In this three-part series on forgiveness my intention is to discuss the concept of forgiveness and to articulate why forgiveness is an essential component of the Christian walk. Part one laid the foundation for the importance of forgiveness through developing an understanding of forgiveness, and through identifying misconceptions we sometimes believe about forgiveness. From a Biblical perspective God’s forgiveness consists of “sending away” or pardoning our sins (MacArthur, New Testament Commentary: Ephesians). Additionally, within God’s forgiveness He shows mercy, and demonstrates compassion toward us (see Micah 7:18-19, NIV, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea”). Christ demonstrated His love and compassion for us before and while He paid the debt for our sins on the cross. Therefore, the model of forgiveness that we can use in forgiving others should include renouncing the anger or resentment we may have toward the other person and replacing those negative feelings with compassion. Additionally, we need to absolve the perpetrator of any expectations we may place on that person as conditions prior to forgiving (see Part One, September 8, 2021). In Part Two: Following our call to forgive, my intention is to articulate how scripture directs us to develop a forgiving heart and to forgive.
The fact that God loved us so much that he was willing to sacrifice his one and only son (see John 3:16) so that through faith we may experience His forgiveness speaks to the centrality of forgiveness to our Christian walk (Acts 13:38-39, NIV, “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses”). Honestly, and as a parent, I cannot even begin to fathom God’s act of love and forgiveness through the sacrifice of His one and only son on the cross (Romans 5:8 NIV, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”). From a Biblical perspective, without God’s sacrifice of his son, and without the forgiveness of our sins through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord alone, we would all experience the wrath of God (see Romans 6:23). Although we still deserve God’s punishment, His forgiveness is full and complete, and our iniquities are remembered no more (Psalm 103:10-12 NIV, “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us”). God’s forgiveness is undeserving, and it is offered only through His grace (Ephesians 1:7, NIV, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace”). This undeserved forgiveness from God provides the framework for the heart of forgiveness that God expects in us.
God, through His words in the Bible (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17) provides insight and clarity related to the expectation that as Christians we are called to have a forgiving heart and to forgive others. And this forgiveness for the wrongdoings perpetrated against us needs to be done because we have been forgiven for our offenses against God (Colossians 3:13, NIV, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you”). If a perfect and loving God is willing to forgive us for our rebellion against God’s character and His Word, then in light of our own imperfections and sin, we should be willing to forgive others.
An example of forgiving others as Christ has forgiven us is seen in the parable of the unmerciful servant (see Matthew 18:21-35). In this parable, Jesus described a master who forgave a servant for a debt, but then that servant was unwilling to forgive a fellow servant for a debt. When the master confronted the unforgiving servant He stated, “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” Matthew 18:33, NIV). Then Jesus said, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Matthew 18:35, NIV). It is apparent from these verses that our forgiveness of those who have harmed us needs to be genuine and to come from the heart. In addition, Matthew 6:14 (NIV, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you”) notes the importance of forgiving others, but in addition the verse also references the fact that there is a relationship between the forgiveness that we offer others and God’s forgiveness of our sins.
Since we know that our justification (Justification is being seen as righteous in God’s sight and is related to our salvation) is directly related to our faith rather than our ability to forgive, then the development of a forgiving heart would seem to be more connected to our sanctification (Sanctification is related to our becoming holy and is connected to our Christian walk). John MacArthur, pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church and chancellor of The Master’s University and Seminary, in a sermon on the fundamental Christian attitude of forgiveness noted that we have eternal forgiveness through justification, but that we need to be forgiving toward others as part of our sanctification (Macarthur, Fundamental Christian Attitudes: Forgiveness). I would also suggest that we need to be very careful here in being so overly confident in our being forgiven, that we become prideful and do not see the need to demonstrate our faith through forgiving others. For our faith and understanding of being forgiven is in part demonstrated in our willingness to forgive (see James 2:14-26). For we know that our faith and our actions work together to make our faith complete (James 2:22, NIV). Being willing to forgive in all circumstances is an understanding and demonstration to others of God’s willingness to forgive us for anything we have done, including those most horrible acts we may have committed, and those things only known to us in the deepest recesses of our mind. Voddie Baucham, pastor and Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia noted in a sermon on forgiveness that God uses the offenses against us to help conform us to the image of Christ through developing our heart of forgiveness (“The most significant issue in the Christian life”). Therefore, forgiveness is an essential component of our Christian faith, and it is a central part of our Christian walk.
