“The Father in heaven has forgiven you even before you have thought to ask him, but such forgiveness is not available in your personal religious experience until such a time as you forgive your fellow men.” Teachings of Jesus, 146:2.4 (1638.4)
God’s forgiveness is not something we have to earn, beg for, or unlock with perfect repentance. It’s already there—offered before we even thought to ask. But the irony is this: it can’t flow into us until it flows through us.
Forgiveness isn’t just a heavenly gift—it’s a human responsibility. If your heart is closed off to others, it’s also closed off to grace. Why? Because divine love refuses to live in divided space. It either moves in you and out of you, or it becomes stuck and stale. The act of forgiving others isn’t just obedience—it’s the key to experiencing the forgiveness that’s already yours.
You don’t forgive because people deserve it. You forgive because you’re designed to be free.
