forgiveness of sins essay

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The Christian and Repentance

Other essays.

True Christian repentance involves a heartfelt conviction of sin, a contrition over the offense to God, a turning away from the sinful way of life, and a turning towards a God-honoring way of life.

Genuine repentance is not simply a “rethinking” of one’s relationship to sin and God. Repentance must be first rooted in the realization of how sinful an action, emotion, belief, or way of life is. Then, one must be grieved by how offensive and grieving sin is to God, not simply afraid of God’s retribution for your sin. In other words, repentance must be rooted in a high value on God, not a high value on oneself. Only then can turning away from sin towards holiness truly be called repentance. The failure to repent is thus a form of idolatry. Refusal to repent is to elevate our own souls above God’s glory, but when one does repent, it leads to the forgiveness of sin, the removal of divine discipline, and the restoration of one’s experiential communion with God.

Biblical repentance is an easily misunderstood and misapplied concept that warrants close examination. Several texts clearly indicate that repentance, together with faith, is essential for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 11:18). In Acts 3:19 and 26:20, metanoeō (to repent) and epistrephō (to turn back; see Acts 26:18) “are placed side by side as equivalent terms, though in these cases the former may focus on the abandonment of evil and the latter on turning to God” (see the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis , 3:292). But our primary concern here is with repentance in the life of the born-again believer.

The Meaning of the Term

The principal mistake of many is basing their understanding of repentance on the root form of the Greek word. The Greek verb metanoeō (to repent) is built on the preposition meta (“with, after”) and the verb noeō (“to understand, to think”). The conclusion some then draw is that the only sense in which a Christian is required to repent is to change one’s mind or to rethink sin and one’s relationship with God. But the meaning of words is not determined in this way, but rather on usage and context. A change of mind or perspective is of no value if it isn’t accompanied by a change of direction, a change of life and action.

Genuine repentance begins, but by no means ends, with heartfelt conviction of sin. It begins with an unequivocal, heart-rending recognition of having defied God by embracing what he despises and hating, or at minimum, being indifferent towards, what he adores. Repentance, therefore, involves knowing in one’s heart: “This is wrong. I have sinned. God is grieved.” The antithesis of recognition is rationalization, the selfish attempt to justify one’s moral laxity by any number of appeals: “I’m a victim. If you knew what I’ve been through and how badly people have treated me, you’d grant me a little slack.”

David’s Repentance

True repentance, notes J. I. Packer, “only begins when one passes out of what the Bible sees as self-deception (cf. Jas. 1:22, 26; 1 John 1:8) and modern counselors call denial , into what the Bible calls conviction of sin (cf. John 16:8)” (see J.I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness , 123–24). To truly repent one must also confess the sin openly and honestly to the Lord. We see this in Psalm 32 where David describes his experience following his adultery with Bathsheba. When he finally responded to the conviction in his heart it resulted in confession with his mouth:

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit … I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Ps. 32:1–2, 5).

David uses three different words to describe his confession (32:5). He “acknowledged” his sin; he refused to “cover” his iniquity; and he was determined to “confess” his transgressions. Nothing is held back. There is no cutting of corners or moral compromise. He comes totally clean. David makes no excuses, offers no rationalizations, and refuses to shift blame (see Sam Storms, More Precious Than Gold: 50 Daily Meditations on the Psalms , 92–96.)

When one truly repents there is an awareness that the sin committed, whatever its nature, was ultimately against God alone. In Psalm 51:4 David declared, “Against you [God], you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” Although David took advantage of Bathsheba sexually, conspired to kill her husband Uriah, disgraced his own family, and betrayed the trust of the nation Israel, he saw his sin as preeminently against God alone. Says Perowne, “face to face with God, he sees nothing else, no one else, can think of nothing else, but His presence forgotten, His holiness outraged, His love scorned” (see J.J. Stewart Perowne, The Book of Psalms , 416). David is so broken that he has treated God with such disregard that he is blinded to all other aspects or objects of his behavior.

Although repentance is more than psychological catharsis, there is in it a true feeling or sense of remorse. If one is not genuinely offended by one’s sin, there is no repentance. Repentance is painful, but it is a sweet pain. It demands brokenness of heart (Ps. 51:17; Isa. 57:15) but always with a view to healing and restoration and a renewed vision of the beauty of Christ and forgiving grace.

Thus, repentance is more than a feeling. Emotion can be fleeting, whereas true repentance bears fruit. This points to the difference between “attrition” and “contrition.” Attrition is regret for sin prompted by a fear for oneself: “Oh, no. I got caught. What will happen to me?” Contrition , on the other hand, is regret for the offence against God’s love and pain for having grieved the Holy Spirit. In other words, it is possible to “repent” out of fear of reprisal, rather than from a hatred of sin.

Corinthian Repentance

Biblical repentance must also be distinguished from worldly or fleshly repentance. Nowhere is this difference more readily seen than in Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 7:8–12. Paul had written his “severe” letter to the Corinthians. It was “out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears” that he penned this obviously painful missive (2 Cor. 2:4). He evidently spoke forcefully and unequivocally about the nature of their sin and the need for repentance. In doing so, he ran the risk of alienating them and ending all hope for future fellowship. Whereas he initially regretted having to write it, he later rejoiced,

not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God (2 Cor. 7:8–12).

The letter stirred in them a grief or sorrow for sin that was “godly,” or more literally, “according to God” (7:9, 10, 11), by which he means that it was agreeable to the mind of God or that it was a sorrow prompted by the conviction that their sin had offended God, and not simply Paul. This he contrasts with “worldly grief” (7:10) that is evoked not because one has transgressed a glorious and holy God but simply because one got caught. Worldly grief is essentially self-pity for having been exposed and having lost stature, favor, or respect in the eyes of men. Godly grief occurs when one considers that the sin in question has dishonored God.

If the Corinthians had formerly been apathetic and lackluster in their response to the apostle, now they are earnest (7:11a) in their zeal to do what was right. If before they had denied their duplicity, this time they were eager “to clear” themselves (7:11b), not wanting their failures to reflect poorly on Christ and the gospel. Paul’s letter, through the Spirit, had set ablaze an “indignation” (7:11c) toward themselves for not defending Paul and for having permitted the situation to get so out of hand (and perhaps also against the wrongdoer for the way his actions constituted a brazen defiance of Paul’s authority). All told, it was initially an unpleasant experience for everyone concerned. But in the end, it yielded the harvest of repentance, restoration, and joy (see Sam Storms, A Sincere and Pure Devotion to Christ: 100 Daily Meditations on 2 Corinthians , 24–28).

In true repentance there must be repudiation of all sins in question and active practical steps taken to avoid anything that might provoke stumbling (cf. Acts 19:18–19). There must be a deliberate resolve to turn around and walk away from all hint or scent of sin (see Ps. 139:23; Rom. 13:14). If, in our so-called “repentance,” we do not abandon the environment in which our sin first emerged and in which, in all likelihood, it will continue to flourish, our repentance is suspect. There must be heart-felt reformation , which is to say, an overt determination to pursue purity, to do what pleases God (1 Thess. 1:9).

Why We Don’t Repent

There are any number of reasons why people find it difficult to repent. For example, Satan and the world system have led us to believe the lie that our value or worth as human beings is dependent on something other than what Christ has done for us and who we are in Christ by faith alone. If a person believes that other people hold the power to determine one’s value or worth, we will always be reluctant to reveal anything about our inner life that may cause their estimation of us to diminish.

Thus the failure to repent is a form of idolatry. Refusal to repent is to elevate our own souls above God’s glory. It is to place a higher value on the perceived comfort of secrecy than the glory and honor of God. It is to say, “My safety and standing in the community is of greater value than God’s name and fame. I don’t repent because I cherish my own image more than God’s.”

In sum, people don’t repent because they are preeminently committed to saving face. They fear exposure because they fear rejection, mockery, and exclusion. And these are fearful realities only to those who do not yet sufficiently grasp that they are accepted, cherished, valued, and included by Christ.

Why We Should Repent

One’s sincere pursuit and faithful embrace of repentance leads to the greatest blessing of all: forgiveness! Blessed is the man whose transgressions are “forgiven” (Ps. 32:1). David’s sin is like an oppressive weight from which he longs to be relieved. Forgiveness lifts the burden from his shoulders. Blessed is he whose sin is “covered” (32:1). It’s as if David says, “Oh, dear Father, what joy to know that if I will ‘uncover’ (32:5) my sin and not hide it, you will!” David doesn’t mean to suggest that his sin is merely concealed from view but somehow still present to condemn and defeat him. The point is that God sees it no more. He has covered it from all view. Finally, blessed is that man or woman, young or old, whose sin the Lord does not “impute” or “count” against them (32:2). No record is kept. God isn’t a spiritual scorekeeper to those who seek his pardoning favor.

Our reluctance to repent can often result in divine discipline. As David reflected on his sin and the season during which he kept silent, he portrays the impact of his transgression in physical terms:

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer (Ps. 32:3).

The problem wasn’t merely the sin he committed but the fact that he failed to repent. He kept quiet about his sin. He suppressed it. He shoved it deep down inside, thinking it gone for good. He ignored the tug on his heart. He denied the pain in his conscience. He numbed his soul to the persistent pangs of conviction.

Is David merely using physical symptoms to describe his spiritual anguish? Whereas that is possible, I suspect that David was feeling the brunt of his sin in his body as well. What we see here is a law of life in God’s world. If you bottle up sin in your soul, it will eventually leak out like acid and eat away at your bones. Unconfessed, unrepentant sin is like a festering sore. You can ignore it for a while, but not forever.

The physical effects of his spiritual choices are agonizingly explicit. There was dissipation : “my bones wasted away” (cf. Ps. 6:2). There was distress : “my groaning all day long.” And David was drained : “my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.” Like a plant withering under the torrid desert sun, so too was David dried up and drained out from suppressing his sin. In other words, he was quite literally sick because of his refusal to “come clean” with God. His body ached because his soul was in rebellion. Spiritual decisions often have physical consequences. God simply will not let his children sin with impunity. It was in fact God’s hand that lay heavily on David’s heart. To sin without feeling the sting of God’s disciplinary hand is the sign of illegitimacy.

Our experiential communion with Christ is always dependent on our sincere and heartfelt repentance from sin. We are altogether safe and secure in our eternal union with Christ, due wholly and solely to God’s glorious grace. But our capacity to enjoy the fruit of that union, our ability to feel, sense, and rest satisfied in all that is entailed by that saving union is greatly affected, either for good or ill, by our repentant response when the Holy Spirit awakens us to the ways that we have failed to honor and obey God’s revealed will in Scripture.

