How to Offer a Peace Offering of Forgiveness

In the Old Testament, a peace offering (שְׁלַמִים shelemim) was a voluntary sacrifice made to express gratitude, seek fellowship with God, or celebrate reconciliation. First mentioned in Leviticus 3 and further explained in Leviticus 7:11-21, the peace offering differed from other sacrifices in significant ways:

• A portion was offered to God on the altar.​
• A portion was given to the priests.

The remaining portion was eaten by the one offering it, symbolizing peace, unity, and restored fellowship with God and His people.

Often presented in response to God’s blessings or after fulfilling a vow (Leviticus 7:16), the peace offering represented a heart of thankfulness and restored relationship.

A Sacrificial Peace Offering of Forgiveness
Under the New Covenant, believers are not called to offer animal sacrifices, but instead spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2:5). One of the most profound spiritual offerings we can make is forgiveness.

How is forgiveness a peace offering? It is an act of obedience to God.

Just as the Israelites offered peace offerings as an act of worship in the Old Testament, Jesus commands us to forgive as we have been forgiven in the New Testament (Matt. 6:14-15, Col. 3:13). 

• A peace offering restores fellowship — Peace offerings symbolized communion with God; forgiveness opens the door to reconciliation and reflects the heart of God (2 Cor. 5:18-19).
• A peace offering requires sacrifice — Forgiveness is not easy. It demands that we give up pride, resentment, and our desire for vengeance. But it mirrors Christ’s sacrifice for us (Eph. 4:32).

Here are five ways we can offer a “Peace Offering” of forgiveness:

1. Surrender your pain to God — Acknowledge the hurt and entrust it to God, trusting Him to bring justice (Romans 12:19).
2. Pray for those who hurt you — Jesus instructs us to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44), which reshapes our hearts to reflect His.
3. Extend grace, even when it’s undeserved — Forgiveness is not conditional on repentance; it is an act of grace (Luke 23:34).
4. Seek peace, with healthy boundaries — Forgiveness may not mean reconciliation, but it always involves releasing bitterness and striving for peace (Romans 12:18).​
5. Give thanks through the process — Like the peace offering was presented with gratitude, we thank God for His mercy and the privilege to reflect His character.

Jesus is our ultimate peace offering (Ephesians 2:14-16). Through His sacrifice, He restored our relationship with God. When we extend a peace offering of forgiveness to others, we honor Him and become agents of His peace in the world.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

​What would it look like in your life today to offer forgiveness as a “peace offering”—not because someone earned it, but as an act of worship to the God who first forgave you?