FORGIVENESS: In What Ways Can We Imitate This Teaching of Christ?

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Forgiveness stands at the heart of Christ’s teachings and mission. In both His life and death, Jesus exemplified forgiveness not merely as a personal virtue but as a divine imperative grounded in the character of God Himself. His message consistently urged disciples to extend mercy, to relinquish resentment, and to imitate the graciousness of their heavenly Father. For followers of Christ today, understanding and practicing forgiveness is not optional—it is essential to discipleship, spiritual health, and eternal hope.

Jesus taught that forgiveness must be the lifestyle of those who seek to please God, not a sporadic act reserved for rare offenses. The Gospel accounts show that forgiveness is both received from God and required of us, and our willingness to forgive others directly impacts our own standing before Jehovah (Matthew 6:12, 14–15). But what does this forgiveness look like in practice? And how can we imitate the supreme example left by Christ?

Jesus Taught Forgiveness by Example

Perhaps no words illustrate the heart of Jesus better than His plea from the torture stake: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Here, Jesus offered intercession for His executioners—men who had unjustly condemned, abused, and crucified Him. His concern was not for His own pain, but for their spiritual ignorance and standing before God.

This act of mercy was not isolated. Throughout His ministry, Jesus forgave sins, healed the spiritually broken, and welcomed those despised by society. He forgave the paralytic man before healing him (Mark 2:5–11), extended grace to a sinful woman who washed His feet with tears (Luke 7:44–50), and restored Peter after his triple denial (John 21:15–17).

To imitate Christ in forgiveness means embracing a posture of mercy even when wronged, even when misunderstood, and even when the offender does not yet repent. It means seeking reconciliation, not revenge, and choosing love over lingering resentment.

Jesus Commanded Forgiveness Without Limits

When Peter asked how many times he should forgive—“Up to seven times?”—Jesus answered, “Not up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:21–22). This was not a literal number to count but a call to limitless forgiveness. To reinforce this, Jesus told the parable of the unforgiving slave (vv. 23–35), in which a man forgiven an enormous debt refuses to forgive a minor one. The warning is sobering: “So My heavenly Father will also do to you if you do not forgive your brother from your hearts.”

Imitating this aspect of Christ’s teaching requires that we let go of all calculations and conditions. Forgiveness is not contingent upon repeated apologies or visible remorse. While reconciliation may require changes in behavior, the attitude of forgiveness—releasing bitterness and the desire for vengeance—must be constant.

Jesus Linked Forgiveness to Divine Mercy

In His model prayer, Jesus taught: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Immediately following the prayer, He added: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (vv. 14–15).

This link between divine and human forgiveness is repeated throughout His teaching. In the parable of the unmerciful servant, the contrast is stark: a forgiven sinner who withholds forgiveness faces ultimate condemnation (Matthew 18:32–35). Likewise, Jesus warned that showing mercy is the way to receive mercy (Luke 6:36–38).

To imitate Christ, we must forgive others in view of the staggering forgiveness we ourselves have received. No human offense against us can compare to the depth of our offenses against God. The gospel reminds us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). That mercy must shape how we respond to others.

Forgiveness Is Not Denial of Justice, but Surrender to God’s Justice

Jesus’ forgiveness did not trivialize sin or deny accountability. He called people to repentance (Luke 13:3), and He warned of judgment for the unrepentant (Matthew 11:20–24). But He left judgment in the hands of the Father and refused to take personal vengeance.

Romans 12:17–21 echoes this ethic: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil… Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.” Instead of seeking retribution, believers are called to overcome evil with good.

Imitating Christ’s forgiveness means entrusting justice to God. We do not condone evil, but we do not harbor hatred. We may take wise boundaries or pursue legal channels where appropriate, but never with a spirit of personal revenge. We pray for those who wrong us and seek their repentance and salvation (Matthew 5:44).

Forgiveness Heals the Forgiver

While forgiveness blesses the offender, it also liberates the one who forgives. Unforgiveness binds the heart in bitterness, resentment, and spiritual paralysis. Hebrews 12:15 warns, “See to it that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

Jesus’ own life was marked by peace and composure even in suffering. His forgiveness flowed from a heart free of malice and full of love for the Father. When we imitate this spirit, we experience the emotional and spiritual freedom that only forgiveness can bring.

To imitate Christ, we forgive not only because it’s commanded, but because it reflects the nature of God and restores peace to our own hearts. It protects our conscience, heals relationships, and bears witness to the power of the gospel.

Practical Ways to Imitate Christ’s Forgiveness

Pray for those who offend you – Just as Jesus prayed for His persecutors (Luke 23:34), we must intercede for those who hurt us. This softens the heart and aligns our attitude with God’s.
Speak words of grace – Refuse to repeat the wrong to others in a spirit of gossip or slander. Instead, pursue peaceful dialogue when possible, “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15, 29–32).
Release the offense – Choose to stop rehearsing the hurt. Let go of the desire to retaliate or hold it over the offender’s head. Forgiveness means canceling the moral debt in your heart.
Keep no record of wrongs – Love “does not keep account of the injury” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Do not bring up past offenses after forgiveness has been extended.
Forgive from the heart – Jesus emphasized that forgiveness must be sincere, not mechanical (Matthew 18:35). Let your forgiveness reflect your gratitude to God and your desire for reconciliation.

Conclusion

Forgiveness is one of the most difficult, yet most divine acts a follower of Christ can perform. It is central to the gospel message and essential to Christian maturity. Jesus not only taught forgiveness—He embodied it in every word, every action, and especially in His death. His willingness to forgive even His enemies displays the depth of God’s love and the standard we are called to emulate.

In imitating Jesus’ forgiveness, we honor Jehovah, reflect His mercy, and live in the freedom of a clean conscience. Let us remember: we forgive, not because others always deserve it, but because we have been forgiven beyond measure.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).