Our Lord’s Call to Repentance

On several occasions Jesus calls upon the seven churches in Asia Minor to repent. To the church in Pergamum Jesus declared: “Therefore repent” (Rev. 2:16a). And to the church in Sardis he said: “Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent” (Rev. 3:2). And to the church in Laodicea: “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent” (Rev. 3:19). Our Lord’s words to the church in Ephesus are especially helpful:

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent (Rev. 2:4–5).

The repentance to which Jesus calls the church involves ceasing from one kind of behavior and embracing another. Stop abandoning your first love and “do the works you did at first.” That is genuine repentance. To be quick to repent is not to acquiesce to a life dominated by the consciousness of sin. But we must be conscious of our sin precisely so that the forgiving, renewing, refreshing reality of God’s grace can control, energize and empower our daily living.

9:30am Contemporary Service 11:00am Traditional Service

Essay on Forgiveness by C.S. Lewis

By Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc. N.Y. 1960

We say a great many things in church (and out of church too) without thinking of what we are saying. For instance, we say in the Creed " I believe in the forgiveness of sins." I had been saying it for several years before I asked myself why it was in the Creed. At first sight it seems hardly worth putting in. "If one is a Christian," I thought " of course one believes in the forgiveness of sins. It goes without saying." But the people who compiled the Creed apparently thought that this was a part of our belief which we needed to be reminded of every time we went to church. And I have begun to see that, as far as I am concerned, they were right. To believe in the forgiveness of sins is not so easy as I thought. Real belief in it is the sort of thing that easily slips away if we don't keep on polishing it up.

We believe that God forgives us our sins; but also that He will not do so unless we forgive other people their sins against us. There is no doubt about the second part of this statement. It is in the Lord's Prayer, it was emphatically stated by our Lord. If you don't forgive you will not be forgiven. No exceptions to it. He doesn't say that we are to forgive other people's sins, provided they are not too frightful, or provided there are extenuating circumstances, or anything of that sort. We are to forgive them all, however spiteful, however mean, however often they are repeated. If we don't we shall be forgiven none of our own.

Now it seems to me that we often make a mistake both about God's forgiveness of our sins and about the forgiveness we are told to offer to other people's sins. Take it first about God's forgiveness, I find that when I think I am asking God to forgive me I am often in reality (unless I watch myself very carefully) asking Him to do something quite different. I am asking him not to forgive me but to excuse me. But there is all the difference in the world between forgiving and excusing. Forgiveness says, "Yes, you have done this thing, but I accept your apology; I will never hold it against you and everything between us two will be exactly as it was before." If one was not really to blame then there is nothing to forgive. In that sense forgiveness and excusing are almost opposites. Of course, in dozens of cases, either between God and man, or between one man and another, there may be a mixture of the two. Part of what at first seemed to be the sins turns out to be really nobody's fault and is excused; the bit that is left over is forgiven. If you had a perfect excuse, you would not need forgiveness; if the whole of your actions needs forgiveness, then there was no excuse for it. But the trouble is that what we call "asking God's forgiveness" very often really consists in asking God to accept our excuses. What leads us into this mistake is the fact that there usually is some amount of excuse, some "extenuating circumstances." We are so very anxious to point these things out to God (and to ourselves) that we are apt to forget the very important thing; that is, the bit left over, the bit which excuses don't cover, the bit which is inexcusable but not, thank God, unforgivable. And if we forget this, we shall go away imagining that we have repented and been forgiven when all that has really happened is that we have satisfied ourselves without own excuses. They may be very bad excuses; we are all too easily satisfied about ourselves.

There are two remedies for this danger. One is to remember that God knows all the real excuses very much better than we do. If there are real "extenuating circumstances" there is no fear that He will overlook them. Often He must know many excuses that we have never even thought of, and therefore humble souls will, after death, have the delightful surprise of discovering that on certain occasions they sinned much less than they thought. All the real excusing He will do. What we have got to take to Him is the inexcusable bit, the sin. We are only wasting our time talking about all the parts which can (we think) be excused. When you go to a Dr. you show him the bit of you that is wrong - say, a broken arm. It would be a mere waste of time to keep on explaining that your legs and throat and eyes are all right. You may be mistaken in thinking so, and anyway, if they are really right, the doctor will know that.

The second remedy is really and truly to believe in the forgiveness of sins. A great deal of our anxiety to make excuses comes from not really believing in it, from thinking that God will not take us to Himself again unless He is satisfied that some sort of case can be made out in our favor. But that is not forgiveness at all. Real forgiveness means looking steadily at the sin, the sin that is left over without any excuse, after all allowances have been made, and seeing it in all its horror, dirt, meanness, and malice, and nevertheless being wholly reconciled to the man who has done it.

When it comes to a question of our forgiving other people, it is partly the same and partly different. It is the same because, here also forgiving does not mean excusing. Many people seem to think it does. They think that if you ask them to forgive someone who has cheated or bullied them you are trying to make out that there was really no cheating or bullying. But if that were so, there would be nothing to forgive. (This doesn't mean that you must necessarily believe his next promise. It does mean that you must make every effort to kill every taste of resentment in your own heart - every wish to humiliate or hurt him or to pay him out.) The difference between this situation and the one in which you are asking God's forgiveness is this. In our own case we accept excuses too easily, in other people's we do not accept them easily enough. As regards my own sins it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are not really so good as I think; as regards other men's sins against me it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are better than I think. One must therefore begin by attending to everything which may show that the other man was not so much to blame as we thought. But even if he is absolutely fully to blame we still have to forgive him; and even if ninety-nine per cent of his apparent guilt can be explained away by really good excuses, the problem of forgiveness begins with the one per cent of guilt that is left over. To excuse, what can really produce good excuses is not Christian charity; it is only fairness. 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 our trespasses * as we forgive those that trespass against us." 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.

*Trespasses=offences, being offended or offending. (Notes are not authored to Mr. Lewis.)

The forgiveness of sins

The forgiveness of sins is an essential teaching in the Christian Church that seems to be confused quite often. Not only does Christ’s death on the cross cover all our sins; but, the application of the death of Christ to His people requires repentance.

Christ pardons the sins of His people not on the basic of anything they did but by His free grace. The Westminster Confession of Faith states this well.

Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth: not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins,and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness, by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God. Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 11 Of Justification Section 1

Repentance and Faith are gifts from God. When God gives His people repentance, they see themselves as sinners. Because they see themselves as sinners, they will forgive others. Forgiveness is an indispensable and necessary part of the Christian life. Those who forgive are forgiven. Those who do not forgive, cannot claim to be forgiven. Just because we are forgiven, it does not mean we do not pay for our sins in society.

“Pardon” and “Forgive” are the same thing

Forgiveness has several meanings. There are different words for forgiveness in the New Testament. All of which have the similar meaning or pardoning, forgiving, releasing from, setting free or discharging from sin.

The word “ pardon ” is used to mean complete forgiveness or to be set free from sin.

<630> ἀπολύω (apoluo) Meaning: to set free, release Origin: from 575 and 3089 <859> ἄφεσις, εως, ἡ (aphesis) Meaning: dismissal, release, fig. pardon Short Definition: deliverance, pardon, complete forgiveness Definition: a sending away, a letting go, a release, pardon, complete forgiveness.

When the word “ forgive ” is used, it is in the same sense as pardon. It means to be set free from and is purely from God’s favor.

<5483> χαρίζομαι (charizomai) Meaning: to show favor, give freely, forgive Origin: from 5485 <5485> χάρις, ιτος, ἡ (charis) Meaning: grace, kindness Short Definition: grace, favor, kindness Definition: (a) grace, as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ, (b) favor, (c) gratitude, thanks, (d) a favor, kindness. <5486> χάρισμα, ατος, τό (charisma) Meaning: a gift of grace, a free gift Short Definition: an undeserved favor Definition: a gift of grace, an undeserved favor.

“ Forgiven ” also can mean sending the sin away. It can also be used as “ to discharge .”

<863> ἀφίημι (aphiemi) Meaning: I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit Origin: from 575 and hiemi (to send)

God does not leave His people in their sin. He sent His Son to die for His peoples sin so they can have forgiveness. He forgives sins because that is a part of His nature.

God is a God of Forgiveness

God is a God of forgiveness. Humanity can still exist and not be completely destroyed from God’s sight because of His forgiveness.

. . . Thou art a God of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness; And Thou didst not forsake them. (Neh 9:17 NAS)

Only God can forgive sins. Christ Himself can forgive sins because He is God.

Only God can forgive Sins

The Pharisees called Jesus a blasphemer because He forgave peoples sins. They knew God was the only one who could forgive sins.

And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” But there were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your pallet and walk ‘? “But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins “– He said to the paralytic– “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” (Mar 2:5-11 NAS See also, Mat 9:1-7 ; Luk 5:21-24 )

Christ forgives sins and is only possible with God.

Forgiveness is only possible with God

Christ specifically taught that man could do nothing to save themselves. Forgiveness cannot be attained by keeping the Law, doing good works, or being successful in life.

And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking upon them Jesus said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Mat 19:24-26 NAS See also, Mar 10:22-27 ; Luk 18:25-27 )

Only because Christ died for our sins, can anyone have the forgiveness of sins.

Christ’s death on the cross forgave all sins

The death of Christ redeems the sinner and forgives the sinner fully and completely.

For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col 1:13-14 NAS)

The forgiveness of sins is only accomplished by Christ’s death on the cross. The penalty of sin according to the law, requires the transgressor of the law to be killed.

And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Heb 9:22 NAS)

The sinners death penalty was paid by Christ’s death on the cross. While we were dead in sin, Christ died for us, forgave us of our sin, and made us able to repent and believe in Him.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace (Eph 1:7 NAS) And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Col 2:13-14 NAS)

Christ’s sacrifice was one time and covered all sins present, past, and future.

Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. (Heb 10:18 NAS) “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered.” (Rom 4:7 NAS)

Christ’s death on the cross did not “ potentially ” forgive sins for people on condition of their following or accepting it. Christ’s death “ canceled out the certificate of debt ” so as to completely remove the penalty the sinner is required to pay.

For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself. (2Ti 2:10-13 NAS)

Those whose sins were placed on Christ will live with Christ.

Repentance and Forgiveness

The application of the salvation given to us by God is through Faith and Repentance. Repentance is an absolute necessity in the receiving of the forgiveness of sins. Repentance is defined as,

<3341> μετάνοια, ας, ἡ (metanoia) Meaning: change of mind, repentance

The object of repentance is Sin. The simplest definition of Sin is,

<266> ἁμάρτημα, ατος, τό (hamartia) Meaning: a missing the mark

Sin is the falling short of the glory of God.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom 3:23 NAS)

Repentance is the change of mind about ourselves. It’s acknowledging that we cannot change ourselves, remove our sin, or stop sinning. Repentance is a gift from God and cannot be faked or learned by studying. Repentance is “ granted ,” “ given, ” or “ bestowed upon ” God’s people.

