create harmony around us.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Sin destroyed our relationship with God<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most significantly our sin has separated us from God and does not allow us to have a life giving relationship with him. God is our Creator, our Heavenly Father, he gives us life and he alone gives us the moral standard for our lives. Thus, every sin you or I commit are first and foremost against God himself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After King David sinned by having an affair with Uriah\u2019s wife and then murdering Uriah. He came to God in repentance.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psalm 51:4 NIV &#8211; 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because all our sin is first against God, all sin destroys our relationship with God. Thus the only way to have a relationship with God is by restoration through forgiveness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do we get forgiveness?<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have all in one way or another sinned against others. We have disobeyed our parents, said unkind things to our siblings, stolen or cheated someone. We may have done worse, but the point is that we are all guilty of sinning against another person. In order to get forgiveness we must have a repentant heart, that is, we must change our heart attitude about what we did, and we must seek and ask for forgiveness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can be a very difficult thing to do and, frankly, it doesn\u2019t always work. Sometimes the other party is willing to forgive, sometimes they\u2019re not. Sometimes that person is no longer in our lives, or maybe they have passed away and it is impossible to seek forgiveness from them. While we can\u2019t always be forgiven by those we have sinned against, we can always find God\u2019s forgiveness through Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The power for all forgiveness comes through Jesus Christ. Peter explains is clearly at the end of his sermon to the Jews after Jesus ascended to heaven.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acts 2:38 NIV &#8211; 38 Peter replied, &#8220;Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Repentance is the process of humbly turning in faith to Jesus Christ, believing he and only he can offer you true forgiveness and eternal life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">John also puts it this way:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 John 1:9 NIV &#8211; 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Confession doesn\u2019t mean going to some priest but, rather, honestly acknowledging your sin before God. When we come to God in faith and repentance, we can be sure that he will forgive us.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do we give forgiveness?<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Receiving God\u2019s forgiveness is wonderful and beautiful but what about giving it? This also an important part of our Christian faith. Remember we read from Jesus prayer, \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors\u201d If we have been forgiven then we have a responsibility to forgive others as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peter asked Jesus a question about forgiveness. He wanted to know if there were some limits on how much or how often we should forgive others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Matthew 18:21-35 NIV &#8211; 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, &#8220;Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?&#8221; 22 Jesus answered, &#8220;I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How glad and thankful we are that God\u2019s forgiveness is limitless and free! Yet, it\u2019s ironic how we often want to limit our forgiveness of others. Peter probably thought he was being generous by offering to forgive someone seven times. After all, if they have to ask that many times, then they probably aren\u2019t really sincere, right? Unfortunately, Peter was looking at the wrong side of the equation. Instead of looking at it in comparison to the forgiveness he had received from God he was viewing himself as the righteous defender of justice who had been overly merciful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can save several things about our responsibility to forgive based upon Jesus&#8217; teaching.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We must always be ready to forgive<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We must forgive quickly<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We must forgive repeatedly<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If we put these three things together we see that we must live with a constant attitude of forgiveness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Jesus\u2019 teaching here we must always be ready to forgive others, even if we suspect that they are not sincere. You see, we don\u2019t see the heart like God does and we are not called to judge the motivations of the heart. In the end it\u2019s much simpler to forgive than it is to hold back your forgiveness. How freeing it will be to your own heart to let go of the offense and let God take care of it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We should mention here that in this context Jesus is talking about offenses in personal relationships. He isn\u2019t saying that the court system should just open up all the jails and let the criminals out into the streets just because they asked for forgiveness. Here Jesus is speaking about relational forgiveness. The State has a right and responsibility to punish crimes. Also in this we must use wisdom. We can and should forgive people who have harmed us. However, if that person presents a real danger and is still struggling with a certain sin, then we should take wise precautions. We might not put them in a place where they could easily commit the same sin again. We might not have the same close relationship with them as before. Yet, even then our hearts ought to be ready to forgive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Questions to reflect on<\/span><\/h1>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have I received God\u2019s forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Am I bearing a grudge against anyone?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have I offended anyone and not taken care of the matter?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do I live with an attitude of forgiveness to those around me?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.blubrry.com\/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Friverside_caleb_suko_compressed-audio_the_gospel_today_0013_1_.mp3&amp;modern=1&amp;podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fsukofamily.org%2Fwhat-is-forgiveness%2F#mode-Light&border-000000&progress-000000\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"165\" frameborder=\"0\" id=\"blubrryplayer-1\" class=\"blubrryplayer\" title=\"Blubrry Podcast Player\"><\/iframe><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/media.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/content.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/riverside_caleb_suko_compressed-audio_the_gospel_today_0013_1_.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/?powerpress_pinw=23324-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/media.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/content.blubrry.com\/nowisthetime\/riverside_caleb_suko_compressed-audio_the_gospel_today_0013_1_.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"riverside_caleb_suko_compressed-audio_the_gospel_today_0013_1_.mp3\">Download<\/a> (Duration: 42:20 &#8212; 19.4MB) | <a href=\"#\" class=\"powerpress_link_e\" title=\"Embed\" onclick=\"return powerpress_show_embed('23324-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Embed<\/a><\/p><p class=\"powerpress_embed_box\" id=\"powerpress_embed_23324-podcast\" style=\"display: none;\"><input id=\"powerpress_embed_23324-podcast_t\" type=\"text\" value=\"&lt;iframe src=&quot;https:\/\/player.blubrry.com\/?media_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Fmedia.