Forgiveness
“Release, remission, sending away”
Summary
The pardon or remission of sins, both Divine forgiveness of human transgressions and the duty of humans to forgive one another, central to Christ's teaching and the gospel message.
☩Nature of Forgiveness
Forgiveness is essentially the release from a debt or the restoration of a broken relationship. It is not mere remission of penalty but the establishment of a personal relation between sinful man and a righteously angry yet gracious God. When God forgives, He casts our sins 'as far as the east is from the west' and remembers them no more.
☩Christ's Teaching
Christ taught that forgiveness is a duty with no limit—not seven times but seventy times seven. An unforgiving spirit is one of the most heinous sins; the parable of the unmerciful servant shows that God will not forgive those who refuse to forgive others. The petition 'forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors' conditions Divine forgiveness on human forgiveness.
☩Grounds of Divine Forgiveness
God is faithful and righteous to forgive because of the propitiation Christ made. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses. The apostolic preaching emphasized that through Christ's name, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to all who believe.
☩Aspects of Forgiveness
There are multiple aspects to forgiveness: God's attitude toward the forgiven sinner, in which He ceases to impute guilt and extends favor; the release of the guilty one from sin's burden; and administrative forgiveness in the church when discipline leads to repentance. Governmental forgiveness relates to God's dealings in time, both His and among believers toward one another.
Related Verses54 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.James Hastings (ed.), "Forgiveness," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 2.James Hastings (ed.), "Forgiveness," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).
- 3.George Morrish, "Forgiveness," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).