God's Forgiveness: Gift, Not Transaction

March 27, 2025

Galatians 1:3-4, Colossians 1:10-14, 21-22

Galatians 1
3 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 He gave himself for our sins, so he could deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.

Colossians 1
10 We’re praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God; 11 by being strengthened through his glorious might so that you endure everything and have patience; 12 and by giving thanks with joy to the Father. He made it so you could take part in the inheritance, in light granted to God’s holy people. 13 He rescued us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14 He set us free through the Son and forgave our sins.

21 Once you were alienated from God and you were enemies with him in your minds, which was shown by your evil actions. 22 But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through death, to present you before God as a people who are holy, faultless, and without blame.

Daily Reflection & Prayer

God did not “execute” Jesus any more than the Romans did. The apostle wrote that “he gave himself for our sins,” a message consistent with what we read in John 10:17-18: “I give up my life so that I can take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I give it up because I want to. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it up again.” And Colossians 1 said Jesus was “the image of the invisible God,” carrying out the gracious, saving divine purpose.

Jesus came to earth, not to change God, but to change us. As today’s reading said, “Once you were alienated from God and you were enemies with him in your minds, which was shown by your evil actions. But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through death.” What positive results of Jesus’ self-giving did today’s Colossians passage list? In which of those ways has Jesus changed you, and drawn you closer to God?
In Galatians, “responding to a severe challenge to his gospel and apostleship, Paul defends ‘the truth of the gospel’: A person is made right before God on the basis of what God has done in the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ rather than on the basis of doing the works of Moses’ Law.” * It doesn’t make sense to believe that some type of “law” bound God to require a death to forgive. How does Jesus’ self-giving sacrifice fit better with what Scripture tells us about God’s character?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you came to earth, not to convince God to change, but to convince us that God was eager to forgive and extend grace. Guard my thoughts and understanding to value God’s powerful love and grace. Amen.

GPS Insights

Janelle Gregory

Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as Human Resources Lead Director. Janelle finds that her heart is constantly wrestling with the truth that she needs a Savior, and the times when she's at her very best are when she's just too tired to put up a fight.

When you imagine heaven, who do you see there? Loved ones who have passed on? Cherished friends? Maybe even some well-known spiritual leaders like Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? Me, too. But the truth is, heaven will be filled with far more people than we can even begin to imagine—a multitude of souls redeemed by the mercy of God.

But what if we narrowed in on individuals in the multitude? Would we be surprised at who we saw? Maybe even unsettled? It’s easy to picture heaven as a place for “good” people, those we believe are worthy of such a gift. But God’s mercy isn’t bound by our human standards. His grace is vast, reaching beyond our understanding, extending to the least expected.

I once had a conversation with friends about a horrific crime and whether the person responsible could ever be forgiven by God. One of them said, “I hope not. I could never believe in a God who would forgive that.” And honestly, part of me wanted to agree. But if we believe that God’s mercy is only strong enough to cover some sins and not others, we’re placing limits on the limitless.

Consider King David. He didn’t just make a mistake—he orchestrated the death of an innocent man to cover up his own sin. And yet, God not only forgave him, but from David’s lineage came Jesus Christ himself. God’s mercy was greater than David’s worst moment, just as it was for so many flawed and broken people throughout Scripture.

Now think of someone you struggle to forgive, someone whose actions seem beyond redemption. Could you imagine them in heaven? If that thought is difficult, know that you’re not alone. We want God to be on “our side,” to save those we deem worthy. But God’s mercy isn’t about choosing sides—it’s about redeeming all who come to him. His grace is bigger than our expectations, stronger than our failures, and deeper than our darkest moments.

That’s the beauty of God’s mercy—it’s not just for those we assume are deserving. It’s for everyone. It’s for the broken, the lost, the unworthy. And yes, it’s for you and me. No sin is too great, no heart too far gone. His mercy is a gift, freely given, waiting for all who will receive it.

References

* Frank J. Matera, introduction to Galatians in The CEB Study Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013, p. 353 NT.

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IMPORTANT:

God's Forgiveness: Gift, Not Transaction

Daily Scripture

Galatians 1:3-4, Colossians 1:10-14, 21-22

Daily Reflection & Prayer

Prayer

GPS Insights

Janelle Gregory

© 2024 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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