[Forgive] one another, as
God in Christ forgave you.
—Ephesians 4:32
Paul set the bar high when he wrote, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
The most profitable construction here is to take ownership of the last six words of the sentence first. When you accept how God has treated you as the framework for how you treat others, you’re on your way to experiencing a forgiving disposition.
If we forgive someone as we have been forgiven, we are essentially making a three-point pledge:
- We will not bring the issue up again with that person.
- We will not bring the issue to the attention of anyone else.
- We will not bring the issue to our offended remembrance.
First, consider how God has forgiven you; then, imitate it.
Forgive others as God has forgiven you.