How Worthy Are We to Receive God’s Forgiveness?

Forgiving is one of the most important aspects of religion, especially Christianity. A commonly asked question is, “Are we deserving of God’s forgiveness?” This is a profound question that encourages one to contemplate one’s inner self, their sins and actions, and the nature of God’s forgiveness.

So many believers struggle with this fact.

The Biblical View on Forgiveness from God’s Side

So many verses speak about God’s readiness to forgive the sinner. For instance, 

1 John 1:9, NIV

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

This proves that forgiveness is God-oriented, making it fair and justifiable.

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

We cannot deny that we are all sinners in one way or another in this world. As Paul states in Romans 3:23, everyone is a sinner and does not meet the expected divine standards. If forgiveness depended on a person’s merit or actions, all humanity would be excluded from receiving forgiveness.

Sins and failures can lead us to feel we aren’t worthy of a loving and forgiving God; however, it is crucial to understand that we are not unforgivable simply because we are not good enough, nor are we exempt from forgiveness for being ‘sinlessly perfect.’

Forgiveness Is Free

Still, forgiveness is most wonderful. It is given freely because of the Lord’s love and mercy. 

Ephesians 2:8-9,NIV

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

This simply means that our forgiveness can never be earned or worked for. It is one of those favors that only a loving and merciful God can bestow.

This does not imply that what we do does not count or has no effect. Forgiveness and repentance are complimentary to each other; you have to repent to be forgiven: The former usually comes with the latter, whereby the offender admits that he or she was wrong and tries to change their behavior.

Psalm 51:17 beautifully sums it up,

Psalm 51:17, NIV

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

God desires a humble and sincere heart. When we come to Him genuinely seeking forgiveness and wanting to improve, He welcomes us with open arms.

The conviction of sin should not result in hopelessness but in a greater appreciation of God’s love that we do not deserve. It’s like being invited to a lavish ball hosted by royalty, knowing full well that you don’t deserve to be there. However, the host insists on having you present because they love you. God’s forgiveness is a reflection of His love and mercy and not our perfection.

One of the most touching stories that illustrates this is the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. The prodigal son, who wasted everything, comes back to his father truly sinful. However, the father goes to meet the son, hugs him, and takes him home. He even hosts a feast for him.

This story clearly illustrates this point: nobody is too far gone or undeserving to receive God’s love and forgiveness. It shows that even though people are undeserving of God’s grace, forgiveness is God’s mercy and love given to man.

This divine forgiving nature makes us live a life full of thanksgiving, never finger-pointing or comparing ourselves with anyone else but trying to improve our lives. Accepting this can make us more spiritual and encourage us to forgive other people similarly. Therefore, let us embrace the beauty of forgiveness with grateful souls and spread it to other people.