# “Forgiving the inexcusable” by C.S. Lewis

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2026/04/10/forgiving-the-inexcusable-by-c-s-lewis/
- Published: 2026-04-10T06:00:00-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the
inexcusable in you. This is hard.

It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single great injury. But to forgive the incessant
provocations of daily life—to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying
husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son—how can we do
it?

Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in
our prayers each night ‘forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass
against us.’ (**Matt. 6:12**)

We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. To refuse it is to refuse God’s mercy
for ourselves. There is no hint of exceptions and God means what He says.”

–C.S. Lewis, “**[On Forgiveness](https://amzn.to/41BAINX)**,” in _**[The Weight of Glory: And Other Addresses](https://amzn.to/41BAINX)**_(
New York: HarperOne, 1949/2001), 182–183.

[⌊The Weight of Glory by CS Lewis⌉⌊The Weight of Glory by CS Lewis⌉[

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