Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
—Colossians 3:13
In the life of grace, forgiveness is one of the first blessings we receive from God. The redeemed saint can never forget that he is a forgiven sinner. Nothing works more mightily to awaken his joy than the experience of God’s forgiving love.
If we read our Lord’s words in Matthew 6:12, 15; 18:21–25; and Mark 11:25, we will understand how inseparably God’s forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of others are united. After the Lord was ascended to grant forgiveness of sins, the Scriptures say of Him just what He had said of the Father, that we must forgive as He does. As our text expresses it, “Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
It is not difficult to find the reason for this. When forgiving love comes to us, it seeks to win us for its own, to take possession of us, and to dwell in us. And when it has thus come down to dwell in us, it is still seeking to do its work toward us, in us, and through us, leading and enabling us to forgive those who sin against us. So much so that we are told that not to forgive is a sure sign that one has himself not been forgiven. He who only seeks forgiveness but has not truly accepted forgiving love to rule his heart, proves that God’s forgiveness has never really reached him. He who, on the other hand, has really accepted forgiveness, will have, in the joy with which he forgives others, a continual confirmation that his faith in God’s forgiveness of himself is a reality.
Beloved followers of Jesus, learn that as forgiveness of your sins was one of the first things Jesus did for you, forgiveness of others is one of the first that you can do for Him. Before there is a question of forgiveness of others, let your heart be filled with love for Christ, love for the brethren, and love for your enemies. Rejoice in how glad you are to let its light shine through you on others. How blessed a privilege it is to be able to thus bear the image of your beloved Lord!