Forgive Like Jesus || Colossians 3:13 || Weekend Wind-Down #6

Welcome to the sixth week of “Weekend Wind-Down.” This series is where we take the verse of the day, look at the face value interpretation, check the background and context of the verse, do a deeper dive on the focus scripture, and figure out what we can walk away with. 

Today’s verse is Colossians 3:13, which says this: 

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Face Value

Don’t hold anyone to an unreasonable standard. Forgive those who do you wrong. God forgives us, so we must do the same. 

Background

Paul wrote this to the Colossian church to combat errors and show believers have everything they need in Christ. Our scripture falls into the discussion about what Christians should do. The idea is that when we learn what God is like, we see what we need to become. We should crown Jesus as our Savior in our lives. We should nurture our vital connection to him. 

Deep Dive

Forgiving others starts by remembering how much God has forgiven us. How hard is it to forgive a little wrong when God has forgiven you so much? Realizing God’s infinite love and forgiveness for you can help you love and forgive others. Let God worry about the wrongs you’ve suffered. Don’t squander your life in bitter feuding; be renewed in love and joy. 

Ephesians 4:32 gives us some insight into this type of thinking. Here’s what it says: 

32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. 

Jesus taught this law of forgiveness in the Gospels and the Lord’s Prayer. God forgives us because of his mercy for us. As we understand this, we’ll strive to be like him. Jesus taught us how to forgive, which means our attitude toward forgiveness should stand out.

Take-Home Point

God forgives us all the time. No questions asked—no prerequisites needed. God forgives us because of how much he loves us. This concept was so important that it pops us three times in the Gospels and twice in Paul’s letters in THIS example. Forgiveness appears 127 times in the Bible. We should be striving towards this level of forgiveness with those around us. It’s not easy, but it’ll be so worth it. Followers of Jesus need to ensure that our forgiving attitude represents a higher standard than the world’s definition of forgiveness. 

Thank you for joining me for this Weekend Wind-Down as we explored how we need to forgive based on the teachings of Jesus and Paul. Stay tuned for the next reflection. Let me close out with prayer. 

Forgiving God, we thank you for the daily forgiveness we receive. 

We may not feel like we deserve God, but you love us so much that it overshadows any doubt that we may think of. 

Help us to embrace that in ourselves and to share that same kind of forgiveness with others. Amen.