🙏 Is Forgiveness Really Free?

Posted on by Mountain Veteran Ministries
Understanding the True Cost of Grace from a Christian Perspective

💡 Introduction: A Simple Question with Deep Roots

“Is forgiveness really free?”

That one little question carries more weight than it seems. It pops up in conversations, in sermons, and in our hearts—especially when we’re grappling with guilt or when we’re trying to extend grace to others. It’s also one of those spiritual questions that gets to the very heart of the Gospel.

So what’s the answer?

From a Christian perspective, it’s this: Forgiveness is absolutely free to us—but it wasn’t free to God. It’s the greatest gift ever offered, and the costliest one ever paid.

Let’s walk through this together.

🕊️ Grace Is Free, But It’s Not Cheap

The Christian message rests on this unshakable truth: salvation is by grace alone. That means we can’t earn it, deserve it, or buy it. It’s a gift from God.

“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.”
— Ephesians 2:8–9 (NIV)

But don’t confuse free with cheap.

The German pastor and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer warned against what he called “cheap grace”—a version of forgiveness that demands nothing, changes nothing, and ultimately means nothing.

“Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance… grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.”
— Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

True grace—biblical grace—is free because someone else paid the price.

✝️ Forgiveness Cost Jesus Everything

Let’s put it plainly: forgiveness is not free. It’s just free to us.

The Bible teaches that Jesus bore the full weight of humanity’s sin on the cross. Every lie, every betrayal, every selfish act—all of it fell on His shoulders.

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8

This was not a symbolic gesture. The cross wasn’t a performance—it was a payment. And it wasn’t optional.

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
— Isaiah 53:5

In Christ, justice and mercy collide. Sin is taken seriously—so seriously that God Himself absorbed its penalty.

📜 Old Testament Roots: A Pattern of Sacrifice

The Old Testament sacrificial system gives us an early glimpse into this idea. In those days, forgiveness required a sacrifice—usually a spotless lamb or goat.

“Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
— Hebrews 9:22

These animal sacrifices never permanently erased sin—they covered it temporarily. They were symbols, pointing to something greater. Or rather, someone greater.

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’”
— John 1:29

Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of that sacrificial system—the Lamb without blemish.

🔁 Forgiveness Offered, Not Forced

Forgiveness in Christ is available to anyone—but it is not automatic. It has to be received, and that involves:

  • Repentance â€“ turning away from sin
  • Faith â€“ turning toward Christ
  • Humility â€“ admitting our need for mercy

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
— 1 John 1:9

Forgiveness can’t be bought. But it also can’t be received with pride. It requires a surrendered heart.

📚 What Prominent Christian Leaders Say

Let’s pause and hear from some trusted Christian voices on this topic:

🧠 Tim Keller

“Forgiveness means absorbing the debt yourself. If someone wrongs you, and you forgive them, you’re choosing to bear the cost of their wrongdoing. You’re refusing to make them pay. That’s what Jesus did.”

🧠 C.S. Lewis

“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.”
— Mere Christianity

🧠 John Stott

“The essence of sin is man substituting himself for God; the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for man.”

These thinkers help us understand that forgiveness isn’t just a transaction—it’s a sacrifice, a decision, and ultimately, a reflection of God’s heart.

💬 The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

In Matthew 18:21–35, Jesus tells the story of a servant who owed the king a massive debt—millions, by today’s standards. The king forgave the entire sum. But that same servant refused to forgive someone who owed him a fraction.

When the king found out, he was furious and handed the man over to be punished.

What’s the lesson?

God’s forgiveness is beyond measure, and those who truly receive it will be changed by it.

If we’ve been forgiven an unpayable debt, how can we withhold mercy from others?

🎨 Illustration: The Rescue That Cost a Life

Picture a person stranded at sea, flailing in the water, exhausted, and going under. A rescue boat arrives. A crew member dives in, fights the current, and saves the drowning person—but dies in the process.

To the rescued person, it was free.
But it came at the highest cost.

That’s a picture of the cross.
Jesus dove into the waters of sin and death—and gave His life to bring us safely home.

⚖️ Forgiveness Does Not Ignore Justice

Some people ask: “How can God just forgive someone? Doesn’t that let them off the hook?”

That’s a fair question. But here’s the key: forgiveness doesn’t eliminate justice—it fulfills it.

God didn’t sweep sin under the rug. He dealt with it head-on at Calvary.

“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement… to demonstrate his righteousness, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”
— Romans 3:25–26

Forgiveness is never unjust. It’s just that Jesus paid the penalty for us.

🤝 What About Forgiving Others?

Forgiveness doesn’t just flow to us—it’s supposed to flow through us.

Jesus taught this plainly:

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
— Matthew 6:14

And Paul echoes it:

“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
— Colossians 3:13

But forgiving others isn’t easy. It may mean:

  • Letting go of the right to get even
  • Absorbing emotional pain
  • Trusting God to deal with injustice

Forgiveness hurts. But when we forgive, we’re walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

🛑 What Forgiveness Is Not

Let’s clear up a few common misunderstandings:

  • ❌ It’s not pretending something didn’t happen.
  • ❌ It’s not excusing evil or abuse.
  • ❌ It’s not forgetting—it’s remembering without holding it against someone.

Forgiveness doesn’t always restore trust. But it releases the offender from your judgment and places them into God’s hands.

🔥 Objections and Christian Responses

“If forgiveness is free, won’t people just keep sinning?”

Not if they really understand it.

“The grace of God… teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness.”
— Titus 2:11–12

Real grace leads to real change.

“It’s not fair that people get forgiven just for asking.”

It wasn’t fair. It was mercy—and it cost Jesus dearly.

“I just can’t forgive what they did.”

Forgiveness doesn’t start with feelings. It starts with obedience. And God gives us strength to do what feels impossible.

🌱 Fruit of a Forgiven Life

Someone who’s experienced true forgiveness from God will:

  • Show humility instead of pride
  • Extend mercy instead of judgment
  • Worship deeply, knowing the price paid
  • Live thankfully and generously

Forgiveness creates a new heart.

📖 Key Scriptures Recap

📘 Verse📌 Theme
Ephesians 2:8–9Salvation is a free gift
Isaiah 53:5Jesus bore our punishment
Romans 5:8Christ died for sinners
Hebrews 9:22Blood required for forgiveness
1 John 1:9Confession leads to cleansing
Matthew 18:21–35Forgive as you’ve been forgiven
Romans 3:25–26God is just and merciful
Colossians 3:13Forgive as the Lord forgave you

🕯️ Final Reflection: The Greatest Gift Ever Given

So—is forgiveness really free?

Yes—free to the sinner, and freely offered to the world.
No—not cheap, and never to be taken lightly.

It cost the blood of Christ. And now, it’s yours if you’ll receive it.

God’s forgiveness doesn’t erase the past, but it washes it clean. It doesn’t undo the scars, but it redeems the story. It’s not a transaction. It’s a transformation.

✍️ Closing Thought

If you’ve never received that forgiveness, the invitation is open:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28

And if you have been forgiven—go and do likewise.

Because forgiveness, though free to us, was paid for by the most precious gift ever given: the blood of Jesus Christ.

📝 Published by Mountain Veteran Ministries
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