Forgive Week 6: Justice and Love

Element Christian Church of Santa Maria

This week’s message focuses on balancing justice and love when forgiving others. Scripture condemns seeking revenge, hating others, and bearing grudges against those who wrong us. Instead, it calls us to rebuke those who do wrong while also loving them. True forgiveness requires both justice and love - if we only forgive without confronting the wrongdoing, we enable further harm, but if we only seek justice without forgiving, we risk vengeance.
The doctrine of substitutionary atonement shows God’s commitment to justice against sin, while also offering forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice. This models how we should pursue justice and forgiveness. The cross inverts oppressive power dynamics. Out of love, we must help perpetrators see their wrongdoing while praying for their repentance and restoration. Forgiveness and justice together provide the chance for real repentance. Pursuing both is difficult but vital for living out biblical forgiveness.
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