He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. (Act 5:31 NAS) And when they heard this, they quieted down, and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.” (Act 11:18 NAS) with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, (2Ti 2:25 NAS)

Only those who have Faith or believe in God can receive forgiveness from God.

Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” (Act 10:43 NAS)

Christ did not come to save righteous people but sinners

Repentance is not an option. If you have no repentance you cannot have forgiveness.

“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Luk 15:7 NAS) It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. (1Ti 1:15 NAS) “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luk 5:32 NAS) And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “it is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mar 2:17 NAS)

Only the person who mourns over their sin, knows they are a sinner, and publicly admits that they are a sinner can have forgiveness. Luke stated this in his gospel account.

And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. “The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Luk 18:9-14 NAS)

If someone thinks they never sinned or that they are righteous on their own account, they will not receive forgiveness from God. Righteous people have no need of Christ dying for their sin, because, they do not believe they sinned. Those who are forgiven confess that they are sinners.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1John 1:8-10 NAS)

This does not mean confessing our sins saves us; but, the one who has forgiveness will confess their sins. The truth must be within the sinner in the first place in order for them to confess. Those who know they are sinners and that God forgave them will forgive others as well.

Forgive and you will be forgiven

Christ specifically stated that if we do not forgive we will not be forgiven.

“But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.” (Mar 11:26 NAS See also, Mat 6:12-15; Luk 6:37-38)

One reason we must forgive is because of thankfulness to God. While we did not deserve to be forgiven, He forgave us out of the kind intention of His will. Not forgiving others will only hurt us. Harboring unforgivingness in our heart will only cause God to inflict judgment upon us till we repent. Whom God loves He will certainly discipline (Mat 18:23-35).

For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.” (Heb 12:6 NAS)

To retain unforgiveness in the heart is only to our own hurt.

Forgiveness is a reaffirmation of love

Forgiveness is necessary to show love towards one another and to reaffirm our love to God and His people. We should forgive to uplift each other and to keep us from falling into deep sorrow and depression.

Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest somehow such a one be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end also I wrote that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. But whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, (2Co 2:6-10 NAS) And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Eph 4:32 NAS)

Who can receive forgiveness if God’s people have no forgiveness?

Forgiveness does not mean to forget or that there is no penalty

Forgiveness does not mean everybody should forget your sin or that you should not suffer a penalty for your sin. God wants us to remember where we failed so we can not only keep ourselves from doing it again; but, to teach others to avoid the same situations.

‘Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place– unless you repent. (Rev 2:5 NAS)

While we are sinners and forgiven by God, this does not mean when we sin we will not pay for it in this life. We are not to go making enemies or breaking laws as if there will be no consequence.

For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. (1Pe 3:17 NAS) Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. (1Pe 2:13-15 NAS) “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, in order that your opponent may not deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. (Mat 5:25 NAS)

If a person murders someone, don’t think they can tell the judge, “ Jesus forgave me of all my sins, so, you can’t put me in jail .” They will not escape the punishment of the court.

Nor will those who, after being put in prison for a crime and come to Christ in repentance, say, “ I am a Christian now, so, you can let me out of prison .” They will be no means be released for that reason.

The thief on the cross still died on the cross with Christ (Luk 23:39-43), even though he came to repentance before his death. As if the thief could say, “ I repented and will no longer commit crime, so, let me off this cross now .”

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Why is forgiving others important?

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Forgiveness is one of the most beautiful words in the human vocabulary and is best illustrated by God’s forgiveness of sin. When someone sins against us, they bear a terrible guilt. Likewise, when we refuse to forgive a wrong, we become part of the problem. When God’s people practice forgiveness , sweetness replaces harshness.

We cannot force another to have a spirit of forgiveness, but we can demonstrate it by how we react. It is not always possible to mend a broken relationship. Some people refuse to accept responsibility for what they have done, always blaming someone else for what happened. Be willing to go the extra mile in an effort to be reconciled with someone who has turned against you, and remember always to pray for them. Remember to treat others as you would like to be treated (Luke 6:31).

A marvelous example of this is revealed in the life of Joseph. His brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery. But as the Old Testament story unfolds in Genesis 50, we see that Joseph did not hold it against them. The Lord used Joseph to save his family, and even a whole nation. Because of Joseph’s demonstration of forgiveness, he was blessed of God. If we cannot find it in our hearts to forgive within our own family, we will never exhibit this attribute of Christ with others and know God’s blessings. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14).

Let’s always remember what Jesus said from the cross about those who were crucifying Him: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

God will forgive your sins. Ask Him today.

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Grace upon Grace: 1 John 1:8–9 and the Forgiveness of Sins

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This article first appeared in the C HRISTIAN R ESEARCH J OURNAL , volume 38, number 02 (2015). The full text of this article in PDF format can be obtained by clicking here. For further information or to subscribe to the C HRISTIAN R ESEARCH J OURNAL go to: http://www.equip.org/christian-research-journal/

Christians today are often tempted to shy away from the topic of sin. After all, nobody enjoys hearing that they are disobedient rebels who have offended a holy God in thought, word, and deed. It is no secret that speaking about the reality of sin does not fill arenas or land books on the New York Times Best Sellers List. There is, however, an often overlooked but nevertheless spiritually disastrous result in avoiding the topic of sin: missing the reality that only sinners need a savior. Without the bad news that sinners are condemned to hell, there can be no good news, no gospel, which declares that, in Christ, sinners are forgiven saints destined for heaven. If Christians avoid speaking about the malady of sin, we must inevitably avoid proclaiming the miracle of salvation and the very gospel itself.

Yet, in the Christian faith, there is no more important teaching than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Concerning this message, the apostle Paul wrote, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4). 1 Here, Paul noted that he delivered the gospel to his hearers as of “first importance.” 2 This gospel is not just one teaching among many others; rather, the gospel is the most important teaching in all of Christianity, the very heartbeat of the Christian faith standing at its core and center.

Sadly, despite the primacy of the gospel revealed in Scripture and the clarity with which the Bible speaks of the forgiveness of sins won by Christ, Christians have been unable to reach a consensus on this, the chief teaching of the faith. Even among evangelical Christians, who have many other issues in common, there is regrettable disagreement about the core question of the forgiveness of sins.

Perhaps no other text in the New Testament brings out such differences more clearly than 1 John 1:8–9: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteous- ness.” At face value, the text appears straightforward. As Christians, we are not without sin. We sin daily and therefore stand in daily need of forgiveness. Here, John records the comforting promise that because of Jesus, we have a gracious God who receives, forgives, and cleanses repentant, confessing sinners of their transgressions.

NO NEED TO CONFESS SINS?

Yet, it is precisely here where disagreements arise. A growing number of evangelical Christians deny that John’s words are to be taken as traditionally 3 understood in the sense noted above. Instead, some have maintained that sinners are forgiven once and for all time at the cross and that this forgiveness extends over all sins (past, present, and future) to the degree that there is no need to ask for forgiveness since it has already been given at the cross. The problem of sin, it is suggested, has been definitively dealt with at the cross, such that, beyond confession at conversion, Christians need not seek forgiveness for sins committed on a day-to-day basis. 4

The most vocal proponent of this view is Bob George, host of Classic Christianity Radio and president of Bob George Ministries. George explains his objection to the traditional understanding of 1 John 1:8–9 as follows: “If we believe we must continually confess our sins in order to be loved and forgiven by God, we are actually mocking God and telling Him that Christ’s work on our behalf was not sufficient. The damage caused by this belief is extensive. There are many who are in bondage to this ‘law’ that was created and perpetuated by man.” 5

Here, George argues that the traditional interpretation of 1 John 1:8–9 puts Christians under bondage to works. He believes that if Christians are directed to confess their sins (i.e., perform a work) in order to enjoy forgiveness, then believers are essentially placed under a yoke of slavery. George understands the traditional view as “mocking God” by asserting that a Christian must confess if he or she is to be forgiven. George sees this condition as placing an unbearable burden on Christians: the necessity of confessing every single sin. 6

Is 1 John Written to Believers or Unbelievers?

How, then, is 1 John 1:8–9 to be understood according to those who reject the traditional view? While the views vary depending on the individual teacher, a common thread is that the text refers to unbelievers and not to believers. George, for example, argues that the entire context of 1 John was written against a heretical move- ment infiltrating the church, and the text in question must therefore be interpreted as an invitation to unbelievers to turn from their error and embrace Jesus: “The purpose of the first chapter of 1 John was to compare the truth of God to the error of Gnosticism. John was addressing the Gnostics, who were deceived by their own teaching. He wanted the Gnostics to understand that what they believed conflicted with what God said. He was not, however, addressing believers.” 7

It is true that 1 John speaks against the false teachings of Gnosticism (i.e., the belief that, among other things, Jesus was not a real human being but instead an entity of pure spirit).8 John counters such claims at the outset of his letter by insisting that he not only saw and heard Jesus but also touched Him (1 John 1:1). He repeatedly warns his audience about this heresy throughout the remainder of the letter.

However, this does not mean that readers should take the epistle as being written to Gnostics or unbelievers. On the contrary, John repeatedly tells us who his audience is by referring to them as “dear children” (1 John 2:1, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21), “dear friends” (2:7; 3:2, 21; 4:1; 7; 11), and “brothers and sisters” (3:13). The apostle asserted that his intended recipients had an anointing from the Holy One (2:20), were children of God (3:1; 5:19), and had received the Holy Spirit (3:24; 4:4, 13). His audience was from God (4:6), had received eternal life (5:11–13), believed (5:13), had been enlightened by the Son of God (5:20), and were in Him who is true (5:20). Thus, while the letter does address the errors of Gnosticism, 1 John is clearly an epistle written to Christians warning them about false teachings.

GRACE OF CONTINUAL CONFESSION

The text lays out two decidedly different paths: a way of darkness and a way of light (1 John 1:5, 7)—a way of isolation and a way of fellowship (1:6). How are these two distinguished? “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1:8). This is, manifestly, the path of darkness and isolation. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1:9). This is, quite clearly, the path of light and fellowship on which believers walk.

