There is Hope in Forgiveness
Many Christians have the wrong idea about forgiveness.
Additionally, the topic of forgiveness is often neglected because everyone thinks they understand it when actually they do not.
The God Who Forgives
- It is the very nature of God is to forgive sins (Neh. 9:16-17; Ps. 86:5)
- When God forgives, He forgives completely ( Jer 50:20; Rom 8:1).
- God’s forgiveness costs us nothing (Eph 2: 8-9) but it was very costly to God (Isa. 53:4-12; John 3:16).
- God never withholds forgiveness when sins are confessed in a sincere biblical manner (1 John 1:9).
Hope in Forgiveness
Hope is defined as a confident expectancy. In the Bible, the word hope stands for both the act of hoping and the thing hoped for.
Rom 4:18 – In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”
1 Pet 1:3 – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
Hope does not arise from the individual’s desires or wishes but from God, who is Himself the believer’s hope:
Ps 39:7 – “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.
Genuine hope is not wishful thinking, but a firm assurance about things that are unseen and still in the future.
Rom 8:24-25 – For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Question to Consider
If you are in Christ, does the fact that God has forgiven you give you hope?

Victor J Maglio
…thoughts on forgiveness from the Apostle Paul’s letter to Philemon…
Philemon 1:17-19
So if you (Philemon) consider me (Paul) your partner, receive him (Onesimus) as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.
The brother or sister in Christ who has wronged me…the one who has sinned…carries, as it were, a “letter from Jesus Christ,” written with the finger of His own nail pierced hand…the very ink itself being His own precious blood…saying…”receive this one who has sinned…this one who has cause you pain and loss, as you would receive Me…and, whatever their wrong against you…whatever pain and loss they have caused you…has already been charged to My account…I have already paid all he/she owes…you dare not demand any more…and, remember not only that you owe Me your very life, but, that I will be returning…you will see Me again soon…so, prepare a dwelling place for Me…”
Philemon – me…the one who has been wronged…
Onesimus – the one who has wronged me…
Paul – Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord…the One to Whom I owe my very life…