Doctrine of Forgiveness

FORGIVENESS

The act of excusing or pardoning another in spite of his slights, shortcomings, and errors. As a theological term, forgiveness refers to God's pardon of the sins of human beings.

No religious book except the Bible teaches that God completely forgives sin (Ps 51:1,9; Isa 38:17; Heb 10:17). The initiative comes from Him (John 3:16; Col 2:13) because He is ready to forgive (Luke 15:11-32). He is a God of grace and pardon (Neh 9:17; Dan 9:9).

Sin deserves divine punishment because it is a violation of God's holy character (Gen 2:17; Rom 1:18-32; 1 Peter 1:16), but His pardon is gracious (Ps 130:4; Rom 5:6-8). In order for God to forgive sin, two conditions are necessary. A life must be taken as a substitute for that of the sinner (Lev 17:11,14; Heb 9:22), and the sinner must come to God's sacrifice in a spirit of repentance and faith (Mark 1:4; Acts 10:43; James 5:15).

Forgiveness in the New Testament is directly linked to Christ (Acts 5:31; Col 1:14), His sacrificial death on the cross (Rom 4:24), and His resurrection (2 Cor 5:15). He was the morally perfect sacrifice (Rom 8:3), the final and ultimate fulfillment of all Old Testament sacrifices (Heb 9:11-10:18). Since He bore the law's death penalty against sinners (Gal 3:10-13), those who trust in His sacrifice are freed from that penalty. By faith sinners are forgiven-"justified" in Paul's terminology (Rom 3:28; Gal 3:8-9). Those who are forgiven sin's penalty also die to its controlling power in their lives (Rom 6).

Christ's resurrection was more than proof of His deity or innocence; it was related in a special way to His forgiveness. Christ's resurrection was an act by which God wiped out the false charges against Him; it was God's declaration of the perfect righteousness of His Son, the Second Adam, and of His acceptance of Christ's sacrifice (1 Tim 3:16). Because He has been acquitted and declared righteous, this is also true for those whom He represents. Thus, Christ's resurrection was a necessary condition for the forgiveness of man's sins (1 Cor 15:12-28). To be forgiven is to be identified with Christ in His crucifixion and resurrection.
Christ has the authority to forgive sins (Matt 1:21; Heb 9:11-10:18). This forgiveness is an essential part of the gospel message (Acts 2:38; 5:31). But blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (attributing to Satan a deed done by Jesus through the power of God's Spirit) is an unpardonable sin (Mark 3:28-29) - not because God cannot or will not forgive such a sin but because such a hard-hearted person has put himself beyond the possibility of repentance and faith.

God's forgiveness of us demands that we forgive others, because grace brings reponsibility and obligation (Matt 18:23-35; Luke 6:37). Jesus placed no limits on the extent to which Christians are to forgive their fellowmen (Matt 18:22,35; Luke 17:4). A forgiving spirit shows that one is a true follower of Christ (Matt 5:43-48; Mark 11:25).