What does the Bible say about forgiveness?

What does the Bible say about forgiveness? A lot. Indeed, forgiveness is a dominant theme throughout the Bible. But it is not uncommon for Christians to have many questions about forgiveness. The act of forgiving is not easy for most of us. Our natural instinct is to step back into self-protection when we have been injured. We do not naturally overflow with mercy, grace and understanding when we have been wrong.

Is Christian forgiveness a conscious choice, a physical act involving the will or is it a feeling, an emotional state of being? The Bible offers insights and answers to our questions about forgiveness. Let's take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions and find out what the Bible says about forgiveness.

Is forgiveness a conscious choice or an emotional state?
Forgiveness is a choice we make. It is a decision of our will, motivated by obedience to God and his command to forgive. The Bible teaches us to forgive how the Lord forgave us:

Be patient and forgive any complaints you may have against each other. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. (Colossians 3:13, NIV)
How do we forgive when we don't feel like it?
We forgive by faith, by obedience. Since forgiveness goes against our nature, we must forgive by faith, whether we like it or not. We have to trust God to do the work in us that needs to be done so that our forgiveness is complete. Our faith gives us confidence in God's promise to help us forgive and shows that we have confidence in his character:

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. (Hebrews 11: 1, NLT)
How do we translate our decision to forgive into a change of heart?
God honors our commitment to obey him and our desire to please him when we choose to forgive. Complete the job in due time. We must continue to forgive by faith (our work) until the work of forgiveness (the work of the Lord) is accomplished in our hearts.

And I am sure that God, who has started the good work within you, will continue his work until the day on which Christ Jesus returns will finally be finished. (Philippians 1: 6, NLT)
How will we know if we have truly forgiven?
Lewis B. Smedes wrote in his book, Forgive and forget: “When you free the transgressor from the error, cut a malignant tumor from your inner life. Release a prisoner, but discover that the real prisoner was yourself. "

We will know that the work of forgiveness is complete when we experience the freedom that derives from it. We are the ones who suffer most when we choose not to forgive. When we forgive, the Lord frees our hearts from the anger, bitterness, resentment and pain that had previously imprisoned us.

Most of the time forgiveness is a slow process:

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked: “Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? " Jesus replied, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." (Matthew 18: 21-22, NIV)
Jesus' response to Peter makes it clear that forgiveness is not easy for us. It's not a one-off choice, so we automatically live in a state of forgiveness. Basically, Jesus was saying, keep forgiving until you experience the freedom of forgiveness. Forgiveness may require a life of forgiveness, but it is important for the Lord. We must continue to forgive until the matter has been resolved in our hearts.

What if the person we have to forgive is not a believer?
We are called to love our neighbors and our enemies and pray for those who hurt us:

“You have listened to the law that says: 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, I love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In this way, you will act as your Father's true children in heaven. Because it gives its sunlight both to evil and to good, and sends rain on both right and wrong. If you only love those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even the corrupt tax collectors do so much. If you are only kind to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the pagans do it. But you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. "(Matthew 5: 43-48, NLT)
Let's learn a secret about forgiveness in this verse. That secret is prayer. Prayer is one of the best ways to break down the wall of ruthlessness in our hearts. When we begin to pray for the person who has hurt us, God gives us new eyes to see and a new heart to take care of that person.

As we pray, we begin to see that person as God sees them, and we realize that he is precious to the Lord. We also see ourselves in a new light, guilty of sin and failure as the other person. We too need forgiveness. If God hasn't hidden his forgiveness from us, why should we refuse another's forgiveness?

Is it okay to feel anger and want justice for the person we need to forgive?
This question presents another reason to pray for the person we need to forgive. We can pray and ask God to deal with injustices. We can trust God to judge that person's life, and therefore we should leave that prayer on the altar. We no longer have to endure anger. Although it is normal for us to feel anger towards sin and injustice, it is not our job to judge the other person in their sin.

Don't judge and you won't be judged. Don't condemn, and you won't be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37, (NIV)
Why do we have to forgive?
The best reason to forgive is simple: Jesus commanded us to forgive. We learn from the scriptures in the context of forgiveness that if we don't forgive, we won't be forgiven:

Because if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6: 14-16, NIV)
We also forgive that our prayers are not hindered:

And when you are praying, if you hold something against someone, forgive them, so that your heavenly Father can forgive your sins. (Mark 11:25, NIV)
In summary, we forgive by obedience to the Lord. It is a choice, a decision we make. However, as we do our part by "forgiving", we discover that the command to forgive is in effect for our good and we receive the reward of our forgiveness, which is spiritual freedom.