Question
Why does God forgive us?
God is gracious.
God is tolerant.
God is nice.
God is patient.
God is gracious.
God is tolerant.
God is nice.
God is patient.
Answers
GPT-5 mini
Short answer: because it is part of who God is — chiefly His grace and mercy, shown in love — not because He merely “tolerates” wrongdoing or is just “nice.”
A bit more detail:
- Grace: In Christian teaching, forgiveness is an act of God’s unearned favor — He forgives despite our guilt because He is gracious (see Ephesians 2:4–9; Romans 5:8). That is the central reason.
- Mercy/compassion: God’s compassion means He relieves the punishment we deserve (Psalm 103:8; Lamentations 3:22–23).
- Love and justice reconciled: God is loving, but also holy and just. In Christian belief the costs of sin are dealt with (the work of Christ), so forgiveness is not mere overlooking of sin but a just and merciful resolution.
- Patience/long‑suffering: God’s patience (long‑suffering) gives people time to repent (2 Peter 3:9), so patience is part of how He relates to sinners, though not the ultimate reason He forgives.
- “Tolerant” and “nice” are inadequate descriptions: tolerance suggests indifference or condoning wrongdoing; “nice” is too weak and human a word to capture God’s holy, sovereign, loving motives.
If you want, I can explain how different faiths describe why God forgives, or show key biblical passages that speak to this.
A bit more detail:
- Grace: In Christian teaching, forgiveness is an act of God’s unearned favor — He forgives despite our guilt because He is gracious (see Ephesians 2:4–9; Romans 5:8). That is the central reason.
- Mercy/compassion: God’s compassion means He relieves the punishment we deserve (Psalm 103:8; Lamentations 3:22–23).
- Love and justice reconciled: God is loving, but also holy and just. In Christian belief the costs of sin are dealt with (the work of Christ), so forgiveness is not mere overlooking of sin but a just and merciful resolution.
- Patience/long‑suffering: God’s patience (long‑suffering) gives people time to repent (2 Peter 3:9), so patience is part of how He relates to sinners, though not the ultimate reason He forgives.
- “Tolerant” and “nice” are inadequate descriptions: tolerance suggests indifference or condoning wrongdoing; “nice” is too weak and human a word to capture God’s holy, sovereign, loving motives.
If you want, I can explain how different faiths describe why God forgives, or show key biblical passages that speak to this.