4 Benefits of Forgiveness in the Bible
Forgiveness can be difficult. After all, we are human. But when we withhold forgiveness, we know that it magnifies our own pain and keeps us from reconciling with others, which is God's will in our life. When we are wronged, there are often feelings of hurt, humiliation, betrayal, disrespect, or disappointment. But God’s grace allows us to forgive others, and we can experience many benefits of forgiveness when we give those feelings to God.
Let’s take a closer look at four important benefits of forgiving others and some biblical accounts that illustrate them.
4 Benefits of Forgiveness
1. God’s Mercy Toward Us
In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Jesus taught his followers about forgiveness by telling the story of a king who forgave a servant a huge debt. But the servant then refused to forgive a smaller debt owed to him by another servant. The story is found in Matthew 18:21-35. In verse 33 it says, “And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?”
Jesus shows compassion to us and forgives our sins. Forgiving others is our opportunity to imitate Christ and show that same compassion.
2. Reaching Others with God’s Salvation
Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, but God used their evil act for good. Through all that Joseph went through, he realized God’s purpose in his life to preserve his family when a great famine came. He told them not to be angry with themselves for the betrayal they committed toward him. Instead, Joseph said, “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.” (Genesis 45:7)
For believers today, when we forgive others, this allows us to be used in God’s plan of salvation. What an amazing privilege!
3. Reconciliation in Relationships
The story of Jacob and Esau is a great example of forgiveness and restoration after great betrayal. After Jacob took Esau’s blessing from their father Issac, Jacob ran away and had been living with Laban. When he tried to return home and reconcile with Esau, he still feared his brother when he approached him with 400 men. But the act of Jacob apologizing and Esau forgiving him helped them both to move on with their lives:
“[Jacob] himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.” (Genesis 33:3-4)
4. Second Chances
In the famous story of Jonah, God directed Jonah to the city of Nineveh to warn them of their destructive sin and turn them toward the Lord’s will. But Jonah did not want to go. In fact, he tried to run away from God because the people of Nineveh were wicked and Jonah was being disobedient. In both instances, Jonah and the people of Nineveh received forgiveness from God and a second chance. For Nineveh, God had intended to destroy the people, but their heartfelt action of turning from their wickedness allowed God to show his forgiveness:
“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”
Experience the Benefits of Forgiveness Today!
The Bible is filled with stories of forgiveness, and the act of forgiving can yield many benefits that we may not have thought of or knew that we needed. While we know that forgiveness is difficult for us, we are commanded to offer it to those who wrong us (Ephesians 4:32).
But more than just the command to forgive, this important principle is a building block that allows us to show God’s love and to be in unity with one another.
“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”