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Fcontent.blubrry.com%2Fnowisthetime%2Friverside_caleb_suko_compressed-audio_the_gospel_today_0013_1_.mp3&amp;modern=1&amp;podcast_link=https%3A%2F%2Fsukofamily.org%2Fwhat-is-forgiveness%2F#mode-Light&amp;border-000000&amp;progress-000000&quot; scrolling=&quot;no&quot; width=&quot;100%&quot; height=&quot;165&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; id=&quot;blubrryplayer-2&quot; class=&quot;blubrryplayer&quot; title=&quot;Blubrry Podcast Player&quot;&gt;&lt;\/iframe&gt;\" onclick=\"javascript: this.select();\" onfocus=\"javascript: this.select();\" style=\"width: 70%;\" readOnly><\/p><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_subscribe_links\">Subscribe: <a href=\"https:\/\/subscribebyemail.com\/feeds.blubrry.com\/feeds\/nowisthetime.xml\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_email\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe by Email\" rel=\"nofollow\">Email<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/feeds.blubrry.com\/feeds\/nowisthetime.xml\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_rss\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe via RSS\" rel=\"nofollow\">RSS<\/a><\/p><!--powerpress_player-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong data-start=\"247\" data-end=\"263\">Description:<\/strong><br data-start=\"263\" data-end=\"266\" \/>Forgiveness is one of the most powerful\u2014and most difficult\u2014acts we are called to as followers of Jesus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19178,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[297,193],"tags":[560],"class_list":["post-23324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","category-ukraine-2","tag-sermons","post_format-post-format-video"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Americas-identity-crisis.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3izZc-64c","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1255,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/selena-gomez-and-real-love\/","url_meta":{"origin":23324,"position":0},"title":"Selena Gomez and Real Love","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"September 11, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Living in a big communist apartment building you can't hide much from neighbors especially during the summer when everyone's windows are wide open! The other day I was sitting in our living room listening to my neighbors music and unfortunately the words of from the chorus stuck in my head.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Writing","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/IMG_0572-001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/IMG_0572-001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/IMG_0572-001.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3928,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/violence-will-continue-in-ukraine-until-this-happens\/","url_meta":{"origin":23324,"position":1},"title":"Violence Will Continue in Ukraine until This Happens!","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"May 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The death of 46 people which occurred in Odessa, Ukraine this past Friday as a result of conflicts between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian groups served only to widen the gap of hatred, fear and resentment that has been growing steadily over the past few months. In the video above I share\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Ministry&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Ministry","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/ministry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/odessa-gun-001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/odessa-gun-001.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/odessa-gun-001.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5281,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/52-did-jesus-suffer-enough\/","url_meta":{"origin":23324,"position":2},"title":"#52 Did Jesus Suffer Enough?","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"April 3, 2015","format":"audio","excerpt":"Maybe it sounds like a strange question but was Jesus's suffering really enough or do we need to add something to it? In\u00a0\u00a0this episode of \"Now Is the Time\" I talk about self-crucifixion and self-flagellation. I also share with you news from Ukraine. iTunes\u00a0or\u00a0Stitcher\u00a0make getting this podcast on your mobile\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;The Gospel Today&quot;","block_context":{"text":"The Gospel Today","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/podcast\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/phil-crucifixion-e1440157177382.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/phil-crucifixion-e1440157177382.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/phil-crucifixion-e1440157177382.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7567,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/17-confessions-of-a-good-husband\/","url_meta":{"origin":23324,"position":3},"title":"17 Confessions of a Good Husband","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"March 8, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"In honor of March 8th, which is International Women's Day, I wanted to share with you 17 ways I'm trying to honor the main woman in my life, Christina! If you want to know a bit more about Christina check out these posts. Note: The following confessions are something I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Writing","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/DSC04351.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/DSC04351.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/DSC04351.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/DSC04351.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/DSC04351.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5308,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/happy-easter-from-caleb-and-christina\/","url_meta":{"origin":23324,"position":4},"title":"Happy Easter From Caleb and Christina","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"April 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"May the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and his triumph over the grave give you eternal hope and unending confidence as you walk by faith through this fallen world! May the joy of God's message of new life, new hope, and new reason to living ring clearly this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Video Updates&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Video Updates","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/video-updates\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/easter.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/easter.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/easter.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3179,"url":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/13-how-to-communicate-the-gospel-to-your-child-at-every-age-level-podcast\/","url_meta":{"origin":23324,"position":5},"title":"#13 How to Communicate the Gospel to Your Child at Every Age Level -Podcast","author":"Caleb Suko","date":"October 18, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Do you want your child to share your faith? Most Christian parents do but many fail! Unfortunately there is no exact formula to follow but there are some principles that every parent should be aware of. In this episode of Now is the Time I share with you some tips\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;The Gospel Today&quot;","block_context":{"text":"The Gospel Today","link":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/category\/podcast\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/DSC01310.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/DSC01310.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sukofamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/DSC01310.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23324"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23327,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23324\/revisions\/23327"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sukofamily.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}