If someone does us wrong and then says, ‘I am sorry’, the expected response is, ‘I forgive you’. We have become adept at this procedure, so that it is lost in semantics and loses its wonder. There is a saying that is circulating in society that says, ‘it is easier to ask for forgiveness than to get permission’ to do something that is wrong. These are such shallow responses that cheapen the meaning of forgiveness!

There are two words that are used for forgiveness in scripture. The first one means to remit sin, to pardon sin, to remove sin and the second one is to extend grace. There is great depth in these words for us, so we want to examine them briefly and with pause this morning.