What is the definition of forgiveness? Is forgiveness free or does it come with a high price? Is it a relinquishment of debt or a repayment of debt? Is it to forgive and forget, or is it to forgive and remember the debt?............

God is not cruel. When He tells us He forgives us, He doesn't still demand payment. "No where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin" (Hebrews 10:18). God forgives us because Jesus becomes our Substitute, took the guilt of our sins upon Himself, and paid for them with His blood. Again the Scriptures say, "In whom (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Ephesians 1:7). Because of what Jesus has already done for us, we can not only rise from the dead, we can also live with Heavenly Father for all eternity not if or when we ourselves have paid the debt, but because Jesus has already paid it for us. And we don't have to pay Him back! He freely forgives us that tremendous debt. That, my friend, is the true miracle of forgiveness!