--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God's grace and forgiveness, while free…" description: "\"God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver..\" — Timothy Keller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/timothy-keller-240_forgiveness_god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-t_1531850.png" --- # God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient… ![“God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver..” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/timothy-keller-240_forgiveness_god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-t_1531850.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/timothy-keller-240_forgiveness_god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-t_1531850.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/timothy-keller-240_forgiveness_god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-t_1531850.png) > “God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver..” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grace and forgiveness are gifts that cost the giver, despite being freely offered to the recipient. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness costs the giver. Key Takeaway Give generously, but recognize personal sacrifice. Themes grace forgiveness cost Mood thoughtful serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - relationships - conflict resolution - spiritual growth Key Concepts theology ethical sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - Are you willing to bear the cost of forgiveness? - How can you balance giving and self-care? A Different Perspective The giver may feel resentment if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Costly Giver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/costly-giver-4711135/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiveness Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness-free-368262/) [Giver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giver/) [God 's grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-grace-2/) [God grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-grace/) [God'S Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-grace/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Grace and forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-and-forgiveness/) [Grace Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-forgiveness-368791/) [Perpetrators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perpetrators/) [Recipient Costly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recipient-costly-5685273/) [Wronged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wronged/) ## Related quotes > [...God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver… From the earliest parts of the Bible, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-to-the-recipient-are-always-2/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver. From the earliest parts of the Bible, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-to-the-recipient-are-always/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [When you forgive, that means you absorb the loss and the debt. You bear it yourself. All forgiveness, then, is costly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-you-forgive-that-means-you-absorb-the-loss-and-the-debt-you-bear/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“There’s one emotion that will keep u miserable more than any others – and that is feeling like a disappointment in God’s eyes. Believing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-augustine/there-s-one-emotion-that-will-keep-u-miserable-more-than-any-others/) [Sue Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-augustine/) > [“The decision to forgive is first a heart transaction between you and God. It is a willingness to give up your desire to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-s-lane/the-decision-to-forgive-is-first-a-heart-transaction-between-you-and/) [Timothy S. Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-s-lane/) > [“There will be grace and forgiveness enough, old dog, even for you. I pray you will spare me a drink from that cup, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/there-will-be-grace-and-forgiveness-enough-old-dog-even-for-you-i/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“God offers grace and forgiveness for a contrite heart. But society offers cruel consequences and never forgives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-moser/god-offers-grace-and-forgiveness-for-a-contrite-heart-but-society/) [Nancy Moser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-moser/) > [“What greater gift could Christians give to the world than the forming of a culture that upholds grace and forgiveness?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/what-greater-gift-could-christians-give-to-the-world-than-the-forming/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-never-met-a-disease-he-could-not-cure-a-birth-defect-he-could/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Mercy and forgiveness must be free and unmerited to the wrongdoer. If the wrongdoer has to do something to merit it, then it isn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/mercy-and-forgiveness-must-be-free-and-unmerited-to-the-wrongdoer-if/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Through forgiveness you can be free of the tragedies and pain in other people's failures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/through-forgiveness-you-can-be-free-of-the-tragedies-and-pain-in/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“We pay a very high emotional price for hate, love and forgiveness are always free”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dupont/we-pay-a-very-high-emotional-price-for-hate-love-and-forgiveness-are/) [Phil DuPont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dupont/) > [Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else, but to free YOURSELF from the continuation of pain and anger. It is a gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cloke/forgiveness-is-not-something-you-do-for-someone-else-but-to-free/) [Kenneth Cloke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cloke/) > [The most important thing that I learned in growing up is that forgiveness is something that, when you do it, you free yourself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/the-most-important-thing-that-i-learned-in-growing-up-is-that/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [Forgiveness is free but trust is earned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/forgiveness-is-free-but-trust-is-earned/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. When we seek to communicate the gospel to a particular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/of-temple-presence-and-sacrifice-of-covenant-and-faithfulness-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Finally, you are ready to launch your church. Begin by developing action steps and goals that can be used as benchmarks to track your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/finally-you-are-ready-to-launch-your-church-begin-by-developing/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you are a child of God, you don’t lose your status if you have a bad week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-a-child-of-god-you-don-t-lose-your-status-if-you-have-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More Forgiveness quotes > [“Lord I come before you, I repent all my sins; forgive me. I repent on behalf of my children forgive them Lord. Help them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/lord-i-come-before-you-i-repent-all-my-sins-forgive-me-i-repent-on/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [Forgiveness is not saying, What you did to me is okay. It is saying, Im not going to let what you did to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/forgiveness-is-not-saying-what-you-did-to-me-is-okay-it-is-saying-im/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) [Serge Kahili King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-kahili-king/) > [Do what is given to you, and do it well, and you will have done enough...live together in the forgiveness of your sins. Forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-what-is-given-to-you-and-do-it-well-and-you-will-have-done-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [A Real Boyfriend does the sweetest things randomly because he never wants her to feel unappreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/a-real-boyfriend-does-the-sweetest-things-randomly-because-he-never/) [Enhance Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enhance-dreams/) > [“(Evil people) do not believe in forgiveness. Their transgressions are either punished or not punished. That is the only result that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/evil-people-do-not-believe-in-forgiveness-their-transgressions-are/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [Friendship means understanding, not argument. it means forgiveness, not forgetting. it means the memories last, even if contact is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sokhom/friendship-means-understanding-not-argument-it-means-forgiveness-not/) [Sokhom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sokhom/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“Have an open mind and heart. Learn to journey in understanding and forgiveness. It's not always going to be easy but it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elle/have-an-open-mind-and-heart-learn-to-journey-in-understanding-and/) [Alexandra Elle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elle/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) [Browse all 8,311 Forgiveness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver..", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Timothy Keller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-to-the-recipient-are-always-3/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forgiveness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-to-the-recipient-are-always-3/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/timothy-keller-240_forgiveness_god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-t_1531850.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/timothy-keller-240_forgiveness_god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-t_1531850.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/timothy-keller-240_forgiveness_god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-t_1531850.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver..” — Timothy Keller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Timothy Keller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "God's grace and forgiveness, while free...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-to-the-recipient-are-always-3/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-to-the-recipient-are-always-3/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```