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Today's Devotion
From Dr. David Jeremiah
Forgive Like God
April 23, 2026
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Recommended Reading:
Romans 5:6-116 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Romans 5:6-11
We occasionally hear expressions like, “It takes one to know one,” and, “You can’t give away what you don’t already have.” Those words certainly apply when it comes to extending forgiveness to others—especially to our enemies.
Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 4:32 is an example. The first half of the verse is not unexpected—an exhortation to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving toward others. But it is the second half of the verse that is arresting in its implication: We are to forgive others just as God in Christ has forgiven us. We might be inclined to be kind and forgiving toward others without taking the standard of God’s forgiveness into account. And how did God forgive? Totally and unconditionally—for past, present, and future sins. In fact, God forgave us “when we were enemies” (Romans 5:10). So that is our standard when it comes to forgiving those who have hurt us—past, present, and future—unconditional forgiveness.
Take a moment to do an inventory of your forgiveness toward others. If there is someone you have not forgiven totally and unconditionally, purpose to forgive them as God has forgiven you.
The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.
William Blake
