What precisely is Christian forgiveness?
• A personal acknowledgement that someone has hurt you so deeply that nothing they can do will satisfy the obligation they “owe” you. You can’t really sweep this under the rug without negative repercussions. As the WLC says that we are not to be about the business of “hiding, excusing or extenuating of sins (Q. 141).” • A personal realization that the extreme hurt you feel from this sin is only a small dose of the deep personal hurt Jesus felt for your sin and mine when He shed His blood on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). • A personal resolve to say “but for the Grace of God—this isn’t me doing this unkind action and I’m thankful for that.” • A personal decision to be like your Heavenly Father and to extend grace towards this undeserving person. How do we do this? The WLC says we should pray “that God would by his Spirit take away from ourselves and others all blindness, weakness, indisposedness, and perverseness of heart; and by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and subm
