Give

Published on 16 January 2026 at 13:51

Forgiveness Series

Before Forgiveness, before Jesus, God covered Adam and Eve with the skin of an animal (1) and sent them on their way outside the Garden of Eden.

Before Jesus, God was separated by a veil in order to be close to His people Isreal. To even come close to God you could be consumed, even die (2) for great is His Holiness. When Jesus came the veil was torn (3). Man was now worthy through Jesus and His sacrifice through Forgiveness to be RECONCILED with God (4). When Jesus came not only sinners but even those who betrayed Him, not Judas but Peter could be RECONCILED and even reinstated with a position above the rest to STRENGTHEN his brethren (5).

This is forgiveness in its purity. To GIVE. To give to those who hurt you. Generally we give forgiveness in the word; we say I forgive you or in the heart we surrender to God, we let go. All of it is necessary and still authentic to have a contactless closure and sometimes the only means due to the death of an offender for example. Though many times we opt to not extend forgiveness in action, to be RECONCILED. To go that extra mile to help, to care, to treat those who offended us to extend an action of GIVING... of Forgiving.

So what about the murderer of my son or the one who raped and abused me. Well first call the police so they may face the accountability of their crime because you are also taking an ACTION as a gesture towards their rehabilitation for them to serve time and contemplate their offence and have an opportunity to change. And then whilst they are safely behind bars contemplating and finding help for their actions you can safely and wisely reconcile with them with an action of giving your time to visit, to speak, to offer this Forgiveness in word and the action to reconcile. And what if they spit in my face and reject my forgiveness? Well as Jesus said forgive them for they know not what they do (6) but at least you extended your arm to build the bridge.

If you're not able to GIVE you have not forgiven.

True Forgiveness is manifested in our actions towards our offenders. Like faith without works is dead (7). So forgiveness only kept in the heart or mind is not as effective as to put it in practice through RECONCILING taking an action, an effort or gesture is a true first show of our repairing the breach. Okay so your spouse cheated on you and you don’t trust them anymore; so you execute the judgment of divorce, fair enough; but you practice and nurture forgiveness to them when you are still able to reconcile through a gesture of hospitality; maybe on a special occasion offer up a token of forgiveness; or a listening ear of support if they are in need of mental support within reason. Of course every situation needs its own judgement but the general idea is the true healing that comes with the act of forgiving (if possible in the case of the deceased) rather than just the concept of simply leaving the offence in the past, forgotten. The gesture and action is what truly brings forgiveness real meaning and life.

Forgiveness in its trueness is in the action of Reconciliation to be able to show kindness to our offenders wisely and effectively giving them an opportunity to accept the gesture or not. God forgave in action He did not forgive in His heart alone or else He would not need to GIVE His Son. Imagine the gesture of offering up your own child to your offender knowing that some will still hate you. What an example to learn from right? When we are not able to seal the wound with forgiveness in action then the breach remains open for evil to enter and fester instead. Jesus was that seal. An offering and an action from God to seal the gates of hell from prevailing upon those who believe in Him and accept His gesture of love. He was and is the bridge to eternity by this gesture of love from God the Father.