That John uses the third person plural of “we” in both statements indicates (1) if John or his Christian readers were to say they had no sin, they would be walking in darkness and bereft of truth. (2) John, and his Christian readers, walking in light and truth, continually confess their sins and receive cleansing. The Greek makes the continual nature of this confession abundantly clear. The English verb translated “confess” in 1 John 1:9 is in the present iterative subjunctive in the Greek, 9 indicating continual action. The term “references a characteristic or common action of an enduring and defining kind by which one concedes ever and always that a matter is factual or true, with a focus on the admission of wrongdoing.” 10 Thus, commentators have translated the verb as “keep confessing our sins.” 11

Yet John does not present confession as a cruel taskmaster demanding an exacting enumeration of all sins. As the Psalmist reminds us, “If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand” (Ps. 130:3)? Instead, John encourages us to recognize and confess the ongoing present reality of our sin and the ongoing present reality of our forgiveness in Christ. In this, he simply echoes his Lord, who taught His apostles to pray, “Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us” (Luke 11:4). He confirms the teaching of his brother in ministry who wrote, “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord…If they have sinned, they will be forgiven” (James 5:14, 15).

The apostle presents no peculiar teaching in 1 John 1:9, least of all a manmade law perpetuated to enslave Christians to works of law. Confession of sin is presented not as a tyrannical assault on the conscience but rather as an opportunity for afflicted Christians who feel the weight of their sin to unload feelings of guilt while rejoicing in the forgiveness that Christ so richly lavishes on His people. Thus, John grounds the purification of believers not in the confession of sin itself, since no confession could possibly make satisfaction for sin or merit anything from God, but instead in the blood of Christ (1 John 1:7) and the faithfulness of God: “He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1:9).

Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation, beautifully summed up the attitude all Christians should have toward the confession of sins:

In short, unless God constantly forgives, we are lost. Thus this petition really means that God does not wish to regard our sins and punish us as we daily deserve but to deal graciously with us, to forgive as he has promised, and thus to grant us a joyful and cheerful conscience so that we may stand before him in prayer. For where the heart is not right with God and cannot generate such confidence, it will never dare to pray. But such a confident and joyful heart can never come except when one knows that his or her sins are forgiven. 12

Inasmuch as confession of sin becomes an opportunity to receive God’s gracious forgiveness, it likewise acts as the impetus for us to cling to Him in faith, trusting that eternal life, salvation, and the forgiveness of sins are surely our present possession because of the shed blood of the Son of God.

Steven Parks is an ordained pastor in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and a PhD candidate in theology at the University of Bristol in Bristol, England. He currently serves as assistant professor of theology at Concordia University in Irvine, California.

All Bible quotations are from the English Standard Version.
Lest we be tempted to think that the gospel was just the first thing Paul preached before he delivered a number of other equally important teachings, Paul utilized the Greek word prōtois, which literally means “foremost, most important, most prominent” (Fredrick W. Danker, ed., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature , 3rd ed. [Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2000], 893).
Hereafter I will describe this view as the “traditional” understanding of 1 John 1:8–9 because this is how the text was interpreted by the church fathers and the Protestant Reformers (see Thomas C. Oden and Gerald Bray, eds., Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament XI: James, 1–2 Peter, 1–3 John, Jude [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000], 171–73; Martin Luther, “Lectures on the First Epistle of St. John,” as found in Luther’s Works , ed. Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut T. Lehmann [Philadelphia: Fortress Press and St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1955–1986], 30:229–32; and John Calvin, “Commentaries on the First Epistle of John,” as found in Calvin’s Commentaries [Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999], XXII: 167–69).
This view should be distinguished from the Lutheran doctrine of objective justification, which, although it shares terminology in common with such perspectives, nevertheless differs markedly. See, e.g., Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics , vol. 2 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951), 347–51.
Bob George Ministries, “What about 1 John 1:9?” (Frisco, TX: 2014), accessed November 14, 2014, at http://bobgeorge.net/1-john-1-9/.
This view suggests a radical distinction between the old and new covenants as developed at length in Bob George, Classic Christianity: Life’s Too Short to Miss the Real Thing (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1989), 73–94.
Bob George Ministries, “What About 1 John 1:9?” accessed November 14, 2014, at http://bobgeorge.net/1-john-1-9/.
For a detailed treatment on the various forms of Gnosticism in history, see Justo L. González, A History of Christian Thought: From the Beginnings to the Council of Chalcedon , 2nd ed., vol. I (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1987), 126–37.
R. C. H. Lenski, Commentary on the New Testament: The Interpretation of The Epistles of St. Peter, St. John, and St. Jude (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1966), 392.
Bruce G. Schuchard, Concordia Commentary: 1–3 John (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2012), 114.
Lenski, Commentary on the New Testament , 392.
Martin Luther, Large Catechism, III.91–92, in The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church , ed. Robert Kolb and Timothy Wengert (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2000), 452–53.

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Reflections: THE NECESSITY OF FORGIVENESS

january 2007.

One of the persistent problems that everyone encounters in life is being offended by other people. The “other people” in question include strangers, co-workers, friends, and family. While many of these offenses are relatively minor irritants, others are deep, painful, and have a major impact on us. Regardless of the magnitude, in every case of offense, we are confronted with a critical issue: will we forgive the offender?

C.S. Lewis gives us helpful insight on forgiving others:

As regards my own sins it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are not really so good as I think; as regards other men’s sins against me it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are better than I think. One must therefore begin by attending to everything which may show that the other man was not so much to blame as we thought. But even if he is absolutely fully to blame we still have to forgive him; and even if ninety-nine percent of his apparent guilt can be explained away by really good excuses, the problem of forgiveness begins with the one percent of guilt which is left over. To excuse what can really produce good excuses is not Christian charity; it is only fairness. To be 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.” 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. 1

In comparison to sins like adultery, murder, theft, etc., unforgiveness might seem relatively minor. But Christ does not see it that way. Of all the serious sins he could have possibly mentioned in the Lord ’s Prayer, Jesus focused only on forgiveness (Matthew 6:12, 14-15). He knew that offenses come to each of us regularly, and that we are prone to rationalize and justify our unforgiveness of the offender. He also knew that when we do so, we erect a barrier of sin between us and God which blocks our own forgiveness, as well as our prayers and fellowship with him, and leads to backsliding. Unforgiveness is a spiritual abscess that poisons the soul, the only remedy for which is forgiveness, no matter how difficult.

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors…. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. MATTHEW 6:12, 14-15 (NIV)

1 C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996), pp. 135-136.

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The Liberating Power of Forgiveness

Devotional by John Piper

“Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48)

A woman comes to Jesus in a Pharisee’s house weeping and washing his feet. No doubt she felt shame as the eyes of Simon communicated to everyone present that this woman was a sinner and that Jesus had no business letting her touch him.

Indeed, she was a sinner. There was a place for true shame. But not for too long.

Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). And when the guests murmured about this, he strengthened her faith by saying, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (Luke 7:50).

How did Jesus help her battle the crippling effects of shame? He gave her a promise: “Your sins have been forgiven! Your faith has saved you. Your future will be one of peace.” He declared that past pardon would now yield future peace.

So, the issue for her was faith in God’s future grace, rooted in the authority of Jesus’s forgiving work and freeing word. That is the way every one of us must battle the effects of well-placed shame — not false shame, but shame that we really should feel, but shame that threatens to linger too long and cripple us.

We must battle the unbelief of crippling shame by taking hold of the promises of future grace and peace that come through the forgiveness of our shameful acts.

“With you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (Psalm 130:4)

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6–7)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)

All of us need forgiveness. And we will need it tomorrow. Jesus died to provide it today and tomorrow. Today or tomorrow the reality is this: God’s forgiveness liberates us for our future. It frees us from crippling shame. Forgiveness is full of future grace.

When we live by faith in future grace, rooted in God’s forgiveness, we are freed from the lingering, paralyzing effects even of the shame we deserve to feel. That’s what forgiveness means.

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The Forgiveness of Sins

“Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love” (v. 18).

Question and answer 56 of the Heidelberg Catechism continue the catechism’s exposition of the Apostles’ Creed by focusing on the creedal statement that Christians believe in “the forgiveness of sins.” Interestingly, belief in divine forgiveness is confessed in the section of the creed that deals with the Holy Spirit. The writers of the Apostles’ Creed could have placed it under the creed’s section on the Father or the Son. After all, though we may petition any of the persons of the Trinity for forgiveness, Scripture directs us to make our requests for pardon primarily to the Father (Matt. 6:9–13). Moreover, we are forgiven based on the work of the Son (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13–14). Still, the Holy Spirit must regenerate us before we will acknowledge our need of forgiveness and seek God’s pardon in Christ (John 3:5). So, in our subjective experience, the Spirit makes the first move necessary for us to receive divine forgiveness. Thus, it is good and proper for the Apostles’ Creed to discuss forgiveness when setting forth the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

To help us understand divine forgiveness, the Heidelberg Catechism turns to today’s passage, wherein the prophet Micah marvels at the greatness of God’s pardon. Micah 7:18 emphasizes the uniqueness of the Lord’s forgiveness, revealing that no other deity can offer the same kind of pardon that the one true God — the covenant Lord of Israel — offers to His people. In light of the entire Bible, God’s forgiveness is incomparable because He forgives us in Christ Jesus without compromising His holy justice (Rom. 3:21–26). Only the God of Scripture is both just and Justifier. The other gods of this world, who are no gods at all but demons masquerading as gods (Deut. 32:17; 1 Cor. 8:4–6; 10:20), compromise their self-proclaimed righteousness when they “forgive” because they do not demand true atonement for sin.

Micah 7:19 shows us that God casts our sins into the depths of the sea when He forgives us. He puts them so far out of His sight that He never sees them again. Of course, the Lord does not actually forget our sins. If we remember the sins committed against us, how can the omniscient Lord not recall our transgressions of His law? Micah only means that God no longer holds our sins against us when He forgives us. He never again counts them against our standing before Him.

Those whom God forgives are forgiven indeed. He does not actually forget what we have done, but He no longer holds our wickedness against us when we trust in Christ. Through the blood of Christ, He sees us as righteous and acceptable in His sight, and He will not take this status from us. We find it hard not to hold the sins of others against them, but the Lord readily and easily refuses to hold our sins against us if we are in Christ.

For Further Study

The body of christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12–31

The Struggle With Sin

Romans 7:13–25

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Jesuit School of Theology

The lamb of god and the forgiveness of sin(s) in the fourth gospel.

Sandra Marie Schneiders , Jesuit School of Theology/Graduate Theological Union Follow

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The article presents a speech by Sandra M. Schneiders of the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, delivered at the 73rd International Meeting of the Catholic Biblical Association of America, which was held at the Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, July 31-August 3, 2010, in which she discussed the violence issue and the role of Christian Scripture in alleviating such dilemma, the Messiahship of Jesus Christ, and God's salvific plan to mankind.

