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Forgiveness, Freedom, and Obedience to Christ
New Age to Christ with Doreen Virtue · Weekly Devotional
In this devotional from Forgiving Who Hurt You, Doreen Virtue opens Matthew 6:14–15 to show why Jesus commands His people to forgive. Forgiveness is not optional for the Christian. It is the fruit of a new heart that loves Christ, trusts His Word, and walks in the freedom He gives.
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Scripture
Matthew 6:14–15 (ESV)
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Episode Highlights
- Jesus does not suggest forgiveness, He commands it for every believer.
- This passage does not teach that we earn salvation by our works, but that true saving faith produces a forgiving heart.
- When God saves us, He gives us a new heart that desires to please and obey Him.
- Even when anger feels justified, holding on to unforgiveness goes against God’s clear command.
- God does not want His children to live in bitterness and rage, but in the freedom that forgiveness brings.
- The same God who commands us to forgive also gives the courage and strength we need to obey.
Key Takeaways
- Forgiveness is a mark of a heart changed by the grace of God.
- Clinging to resentment harms us spiritually and emotionally.
- We forgive because God has first forgiven us in Christ.
- Obedience to Christ, even when it is hard, leads to real freedom.
More from New Age to Christ
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Call to Action: If this devotional encouraged you, please share it with a friend who is struggling to forgive, and consider subscribing on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts, for more weekly biblical encouragement.
Doreen Virtue holds a Master’s degree in Biblical & Theological Studies with highest honors from Western Seminary (56 units / 2021), and an MA in Counseling Psychology from Chapman University. Prior to being saved by God‘s grace and mercy in 2017, Doreen was a psychotherapist specializing in women’s issues, rated in the top 15 most influential living spiritual teachers by Watkins, and the top selling new age author in the world. She was born and raised in new thought churches which she attended for 33 years, before segueing to new age and Wicca in 1991 while touring with a mind-body-spirit conference organization. Before her salvation, Doreen frequently appeared on Oprah, CNN, The View, Coast to Coast and other liberal secular media. After the Holy Spirit convicted her of her sins, while she read Deuteronomy 18:10-12, Doreen repented and gave her life to Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Doreen has been helping professing Christians to identify and avoid new age and new thought deception. Doreen volunteers in discipling women who’ve been saved out of New Age in a private Facebook group. Doreen was a speaker at the Answers in Genesis 2025 women’s conference at the Ark Encounter. She has been featured on American Gospel 3, American Gospel TV, Daily Wire, Moody Radio, Spillover, Christianity Today, Cultish, New York Magazine, Spiritual Counterfeits Project, Servants of Grace, and other Christian media.
