What does Ephesians 4:32 teach about God's forgiveness under Grace?
Ephesians 4:32 teaches that under Grace, God's forgiveness is not conditioned on first forgiving others. The Apostle of Grace writes that whether one forgave a neighbor or not, God forgave him. This contrasts with Law, which required forgiving others before being forgiven.
Les teaches that Ephesians 4:32 is written by the Apostle of Grace, the same apostle who said in Romans that you are not under Law but under Grace. Under Law, a person could not be forgiven until he had first forgiven the other person; that is what Law demanded. But Grace reverses the order: whether I forgave my neighbor or not, God forgave me. Ephesians 4:32 therefore shows God's forgiveness under Grace as prior and unconditional, not earned by forgiving others first.
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
More Questions
Why should Christians forgive one another according to Ephesians 4:32?
Ephesians 4:32 tells believers to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving of one another not so that they can be forgiven, but because they have already been forgiven in Christ.
Why should believers forgive others according to Paul in Ephesians 4:32?
Paul teaches believers to be ready to forgive their neighbor because they have already been forgiven by God in Christ, not in order to be forgiven.