The Forgiveness of Sins

October 7, 2025

Psalm 103:8–12 

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Luke 7:36–50

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.
37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

 

1 John 1:8–9


8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

When we say, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” we are declaring something deeply personal and profoundly hopeful. This is not just an idea, it is the heart of the gospel. Which is the story of God’s forgiving love and grace. 

Few things reveal God’s heart more clearly than His willingness to forgive. The Psalmist proclaims, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love… as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:8, 12). Those words are not abstract poetry, they are a lived reality for anyone who comes to God with a repentant heart.

We see that reality embodied in Luke 7, where a woman with a broken past enters the home of a respected Pharisee. She carries with her a costly jar of perfume, but more importantly, a heart full of tears. While others judge her, Jesus receives her. Her tears of repentance become an act of worship. Jesus’ words to her—“Your sins are forgiven… your faith has saved you; go in peace”—reveal the depth of God’s mercy.

Forgiveness and love are inseparable. When we truly understand what God has done for us, we cannot help but respond with gratitude, humility, and compassion toward others.

The apostle John echoes this truth: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves… but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.” (1 John 1:8–9). Confession isn’t about wallowing in guilt, beating ourselves up, it’s about stepping into freedom. God’s forgiveness doesn’t just cancel our debt; it restores our relationship with Him.

In a world quick to label and slow to forgive, the story of Jesus and the woman reminds us that grace is not earned—it’s received. We are invited to lay down our shame at His feet and to rise in peace, just as she did.

To believe in the forgiveness of sins is to live daily in that grace, to stop carrying what God has already taken away. 

 
Let's Pray

Gracious God, thank You for the incredible gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Your grace is greater than our sin, and in Christ, we find true freedom. Help us to live as people who are genuinely free, free from shame, fear, and resentment, and free to extend forgiveness to others just as You have forgiven us. Let our lives shine with the joy of redemption, spreading the message of Your mercy to a broken world. Amen.