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Schneiders, Sandra Marie “The Lamb of God and the Forgiveness of Sin(s) in the Fourth Gospel.” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 73/1 (January 2011): 1-29.

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40 Powerful Bible Scriptures on Forgiveness of Sin

Here are the 40 most powerful Bible scriptures on forgiveness of sin.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Colossians 3:13 Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.

Mark 11:25 “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

1 John 2:12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Acts 10:43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Acts 13:38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Hebrews 10:17 Then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Hebrews 9:22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord: “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

Isaiah 43:25 “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”

Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Luke 3:3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Matthew 26:28 “For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Matthew 6:15 “But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Proverbs 17:9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Psalm 130:4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Romans 12:20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

More Bible Verses that Will Move You 50 Most Powerful Scriptures on Faith 60 Transcendent Verses on Trust 50 Strong Scriptures on Perseverance 68 Powerful Verses on Forgiveness 40 Uplifting Scriptures on Patience

What Is Forgiveness According to the Bible?

The Bible teaches two types of forgiveness.

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B.S., English Literature, Illinois State University

What is forgiveness? Is there a definition of forgiveness in the Bible? Does biblical forgiveness mean believers are considered clean by God? And what should our attitude be toward others who have hurt us?

Two types of forgiveness appear in the Bible: God's pardon of our sins and our obligation to pardon others. This subject is so important that our eternal destiny depends on it.

Forgiveness Definition

Forgiveness, according to the Bible, is correctly understood as God's promise not to count our sins against us.
Biblical forgiveness requires repentance on our part (turning away from our old life of sin) and faith in Jesus Christ.
One condition for receiving forgiveness from God is our willingness to forgive other people.
Human forgiveness is a reflection of our experience and understanding of God's forgiveness.
Love (not obligatory rule-following) is the motivation behind God's forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of others.

What Is Forgiveness by God?

Humankind has a sinful nature. Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden , and humans have been sinning against God ever since.

God loves us too much to let us destroy ourselves in Hell . He provided a way for us to be forgiven, and that way is through Jesus Christ . Jesus confirmed that in no uncertain terms when he said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6, NIV). God's plan of salvation was to send Jesus, his only Son, into the world as a sacrifice for our sins.

That sacrifice was necessary to satisfy God's justice. Moreover, that sacrifice had to be perfect and spotless. Because of our sinful nature, we cannot repair our broken relationship with God on our own. Only Jesus was qualified to do that for us.

At the Last Supper , on the night before his crucifixion , he took a cup of wine and told his apostles , "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28, NIV).

The next day, Jesus died on the cross , taking the punishment due to us, and atoning for our sins. On the third day after that, he rose from the dead , conquering death for all who believe in him as Savior.

John the Baptist and Jesus commanded that we repent, or turn away from our sins to receive God's forgiveness. When we do, our sins are forgiven, and we are assured of eternal life in heaven.

What Is Forgiveness of Others?

As believers, our relationship with God is restored, but what about our relationship with our fellow human beings? The Bible states that when someone hurts us, we are under an obligation to God to forgive that person. Jesus is very clear on this point:

Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NIV)

Refusing to forgive is a sin. If we receive forgiveness from God, we must give it to others who hurt us. We cannot hold grudges or seek revenge. We are to trust God for justice and forgive the person who offended us. That does not mean we must forget the offense, however; usually, that's beyond our power. Forgiveness means releasing the other from blame, leaving the event in God's hands, and moving on.

We may resume a relationship with the person if we had one, or we may not if one did not exist before. Certainly, the victim of a crime has no obligation to become friends with the criminal. We leave it to the courts and to God to judge them.

Nothing compares to the freedom we feel when we learn to forgive others. When we choose not to forgive, we become slaves to bitterness. We are the ones most hurt by holding on to unforgiveness.

In his book, "Forgive and Forget", Lewis Smedes wrote these profound words about forgiveness:

"When you release the wrongdoer from the wrong, you cut a malignant tumor out of your inner life. You set a prisoner free, but you discover that the real prisoner was yourself."

Summing Up Forgiveness

What is forgiveness? The entire Bible points to Jesus Christ and his divine mission to save us from our sins.

The apostle Peter summed up forgiveness like this:

Acts 10:39-43 Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. (NIV)

Paul summarized forgiveness like so:

Ephesians 1:7–8 He [God] is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. (NLT)

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (NLT)

John the Apostle said:

1 John 1:9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (NLT)

Jesus taught us to pray:

Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (NIV)

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St. John One: One

John 1:1 in the beginning was the word, and the word was with god, and the word was god., forgiveness/ from mere christianity by c.s. lewis.

C.S. Lewis , Christianty , Forgiveness
Christian forgiveness , Christianity , CS Lewis , God , Jesus
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From Mere Christianity

C.S. Lewis 1898 -1963

I said in a previous chapter that chastity was the most unpopular of the Christian virtues. But I am not sure I was right. I believe there is one even more unpopular. It is laid down in the Christian rule, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’ Because in Christian morals ‘thy neighbour’ includes ‘thy enemy’, and so we come up against this terrible duty of forgiving our enemies.

Every one says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive, as we had during the war. And then, to mention the subject at all is to be greeted with howls of anger. It is not that people think this too high and difficult a virtue: it is that they think it hateful and contemptible. ‘That sort of talk makes them sick,’ they say. And half of you already want to ask me, ‘I wonder how you’d feel about forgiving the Gestapo if you were a Pole or a Jew?’

So do I. I wonder very much. Just as when Christianity tells me that I must not deny my religion even to save myself from death by torture, I wonder very much what I should do when it came to the point. I am not trying to tell you in this book what I could do— I can do precious little— I am telling you what Christianity is. I did not invent it. And there, right in the middle of it, I find ‘Forgive us our sins as we forgive those that sin against us.’ There is no slightest suggestion that we are offered forgiveness on any other terms. It is made perfectly clear that if we do not forgive we shall not be forgiven. There are no two ways about it. What are we to do?

It is going to be hard enough, anyway, but I think there are two things we can do to make it easier. When you start mathematics you do not begin with the calculus; you begin with simple addition. In the same way, if we really want (but all depends on really wanting) to learn how to forgive, perhaps we had better start with something easier than the Gestapo. One might start with forgiving one’s husband or wife, or parents or children, or the nearest N.C.O., for something they have done or said in the last week. That will probably keep us busy for the moment. And secondly, we might try to understand exactly what loving your neighbour as yourself means. I have to love him as I love myself. Well, how exactly do I love myself?

Now that I come to think of it, I have not exactly got a feeling of fondness or affection for myself, and I do not even always enjoy my own society. So apparently ‘Love your neighbour’ does not mean ‘feel fond of him’ or ‘find him attractive’. I ought to have seen that before, because, of course, you cannot feel fond of a person by trying. Do I think well of myself, think myself a nice chap? Well, I am afraid I sometimes do (and those are, no doubt, my worst moments) but that is not why I love myself. In fact it is the other way round: my self-love makes me think myself nice, but thinking myself nice is not why I love myself.

So loving my enemies does not apparently mean thinking them nice either. That is an enormous relief. For a good many people imagine that forgiving your enemies means making out that they are really not such bad fellows after all, when it is quite plain that they are. Go a step further. In my most clear-sighted moments not only do I not think myself a nice man, but I know that I am a very nasty one. I can look at some of the things I have done with horror and loathing. So apparently I am allowed to loathe and hate some of the things my enemies do. Now that I come to think of it, I remember Christian teachers telling me long ago that I must hate a bad man’s actions, but not hate the bad man: or, as they would say, hate the sin but not the sinner. For a long time I used to think this a silly, straw-splitting distinction: how could you hate what a man did and not hate the man? But years later it occurred to me that there was one man to whom I had been doing this all my life— namely myself. However much I might dislike my own cowardice or conceit or greed, I went on loving myself. There had never been the slightest difficulty about it. In fact the very reason why I hated the things was that I loved the man. Just because I loved myself, I was sorry to find that I was the sort of man who did those things. Consequently, Christianity does not want us to reduce by one atom the hatred we feel for cruelty and treachery. We ought to hate them. Not one word of what we have said about them needs to be unsaid. But it does want us to hate them in the same way in which we hate things in ourselves: being sorry that the man should have done such things, and hoping , if it is anyway possible, that somehow, sometime , somewhere he can be cured and made human again.

The real test is this. Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one’s first feeling, ‘Thank God, even they aren’t quite so bad as that,’ or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies as bad as possible? If it is the second then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally, we shall insist on seeing everything— God and our friends and ourselves included— as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred.

Now a step further. Does loving your enemy mean not punishing him? No, for loving myself does not mean that I ought not to subject myself to punishment— even to death. If you had committed a murder, the right Christian thing to do would be to give yourself up to the police and be hanged. It is, therefore, in my opinion, perfectly right for a Christian judge to sentence a man to death or a Christian soldier to kill an enemy. I always have thought so, ever since I became a Christian, and long before the war, and I still think so now that we are at peace. It is no good quoting ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ There are two Greek words: the ordinary word to kill and the word to murder. And when Christ quotes that commandment He uses the murder one in all three accounts, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And I am told there is the same distinction in Hebrew. All killing is not murder any more than all sexual intercourse is adultery. When soldiers came to St John the Baptist asking what to do, he never remotely suggested that they ought to leave the army: nor did Christ when He met a Roman sergeant-major— what they called a centurion. The idea of the knight— the Christian in arms for the defence of a good cause—is one of the great Christian ideas. War is a dreadful thing, and I can respect an honest pacifist, though I think he is entirely mistaken. What I cannot understand is this sort of semi-pacifism you get nowadays which gives people the idea that though you have to fight, you ought to do it with a long face and as if you were ashamed of it. It is that feeling that robs lots of magnificent young Christians in the Services of something they have a right to, something which is the natural accompaniment of courage— a kind of gaiety and wholeheartedness.

I have often thought to myself how it would have been if, when I served in the First World War, I and some young German had killed each other simultaneously and found ourselves together a moment after death. I cannot imagine that either of us would have felt any resentment or even any embarrassment. I think we might have laughed over it.