Another example that supports a forgiving heart being central to our Christian faith is found in Mark 11:25 (NIV) where we are instructed that when we stand praying, if we “hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins”. Being forgiving is also supported through the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13(NIV). Jesus provided the Lord’s prayer to the disciples as a model for us in how to pray and in which we are instructed to ask God to “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12, NIV). The debts referenced in the Lord’s Prayer is translated as sin. John MacArthur states that the principle noted here is “sobering, if we have forgiven, we will be forgiven; if we have not forgiven, we will not be forgiven” (New Testament Commentary, Matthew 1-7, p. 394). In both the verses in Mathew and Mark our forgiveness of others is expected, it is to come from the heart, and it is not reliant on anything the offender needs to do prior to being forgiven.
It is clear in the scripture that we need to see others and to forgive others as God sees all of us, and to not react in the same manner as how the world responds to those who bring them harm. The concept of forgiveness and the importance of developing a forgiving heart can be summed up in the words of Jesus as recorded in the sixth chapter of Luke. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:32-37, NIV). As Christians, God calls us to transform our hearts and minds, to love our enemies, to be merciful and without judgment, and to forgive without condition.
Two final issues that should be addressed related to forgiveness, but that I will only discuss briefly here, are repentance and reconciliation. Repentance is the act of acknowledging the harm that one has caused another person, and the demonstration of remorse for the behavior and pain that it caused. The reason to discuss repentance in the discussion of forgiving others is because there are those who believe that one should only be forgiving when someone is repentant for the harm that they have inflicted on their victims. As noted previously, there is overwhelming evidence that we are called to be forgiving toward everyone, without condition. It should be noted however that as Christians, not only are we to have a forgiving heart, but we are to also have a repentant heart. We are called to repent to God for our sins (1 John 1:9, NIV, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”), and we are expected to be repentant toward those who rebuke us for our wrongdoings. (Luke 17:3b-4, NIV, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, `I repent,’ forgive him.”).
Pastor John MacArthur notes an exception within human relationships where repentance for one’s sins is expected prior to being forgiven, and that area is connected to Christians and church discipline (MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew 16-23). MacArthur continues by stating that “the purpose of discipline is the spiritual restoration of fallen members and the consequent strengthening of the church and glorifying the Lord” (p. 132). Scripture outlines the process to be followed in specific situations where Christians have sinned. “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector” (Matthew 18: 15-17, NIV). Additionally, 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 provides insight into the types of sins where the unrepentant Christian may be disciplined: “But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you.” MacArthur describes these specific sins as “willful, premeditated, habitual sins” that have become a part of the sinner’s lifestyle (New Testament Commentary, Luke 11-17, p. 380) However, because God is ultimately the final judge, when handling these types of situations it is essential to act in a God honoring manner, to keep in mind that only through God’s grace have we been forgiven, and to utilize wisdom and discernment.
Understanding the differences between reconciliation and forgiveness may also be an important aspect of developing a forgiving heart. Reconciliation is different than forgiveness as reconciliation is more specifically connected to the process of restoring a damaged relationship between two people. Although forgiveness is often a first step in the reconciliation process, forgiveness does not always lead to reconciliation. Once we have forgiven in our heart, we then can explore external forgiveness and reconciliation. However, there are many reasons why reconciliation may not occur including the fact that the other person may not be ready for reconciliation, or the individual may be unwilling to commit to stopping the hurtful behaviors. Additionally, the perpetrator may not be willing to develop a new relationship based on a foundation different than the building blocks that caused the original hurt. Recognizing that forgiveness does not automatically lead to reconciliation, especially in circumstances where reconciliation is not feasible, may be an important factor in freeing someone to be willing to forgive.
Reflection:
How might Christians be viewed differently if we became more merciful and less judgmental, especially when dealing with those who have offended us? How might recognizing that God may be utilizing the hurt that we have experienced to help us to conform to the image of Christ through developing a heart of forgiveness? What specific steps will you take to develop a forgiving heart?
Resources
Baucham,Voddie: The most significant issue in the Christian life (sermon)*
MacArthur, John (2015): The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Ephesians.
MacArthur, John (2015): The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Luke 11-17.
MacArthur, John (2015): The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew 1-7.
MacArthur, John (2015): The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew 16-23.
MacArthur, John: The fundamental Christian attitude of forgiveness (sermon)* https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/johnmacarthur/sermons/323171524193/
Smedes, L. B. (1996). The art of forgiveness. Nashville, TN: Tomas Nelson Publishers.
The Holy Bible, New International Version.
*The sermons listed by Pastor Baucham and Pastor MacArthur are both very good and insightful sermons on forgiveness.