God’s 7 Love Languages – Part 1: Forgiveness

(This is a condensed version of the message preached on October 5.)

About thirty years ago, a popular book called The Five Love Languages taught that people express and receive love in different ways — through words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service, and gifts. Later, two more were added: emotional security and shared experiences.
But have you ever thought about how God expresses His love? On the cross, Jesus made seven statements, each one revealing something about God’s heart. You could call them God’s Seven Love Languages.
The first is forgiveness.
When Jesus was nailed to the cross, His first words were:
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
Even as He hung in agony, His first instinct was compassion. Before saying anything else, Jesus offered forgiveness — not only for those who crucified Him, but for all of us. That’s how love speaks from the cross.
But forgiveness is something many of us struggle to accept. We carry guilt around like a heavy backpack, unable to put it down. And when we try to deal with guilt our own way, it usually goes wrong.

How We Usually Handle Guilt
First, we bury it. We minimize it (“It’s no big deal”), rationalize it (“Everyone does it”), or compromise by lowering our standards until it doesn’t seem wrong anymore. But guilt doesn’t stay buried. Like a zombie, it keeps climbing out of the grave — in our dreams, our thoughts, and our emotions.
Second, we blame others. It’s as old as the Garden of Eden. When God confronted Adam, he said, “The woman you put here with me…” We use blame to balance guilt, but it never works.
Third, we beat ourselves up. We punish ourselves emotionally or even sabotage our own happiness, thinking we’re paying for what we’ve done. But guilt doesn’t make us holier — it just makes us miserable.

What God Wants Us to Do Instead
1.    Admit it.
Stop burying and denying it. Be honest with God. 1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves.” The path to freedom starts with confession. Guilt loses its power the moment we bring it into the light.
2.    Accept responsibility.
Don’t make excuses or shift blame. Like David in Psalm 51, own it: “I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” When you take responsibility, healing begins. James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Revealing your feelings is the beginning of healing.
3.    Ask for forgiveness.
God is never shocked by your confession. He’s already waiting to forgive. 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
When you admit, accept, and ask, you’ll find that God responds in four incredible ways.

How God Responds
1.    God forgives instantly.
You don’t have to wait or prove you’re sorry enough. The moment you confess, God forgives. Psalm 86:5 says, “You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”
2.    God forgives completely.
When Jesus died for our sins, He didn’t just forgive the ones we’ve already committed — He forgave all of them, past, present, and future. Colossians 2:13-14 says that God “forgave us all our sins… nailing them to the cross.” When He forgives, He also forgets. It’s as if it never happened.
3.    God forgives repeatedly.
Have you ever confessed the same sin more than once? God doesn’t get tired of forgiving. Hebrews 7:25 says that Christ “always lives to intercede” for us. God’s mercy never runs out.
4.    God forgives freely.
We don’t earn it, and we don’t deserve it. Forgiveness is God’s greatest gift because it meets our greatest need. Romans 3:24 says we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Set Free by Forgiveness
Before we sin, Satan whispers, “It’s no big deal.” After we sin, he shouts, “It’s unforgivable.” But both are lies. Forgiveness doesn’t erase the past, but it clears the path for your future.
When Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,” He wasn’t just talking about the soldiers who nailed Him to the cross — He was talking about you. His love language from the cross is forgiveness: instant, complete, repeated, and free.
So if you’re carrying guilt, it’s time to lay it down. Admit it, accept responsibility, ask for forgiveness — and then walk in freedom. Because forgiveness isn’t just something God gives; it’s who He is.