Forgiveness

 Ephesians 4:32 ESV

 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.


It's a popular exhortation in the world, to be kind. It doesn't really need a reason. It's good to be kind for its own sake.

The Apostle Paul gives us reason to be kind. God has been kind to us in Christ crucified. So it follows that it's right that we should be kind.

We're to be tenderhearted and forgiving. If God has forgiven us, we should forgive others. God's tenderhearted towards us, so we should be with others.

Jesus gives the flip side of Paul's 'coin'. If we don't forgive, God won't forgive us. It's not that our forgiveness earns God's forgiveness; it's just the evidence that we're forgiven.

'Loving Lord, please continue your unfailing kindness, tenderness and forgiveness towards us, and help us to be godly too, in Jesus' name, amen'.

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