I imagine somebody will say, ‘Well, if one is allowed to condemn the enemy’s acts, and punish him, and kill him, what difference is left between Christian morality and the ordinary view?’ All the difference in the world. Remember, we Christians think man lives for ever. Therefore, what really matters is those little marks or twists on the central , inside part of the soul which are going to turn it, in the long run, into a heavenly or a hellish creature. We may kill if necessary, but we must not hate and enjoy hating. We may punish if necessary, but we must not enjoy it. In other words, something inside us, the feeling of resentment, the feeling that wants to get one’s own back, must be simply killed. I do not mean that anyone can decide this moment that he will never feel it any more. That is not how things happen . I mean that every time it bobs its head up, day after day, year after year, all our lives long, we must hit it on the head. It is hard work, but the attempt is not impossible. Even while we kill and punish we must try to feel about the enemy as we feel about ourselves— to wish that he were not bad, to hope that he may, in this world or another , be cured: in fact, to wish his good. That is what is meant in the Bible by loving him: wishing his good, not feeling fond of him nor saying he is nice when he is not.

I admit that this means loving people who have nothing lovable about them. But then, has oneself anything lovable about it? You love it simply because it is yourself. God intends us to love all selves in the same way and for the same reason: but He has given us the sum ready worked out in our own case to show us how it works. We have then to go on and apply the rule to all the other selves. Perhaps it makes it easier if we remember that that is how He loves us. Not for any nice, attractive qualities we think we have, but just because we are the things called selves. For really there is nothing else in us to love: creatures like us who actually find hatred such a pleasure that to give it up is like giving up beer or tobacco…

Lewis, C. S. (2009-05-28). Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis Signature Classics) ((pp. 115-120). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

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Forgiveness

Transformation in love, monastic wisdom, for everyday living.

Br. David Vryhof invites us to the challenging, essential practice of forgiveness.

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FORGIVENESS

Transformation in love.

Forgiveness is essential to healthy human relationships. The French Jesuit and theologian, François Varillon, once said, “People cannot live together unless they forgive each other just for being who they are.” We all need to forgive and be forgiven, over and over again, if our life together is to be life-giving, and if we are to be the agents of healing and reconciliation in the world that Christ calls us to be.

Sometimes it is easy to forgive. We find no difficulty in setting aside the incident and moving on. But at other times we may find it extremely difficult to forgive the one who has hurt us. We may believe that we should forgive; we may even want to forgive. But we recognize that our heart is so full of anger and pain that we cannot yet say, “I forgive you,” and mean it. A declaration of forgiveness at this point would be dishonest and premature. In circumstances like these, we can at least set ourselves on a path towards forgiveness, recognizing that arriving at forgiveness is a desirable and necessary goal, not only because we are commanded to forgive one another “seventy times seven,” but also because forgiveness will rid our hearts of the toxic presence of resentment, anger, and bitterness.

In this article, I hope to raise some questions that one who is on the path towards forgiveness may want to consider. Hopefully, honest engagement with these questions will enhance and facilitate the process of healing so that we may arrive at our destination (actual forgiveness) as soon as possible, recognizing that the time required will vary, depending on the depth of the wound.

People cannot live together unless they forgive each other just for being who they are. —François Varillon

Before we set out on the path towards forgiveness, we must be convinced of the worthiness of our goal.

We might first reflect on the costs of withholding forgiveness. Without forgiveness, the hurt we have experienced is perpetuated and passed on to others. Anger, bitterness, and resentment take root in our hearts and gradually change us from within. We stay mired in the past and lose our ability to be present in the moment and to be hopeful about the future. We may become bitter and cynical, or we may be tempted to seek revenge, which will lock us into a cycle of violence that will bring on a whole series of disappointments and misfortunes. Withholding forgiveness is not a healthy option.

We might also reflect on the benefits of forgiving. Forgiveness is essential to our spiritual well-being; it is the necessary outcome of loving one another as God has loved us. “Forgive us our sins,” we pray, “as we forgive those who sin against us.” Jesus commands us to forgive, repeatedly, just as we have been forgiven. Forgiveness heals the brokenness of our hearts and sets us free; it enables us to cultivate a loving heart towards others. It will afford us a clear conscience and bring us peace. There is every reason to set out on this path.

It is important at the outset to rule out the possibility of taking revenge. (As Mahatma Gandhi – and Jesus – taught us, “Violence begets violence.”) Even if we feel that revenge is justified, in the end it will lead only to further misery and guilt, and will deepen our resentment, hostility, and anger. We do best to avoid it at all costs.

It is also important at the outset to put a stop to the offensive actions of another, which is not at all like taking revenge. As long as the offensive behavior continues, there can be no possibility of forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean giving up our rights or cowering before the offender. Putting an end to the offensive behavior may mean confronting the person, or seeking outside assistance, or even appealing to the justice system. But these hurtful actions must stop.

What relationships or situations in your life are calling out for forgiveness?
What is the cost of letting the situation continue as it is?
What benefits can you foresee from addressing the situation?

“When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.” – Catherine Ponder

We will run the risk of never being able to offer real forgiveness unless we admit the hurt we have experienced at the hands of the offender. Denying the offense or simply trying to forget it will short-circuit the process of forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean excusing the offender or absolving him or her of all moral responsibility, nor does it mean simply ‘leaving it to God’ (God does not do what is up to us to do; forgiveness depends as much on human as on divine actions). Examining the painful incident honestly is a critical first step towards healing.

We may find it helpful to share our pain with someone who is discrete and trustworthy, and who will not judge us or minimize our pain or overwhelm us with advice. It can add to our suffering if we feel that we are carrying the burden alone. Telling someone also allows us to name and relive the painful event calmly and in a safe environment. When we do this, the pain becomes less threatening and more bearable. The unconditional acceptance of the other person allows us to treat ourselves with compassion.

Examining the effects of the painful incident will help us grieve our losses and move towards genuine forgiveness. We might try to describe what has been damaged or lost (our self-esteem, our reputation, our self-confidence, our integrity, our faith in others, our ideals, our material goods or health or social image, the ability to trust someone with our secrets, admiration for a person we have loved, and so on). Recognizing these wounds is healthy and helpful, whereas taking on the label of “victim” is unhealthy and unhelpful. By labeling ourselves as victims, we lock ourselves into an unhelpful role, which makes forgiveness difficult or impossible.

While it is important to own our own responsibility in the matter (e.g. in the breakdown of a relationship), it is just as important to realize that we are not the only one responsible for the painful event or offense.

If we recognize the presence of anger, it is best if we try to express and release it in the most constructive way possible. Anger is a legitimate emotional response to the hurtful actions or words of an offender, but we must be careful to keep it from taking root and growing into resentment or bitterness. Repressed anger hinders our ability to find joy in relationships; it reveals itself in negative behaviors such as blaming, nagging, cynicism, hostility, or sulking.

Name the offense you wish to forgive, as specifically as you can.
Can you describe its effects on you? What emotions do you feel now as you recall it?

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” – Lewis B. Smedes

We will find it easier to forgive those who hurt us if they recognize their fault, express their regret, and decide never to repeat the offense again. We can go to the offender (either by ourselves or in the company of another), objectively describe the pain we have experienced (“When you did this, I felt this”), and see if these conditions are met, but the fact is they may not be met. The offender may not be willing to admit that their actions or words were hurtful, or may not want to talk about the incident or the breakdown of the relationship.

The unwillingness of an offender to accept responsibility or to express regret does not prevent us from moving towards our destination of forgiveness. Forgiveness involves a change of heart that is not dependent on the attitudes or actions of the offender; it is an internal process. If we claim that we cannot forgive the other because they have not owned their part in the matter or expressed appropriate regret, we give them power over us by letting them block our path to wholeness and healing.

Do you wish to confront the person who has injured you? What do you expect would happen if you did?

Forgiving Ourselves

People in distress often tend to blame themselves. They may despise themselves for having contributed to the painful event or for having failed to prevent it. They may feel humiliated or overwhelmed by shame and guilt because their shortcomings have been exposed. They may even continue to persecute themselves after the offense is over (“I should have…I was so stupid…I always do this…” are ways of blaming ourselves and further undermining our self-esteem).

If we recognize these critical voices within ourselves, we can challenge them and offer ourselves the balm of kindness and compassion. We will need to forgive ourselves before we can effectively forgive the other.

Can you offer forgiveness to yourself? What words could you say to yourself to help heal this wound?

Understanding the Other

We can only take this step when we have stopped being preoccupied with our own pain. If that is not the case, we should return to the earlier steps of resolving to set out on the path towards forgiveness, naming the offense and describing its effect on us, sharing our pain with another, and forgiving ourselves. Only then will we be ready to change our perception of the person who has hurt us.

When we have been hurt, we are often inclined to see our offender in the most negative light – as loathsome, deceitful, unfaithful, harmful, irresponsible, etc. When we view the offender in this way, we stop seeing him as a person who can change and bind him to this painful event forever. We may then lose sight of our own weaknesses and flaws and assign all the blame to the other person. Needless to say, this will limit our ability to forgive.

Understanding those who have offended us does not mean excusing them or exempting them from blame. It is instead an effort to see them in a clearer light, to recognize that they are a mystery to us that can never be fully fathomed, and to appreciate some of the factors that may have caused them to act or speak the way they did. If we can put ourselves in their place, we may be able to begin to understand the motives behind their actions and discover within ourselves a measure of sympathy for them that will allow us to move closer to forgiveness. Of course, we will never reach a complete understanding. In the end we will have to entrust these persons to God, who alone can penetrate the mystery of their hearts.

What do you know about the person who wronged you, or about the circumstances, that might help you better understand their hurtful words or actions?
If you cannot understand this person, can you entrust them to God?

“When a deep injury is done us, we will never recover until we forgive.” – Alan Paton

Even in the most difficult circumstances of our lives, we can often recognize the grace of God at work. God’s work is to bring life out of death, joy out of sorrow, healing out of pain, and hope out of defeat. At this place on the path towards forgiveness, we might be able to imagine what we could learn or how we could grow from this painful experience. We may be able to discover a positive outcome (or potential outcome) that will allow us to recall the event(s) in a more hopeful way. Perhaps we can say, “I’ve learned to say ‘no’ when my values are being compromised” or “I now have more compassion for others who are in a similar situation” or “I’ve developed some practical ways to respond if this comes up again.”

At this point we may be able to imagine a brighter future. The pain surrounding the offense no longer seems all-consuming because our perspective has changed. We may still bear the scars of the offense, but they are no longer raw, gaping wounds. They are not as sensitive or painful to the touch as they once were.

A Gift, not an Obligation

If I imagine forgiving my offender as an obligation placed upon me by a rigid or demanding God (a God, perhaps, who waits to forgive me until I have forgiven others), I will find it difficult to forgive others freely and generously. But if I have known and accepted forgiveness from God as an unmerited gift springing from God’s generosity and love, I may well find within myself the same generous capacity to forgive the one who has hurt me. “We love because he first loved us,” writes the author of 1 John, and so we might also say, “We forgive because he first forgave us.” In Luke 7, Jesus praises a woman who is able to love much because she has been forgiven much, and this serves as a reminder to us that we, too, have been graciously forgiven our offenses.

