GOD’S GOODNESS THROUGH FORGIVENESS
The Very Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye ( PROVOST)
God’s forgiveness is the act of God’s mercy by which God pardons sinners, absolving them of their transgressions and restoring them to a right relationship with Him. This divine forgiveness is not earned by human effort but is a gift of grace, made possible through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Forgiveness is such an important gift from God. When God forgives he deletes the past record of guilt and begins on a new page with you as a believer in Christ.
So this point alone makes us pose and ask, do you have Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour in your heart? The first ever forgiveness received by an individual is felt at that point when one welcomes Christ as Lord and saviour in life. This is the point of salvation, where you are born again and given an identity as a child of God. From here you can continue to live your life in honour and humility yielding to the Spirit of God as you give God the glory.
When Forgiveness is mentioned then the following aspects begin to ring a bell in our lives: reconciliation, compassion, and the transformative power of God’s grace. In Jonah 1-3:1-10, we see God giving Prophet Jonah the second chance to live and survive again after the tragedy from His disobedience.
God expected Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh but instead he took a boat heading to Tarshish. On his way he was swallowed by a big fish and he stayed in there for three days. Miraculously he was vomited out alive and he continued with the mission that God had earlier asked him to undertake. In Jonah 3:1-10 we see the people of Nineveh repenting in humility through a fast, from the King to the least including animals after hearing the Prophesy of Jonah.
God’s forgiveness is an expression of His love and grace, central to the message of the Gospel. It is available to all who repent and believe in Jesus Christ, offering restoration and peace with God. As recipients of divine forgiveness, Christians are called to embody this grace in their relationships with others, reflecting the character of their forgiving God.
Gods forgiveness gives us a second chance to walk in His purposes for your life.
He is able to forgive anyone who repents genuinely. It is my prayer that God will help each one receive his forgiveness and also wisely forgive everyone around you. Matthew 6:9-15 contains the Lords prayer which is a clear indicator that in addition to the need of God’s pardon for sin in our lives we also need to forgive others.
Wishing you God’s blessings.