If we have known the God who (like the father in Luke 15:11-24) runs down the road to meet us and embrace us when we have come straggling home, soiled with sin and guilt; then we may be able to find within ourselves the same capacity for generosity, compassion and forgiveness towards those who have wronged us. But if we have not yet discovered this extravagant loving forgiveness of God in our own lives, we may (like the unforgiving creditor in Matthew 18:23-35) find it difficult to extend mercy toward those who have offended or hurt us.

Forgiveness is a gift of love which we receive from God, and can then pass on to others.

When and how have you received the gift of forgiveness in your life?
Can your knowledge of the extravagant loving forgiveness of God feed your forgiveness of others?

“There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.” – Bryant H. McGill

We may find ourselves pausing at the threshold of forgiveness because we wrongfully assume that forgiveness necessarily leads to reconciliation, and we are reluctant to open ourselves to further abuse. But forgiveness is not synonymous with reconciliation. Although reconciliation may be the normal and desirable outcome of forgiveness, we should not imagine that it implies a return to the way things were before the offense. When a serious offense has occurred it is impossible to resume the former relationship because it has been forever changed. At most we can try to re-imagine it or give it some other form. But we must not assume that, in every case, forgiveness will lead to reconciliation. In many cases, it would be foolhardy or even dangerous to resume the relationship.

Forgiveness is possible even when reconciliation is not. Granting forgiveness helps us to recover our inner peace and freedom, it releases us from the burdens of resentment and the desire for revenge, and it restores our self-esteem. It can help us to understand and accept the person who has hurt us, discover positive benefits in the situation, and enable us to wish them well. Our ability to forgive may even lead the offender to a change of heart.

Granting forgiveness does not magically resolve the difficulties in a relationship; nor does it guarantee that the offender will not repeat the offending actions. But it can prove beneficial to us and further our growth and transformation in love. It is also the essence of the new community which Christ has called into being, as Paul reminds the Colossian Christians:

“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…and be thankful.” (Col. 3:12-15)

“You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well.” – Lewis B. Smedes

About br. david vryhof.

Very helpful brother David, thanks so much

Thank you Br. David Vryhof for this very inspiring reflection. Stay safe Br. David and an abundance of special touches of Jesus and Mary’s love upon you always.

Wonderful reflection indeed. It is so enriching and appealing . Be blessed Br. David Vryhof

Forgiveness in the Old Testament: The Purpose, Effect, and Limitation of the Sin Offering

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66 Forgiveness Essay: Examples, Titles, & Thesis Statement

A forgiveness essay is an exciting yet challenging task. In our article, you can find good forgiveness essay examples in literature, history, religion, and other spheres

📝 Writing a Forgiveness Theme Statement

🏆 best forgiveness essay examples, 🔍 simple forgiveness titles for essay, 💡 interesting forgiveness essay examples.

In your forgiveness essay, focus on different aspects of forgiveness. Some good forgiveness titles for the essay reveal themes of revenge, justice, and personal forgiveness. You can write an excellent reflective or argumentative essay on forgiveness – it is a versatile topic.

Regardless of your forgiveness essay’s specific topic and type, you should develop a strong thesis statement. Below we will provide recommendations on making a good forgiveness theme statement. This will help you come up with a solid base and arguments to prove your position.

Check these tips to make a powerful forgiveness thesis statemen:

Determine the primary idea. What are you trying to prove? Can anything be forgiven, or are there cases when it’s not possible? Introduce your one main idea and the angle from which you will look at it. You can also include some facts or opinions about the acuteness of the topic.
Work out your argumentation. It is crucial to have a firm structure in your forgiveness essay. You need to support the thesis statement with several arguments and evidence to demonstrate the consistency of your paper.
Think of the opposing views. Every argument has a counterargument. When working on your forgiveness theme statement, always keep an opposite thesis statement in mind. Having considered counter positions, you gain additional arguments for your position.
Don’t quote others in your thesis statement. A thesis statement is the first and foremost chance to introduce your point of view. Use your own strongest words to reach a reader. This is where they get the first impression about the whole work.

We also have lots of other tips on developing A+ thesis statements. Check our free thesis statement generator to discover more information and get a perfect forgiveness theme statement.

Forgiveness and Reconciliation Critique Availability of literature; as stated in the literature though the area of forgiveness is new in the field of psychology, but there is enough literature to cover the study.
Hamlet and Forgiveness: A Personal Reflection Some of the most prominent themes in the story are the ideas of mutual forgiveness, people’s motivation to be proactive and take risks, and their willingness to forgive and ask for forgiveness.
Philosophy of Forgiveness I believe that if anyone had gone through all the pain and horror that Simon had, and was asked to forgive Karl, the instinct, and most humane reaction at that moment would be to strongly […]
Divine and Human Forgiveness in “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” By Samuel Taylor Coleridge After killing the albatross who was suppose to provide them with wind, all the people in the ship died but he managed to survive because he had asked God to forgive him all the sins […]
Christ’s Atonement and the Concept of Forgiveness This study will connect the atonement of Jesus Christ and attitudes towards forgiveness through the revision of the current church, Love and God’s commandment to forgive.
Service Recovery and Customer Forgiveness Studies suggest that after apologizing to customers plus taking responsibility for the problem, getting to the root of the problem is very important to prevent such occurrences in the future. Getting to the root of […]
Racial Inequality Targeted Student Loan Forgiveness Programs The research into this topic seems highly significant as the reduction of racial inequality was one of the most debated topics in the U.S.for the last several decades.
Forgiveness in the Christian Texts and the World Today The apostle calls upon the church’s people to stop the punishment of the wrongdoer and forgive, comfort, and affirm their love for him. It instructs Muslims to follow God and forgive others instead of following […]
The Effects of Forgiveness Therapy After gathering the relevant data, the researchers compared the recovery of the participants to their controls to determine the effects of forgiveness therapy.
Self-Forgiveness: The Step Child of Forgiveness Research Other than the similarities and the differences, the two types of forgiveness relate to each other as self-forgiveness facilitates interpersonal forgiveness, this is through allowance of one to identify with one’s offender.
The Amish Philosophy of Forgiveness It is important to note that the immediate forgiveness of the enemy does not mean that the Amish will let the perpetrators of crime go free.
Review: “Interventions Studies on Forgiveness: A Meta-analysis” by Baskin T. and Enright R. In the church, members come to the pastor with a variety of social and psychological issues. The first step the pastor should undertake is to sympathise with the victims.
Self-Forgiveness as the Path to Learning to Forgive the Others The key issues that the given research responds to or, at least, attempts to solve, are the definition of self-forgiveness, the relation between self-forgiveness and interpersonal forgiveness, and the means to differentiate between self-forgiveness and […]
The Effects of Forgiveness Therapy on Depression, Anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress for Women After Spousal Emotional Abuse Enright forgiveness model applied in the study proved effective since it systematically addressed the forgiveness process identified the negative attributes caused by the abuse, and prepared the women for positive responses.
Forgiveness & Reconciliation: The Differing Perspectives of Psychologists and Christian Theologians Based on the research design there is evidence of measures put in place to control against most of these biases which strengthens the study findings; this is the strength to the study.
Forgiveness in Simon Wiesenthal’s Work The Sunflower Taking into account the major themes of the book The Sunflower, one is to make a conclusion that such response to atrocities as forgiveness is considered to be the key aspect of humanity.
Forgiveness in Martin Luther’s Movement for Rights Blacks The bible teachings tell us that God exists in the holy trinity and the only way to forgive others is for us to be able to forgive our own transgressions.
The Idea Of Forgiveness Resonates Differently With Every Individual
Accident Forgiveness in Automobile Insurance
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Christians’ Beliefs About Justice And Forgiveness
Debt Forgiveness: The Missing Link in Closing Gap with Third World
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Positive Psychology Titles
Consciousness Ideas
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The Forgiveness of Sins essay

“Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Do not bring us to the test but deliver us from evil. Amen” reads the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Over two billion Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians and Protestants recited this prayer just last Easter (Kang 2007). This prayer unites all Christian denominations in the belief that we are sinful and by showing genuine atonement for our Sin, we shall be forgiven. Our main concern then is what is Sin and how does one atone for it?

Sin, as defined in Wikipedia, is the term used is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation (Wikipedia). For Catholics Sin, despite its complexity, can be divided into two themes. The first theme is turning away or rejecting God’s love and the second is thinking only of oneself. In the book of Genesis, God created man in his image and likeness (1:27) therefore, closest to God of all incarnate things and most beloved of all his creations. Alone among animals are we able to reason and think.

Man was granted the gift of free will. In fact, for God so loved the world he gave us his only begotten son (John 3:16) Jesus Christ. Yet for all his love and grace man, as the Bible tells us, will show his gratitude by rejecting his love and violating his proscriptions. It did not take long for man to misuse his free will. Original Sin, which stains all men, even unto birth, was started practically the moment right after Creation. The fall of man as told in the book of Genesis, tells us of man rejecting God in favor of the temptation of wisdom and knowledge (3:1-13).

Yet this wisdom did him ill, for their disobedience Adam and Eve were severely punished, Man would win the fruits of the earth only through much toil and hardship while Woman would suffer many woes in childbirth. They were exiled from the Garden and we too bear the consequences of their actions. Thus, was Original Sin begun. Doctrine of Original Sin is essentially, the reverse side of the good news that Jesus is the Savior of all men, that all need salvation and salvation to all through Christ. The Church which has the mind of Christ knows that we can not tamper with the revelation of original sin without undermining the mystery of Christ.

100 Bible Verses about Forgiveness Of Sins

1 john 1:9 esv / 10,571 helpful votes helpful not helpful.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Colossians 3:13 ESV / 8,517 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Mark 11:25 ESV / 8,128 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Acts 2:38 ESV / 7,954 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:7 ESV / 7,582 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Luke 6:37 ESV / 7,095 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Ephesians 4:32 ESV / 6,783 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Matthew 18:21-22 ESV / 6,334 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Acts 3:19 ESV / 6,330 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

Matthew 6:14-15 ESV / 5,791 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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.

Isaiah 43:25 ESV / 5,615 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

Luke 23:34 ESV / 5,554 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Matthew 6:12 ESV / 5,434 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Isaiah 1:18 ESV / 5,419 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord : though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Proverbs 28:13 ESV / 5,249 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Acts 10:43 ESV / 5,027 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Isaiah 55:7 ESV / 4,975 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord , that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Matthew 6:14 ESV / 4,935 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,

Luke 17:3-4 ESV / 4,819 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV / 4,693 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Hebrews 10:17 ESV / 4,672 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

Psalm 32:5 ESV / 4,661 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord ,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Matthew 26:28 ESV / 4,571 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Proverbs 17:9 ESV / 4,456 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

Daniel 9:9 ESV / 4,453 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him

Romans 3:23 ESV / 4,244 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV / 3,829 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Psalm 103:12 ESV / 3,823 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Hebrews 8:12 ESV / 3,809 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Ephesians 4:31-32 ESV / 3,733 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 1:13-14 ESV / 3,617 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Jeremiah 31:34 ESV / 3,608 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord ,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord . For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Micah 7:18-19 ESV / 3,511 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Romans 6:23 ESV / 3,444 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 86:5 ESV / 3,434 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

1 John 2:1 ESV / 3,157 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

1 John 2:2 ESV / 3,124 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

James 5:16 ESV / 3,054 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Psalm 130:4 ESV / 3,009 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

Matthew 6:15 ESV / 2,898 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Luke 17:3 ESV / 2,828 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,

John 3:16 ESV / 2,814 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Acts 22:16 ESV / 2,787 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Micah 7:18 ESV / 2,759 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.

Matthew 5:23-24 ESV / 2,656 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Colossians 1:14 ESV / 2,564 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Romans 8:1 ESV / 2,521 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Acts 17:30 ESV / 2,482 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Romans 10:9 ESV / 2,468 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Acts 13:38-39 ESV / 2,463 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Luke 24:47 ESV / 2,451 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Acts 13:38 ESV / 2,446 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / 2,354 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Joel 2:13 ESV / 2,283 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

Romans 10:13 ESV / 2,255 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

James 5:14-15 ESV / 2,235 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV / 2,211 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Matthew 6:9-15 ESV / 2,108 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ...

Isaiah 43:25-26 ESV / 2,052 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.

Proverbs 10:12 ESV / 2,038 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

1 John 2:12 ESV / 2,010 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.

Jeremiah 3:12 ESV / 1,990 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “‘Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord . I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord ; I will not be angry forever.

2 Chronicles 30:9 ESV / 1,977 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For if you return to the Lord , your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”

1 John 1:8-10 ESV / 1,966 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Romans 3:23-26 ESV / 1,898 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Ephesians 1:7-8 ESV / 1,777 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 1,759 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

Acts 26:18 ESV / 1,734 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Nehemiah 9:31 ESV / 1,698 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

John 8:7 ESV / 1,645 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

1 Peter 3:9 ESV / 1,631 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

Mark 1:4 ESV / 1,623 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 1,620 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

1 Peter 4:8 ESV / 1,613 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Matthew 6:12-15 ESV / 1,607 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 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.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV / 1,576 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Matthew 5:7 ESV / 1,565 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Hebrews 4:16 ESV / 1,540 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Psalm 103:10-12 ESV / 1,512 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Romans 12:19 ESV / 1,501 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Psalm 32:1 ESV / 1,458 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

A Maskil of David. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV / 1,450 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Colossians 2:1-23 ESV / 1,415 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. ...

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 1,378 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ...

Romans 4:7-8 ESV / 1,378 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Luke 23:33-34 ESV / 1,367 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Luke 13:3 ESV / 1,364 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Romans 5:1 ESV / 1,359 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:7 ESV / 1,329 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Luke 3:3 ESV / 1,278 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Acts 2:1-47 ESV / 1,271 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ...

Luke 7:47-48 ESV / 1,262 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Luke 17:4 ESV / 1,261 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Revelation 2:10 ESV / 1,232 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Psalm 79:9 ESV / 1,183 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!

Psalm 25:7 ESV / 1,152 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord !

Matthew 5:44 ESV / 1,135 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Hebrews 10:26-27 ESV / 1,070 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

Matthew 6:9-13 ESV / 1,057 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 1:1-20 ESV / 1,036 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ...

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Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles , a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.

COMMENTS

The Forgiveness of Sin
TableTalk, "The Forgiveness of Sins" This essay is part of the Concise Theology series. All views expressed in this essay are those of the author. This essay is freely available under Creative Commons License with Attribution-ShareAlike, allowing users to share it in other mediums/formats and adapt/translate the content as long as an ...
The Christian and Repentance
Several texts clearly indicate that repentance, together with faith, is essential for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 11:18). In Acts 3:19 and 26:20, ... This essay is freely available under Creative Commons License with Attribution-ShareAlike, allowing users to share it in other mediums/formats and adapt/translate ...
Essay on Forgiveness by C.S. Lewis
Essay on Forgiveness by C.S. Lewis. By Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc. N.Y. 1960. We say a great many things in church (and out of church too) without thinking of what we are saying. For instance, we say in the Creed " I believe in the forgiveness of sins." I had been saying it for several years before I asked myself why it was in the Creed.
The forgiveness of sins
The death of Christ redeems the sinner and forgives the sinner fully and completely. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. ( Col 1:13-14 NAS) The forgiveness of sins is only accomplished by Christ's death on the cross.
Why Is Forgiving Others So Important?
Forgiveness is one of the most beautiful words in the human vocabulary and is best illustrated by God's forgiveness of sin. When someone sins against us, they bear a terrible guilt. Likewise, when we refuse to forgive a wrong, we become part of the problem. When God's people practice forgiveness, sweetness replaces harshness.
Grace upon Grace: 1 John 1:8-9 and the Forgiveness of Sins
Here, George argues that the traditional interpretation of 1 John 1:8-9 puts Christians under bondage to works. He believes that if Christians are directed to confess their sins (i.e., perform a work) in order to enjoy forgiveness, then believers are essentially placed under a yoke of slavery. George understands the traditional view as ...
Any Sin Can Be Forgiven
When we confess, "I believe in the forgiveness of sins," we declare the righteous, holy justice of the wrath of God. "The God who could righteously reject us, shame us, torment us, even destroy us, instead advocates for us.". Those who refuse to turn from sin will receive the just and awful reward of their vile rebellion.
Reflections: THE NECESSITY OF FORGIVENESS
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors…. For if you forgive men. when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. MATTHEW 6:12, 14-15 (NIV) 1 C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996), pp. 135-136.
The Liberating Power of Forgiveness
The Liberating Power of Forgiveness. "Your sins are forgiven.". ( Luke 7:48) A woman comes to Jesus in a Pharisee's house weeping and washing his feet. No doubt she felt shame as the eyes of Simon communicated to everyone present that this woman was a sinner and that Jesus had no business letting her touch him. Indeed, she was a sinner.
PDF Jesus and the Forgiveness of Sins
Tobias H ä gerland answers these questions and more as he investigates the forgiveness of sins in the mission of the historical Jesus. The Gospels are interpreted within the context of fi rst-century Judaism as part of a broader reconstruction of Jesus' career as a healer and prophet, and rhetorical criticism is introduced as a tool for ...
(PDF) Jesus and the Forgiveness of Sins: An Aspect of His Prophetic
As the title indicates, Hägerland places Jesus's ministry of forgiving sins under a prophetic typology but surprisingly arrives at this conclusion based on a single piece of evidence from Josephus, Ant. 6.92. He claims that here, Samuel has been given the authority to forgive when in fact Josephus himself suggests otherwise.
The Forgiveness of Sins
Moreover, we are forgiven based on the work of the Son (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13-14). Still, the Holy Spirit must regenerate us before we will acknowledge our need of forgiveness and seek God's pardon in Christ (John 3:5). So, in our subjective experience, the Spirit makes the first move necessary for us to receive divine forgiveness.
The Lamb of God and the Forgiveness of Sin(s) in the Fourth Gospel
Schneiders, Sandra Marie "The Lamb of God and the Forgiveness of Sin (s) in the Fourth Gospel.". The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 73/1 (January 2011): 1-29. The article presents a speech by Sandra M. Schneiders of the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, delivered at the 73rd International Meeting of the Catholic Biblical ...
40 Powerful Bible Scriptures on Forgiveness of Sin
Here are the 40 most powerful Bible scriptures on forgiveness of sin. 1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Acts 2:38. And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you ...
What Is Forgiveness? A Definition From the Bible
Forgiveness Definition. Forgiveness, according to the Bible, is correctly understood as God's promise not to count our sins against us. Biblical forgiveness requires repentance on our part (turning away from our old life of sin) and faith in Jesus Christ. One condition for receiving forgiveness from God is our willingness to forgive other people.
Forgiveness/ from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
From Mere Christianity. C.S. Lewis 1898 -1963. I said in a previous chapter that chastity was the most unpopular of the Christian virtues. But I am not sure I was right. I believe there is one even more unpopular. It is laid down in the Christian rule, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.'. Because in Christian morals 'thy neighbour ...
The forgiveness of sins; an essay in the history of Christian doctrine
The forgiveness of sins; an essay in the history of Christian doctrine and practice by Telfer, W. (William), 1886-Publication date 1960 Topics Forgiveness of sin -- History of doctrines Publisher Philadelphia, Muhlenberg Press Collection inlibrary; printdisabled; claremont_school_of_theology; internetarchivebooks
Reflection: Forgiveness
"Forgive us our sins," we pray, "as we forgive those who sin against us." Jesus commands us to forgive, repeatedly, just as we have been forgiven. Forgiveness heals the brokenness of our hearts and sets us free; it enables us to cultivate a loving heart towards others. It will afford us a clear conscience and bring us peace.
(PDF) Forgiveness in the Old Testament: The Purpose, Effect, and
The Hebrew term for forgiveness through the sin offering is the word ‫סלח‬. The word is a distinctive term for forgiveness and is found forty-eight times in the Old Testament. It always has God as the subject and is only used to refer to the forgiveness of the sinner or his sin. In the context of the sin offering, it is translated by the ...
66 Forgiveness Essay: Examples, Titles, & Thesis Statement
Some good forgiveness titles for the essay reveal themes of revenge, justice, and personal forgiveness. You can write an excellent reflective or argumentative essay on forgiveness - it is a versatile topic. Regardless of your forgiveness essay's specific topic and type, you should develop a strong thesis statement.
The Forgiveness of Sins essay Essay
The Forgiveness of Sins essay. Free Essays. "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Do not bring us to the test but deliver us from evil. Amen" reads the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Over two billion Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians and Protestants recited this prayer just last Easter (Kang 2007).
The Christian Doctrine of Forgiveness of Sin : An Essay
Appears in 687 books from 1804-2008. Page 20 - For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Appears in 238 books from 1802-2007. Page 104 - ... of Jesus, is the same principle in God, we are able to have faith in God ...
What Does the Bible Say About Forgiveness Of Sins?
1 John 1:8-10 ESV / 1,966 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

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