Reference: Forgiveness
Hastings
Like many other words employed to convey ideas connected with the relations of God and man, this covers a variety of thoughts. In both OT and NT we have evidences of a more elastic vocabulary than the English Version would lead us to suppose. 1. The OT has at least three different words all tr 'forgiveness' or 'pardon,' referring either to God's actions with regard to men (cf. Ex 34:7; Ps 86:5; Ne 9:17) or to forgiveness extended to men by each other (cf. Ge 50:17; 1Sa 25:28). At a very early period of human, or at least of Jewish, history, some sense of the need of forgiveness by God seems to have been felt. This will be especially evident if the words of despairing complaint put into the mouth of Caln be tr literally (see Driver, The Book of Genesis, on Ge 4:13, cf. Revised Version margin). The power to forgive came to be looked on as inherent in God, who not only possessed the authority, but loved thus to exhibit His mercy (Da 9:9; Ne 9:17; Jer 36:3). In order, however, to obtain this gift, a corresponding condition of humiliation and repentance on man's part had to be fulfilled (2Ch 7:14; Ps 86:5), and without a conscious determination of the transgressor to amend and turn towards his God, no hope of pardon was held out (Jos 24:19; 2Ki 24:4; Jer 5:1,7). On the other hand, as soon as men acknowledged their errors, and asked God to forgive, no limit was set to His love in this respect (1Ki 8:36,50; Ps 103:3; cf. De 30:1-10). Nor could this condition be regarded as unreasonable, for holiness, the essential characteristic of the Divine nature, demanded an answering correspondence on the part of man made in God's image. Without this correspondence forgiveness was rendered impossible, and that, so to speak, automatically (cf. Le 19:2; Jos 24:19; see Nu 14:18; Job 10:14; Na 1:3).
According to the Levitical code, when wrong was done between man and man, the first requlsite in order to Divine pardon was restitution, which had to be followed up by a service of atonement (Le 6:2-7). Even in the case of sins of ignorance, repentance and its outward expression in sacrifice had to precede forgiveness (Le 4:13 ff., Nu 15:23 ff. etc.). Here the educative influence of the Law must have been powerful, inculcating as it did at once the transcendent holiness of God and the need of a similar holiness on the part of His people (Le 11:44). Thus the Pauline saying, 'The law hath been our tutor to bring us to Christ' (Ga 3:24), is profoundly true, and the great priestly services of the Temple, with the solemn and ornate ritual, must have given glimpses of the approach by which men could feel their way and obtain the help indispensable for the needs adumbrated by the demands of the Mosaic institutions. The burden of the prophetic exhortations, 'Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?' (Eze 33:11; cf. Isa 44:22; Jer 35:15; 18:11; Ho 14:1; Joe 2:13 etc.), would be meaningless if the power to obey were withheld, or the way kept hidden. Indeed, these preachers of moral righteousness did not hesitate to emphasize the converse side of this truth in dwelling on the 'repentance' of God and His returning to His afflicted but repentant people (Jon 3:9; Mal 3:7 etc.). The resultant effect of this mutual approach was the restoration to Divine favour, of those who had been alienated, by the free act of forgiveness on the part of God (Ps 85:4; Isa 55:7; 59:20; Jer 13:17,24 etc.).
2. We are thus not surprised to learn that belief in the forgiveness of sins was a cardinal article of the Jewish faith in the time of Jesus (Mr 2:7 = Lu 5:21, cf. Isa 43:25). Nor was the teaching of Jesus in any instance out of line with the national belief, for, according to His words, the source of all pardon was His Father (Mr 11:25 f., Mt 6:14 f.; cf. His appeal on the cross, 'Father, forgive them,' Lu 23:34). It is true that 'the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins' (Mr 2:10 = Mt 9:6 = Lu 5:24), but the form of the expression shows that Jesus was laying claim to a delegated authority (cf. Lu 7:43, where, as in the case of the palsied man, the words are declaratory rather than absolute; see Plummer, CC International Critical Commentary, in loc.). This is more clearly seen by a reference to NT epistolary literature, where again and again forgiveness and restoration are spoken of as mediated 'in' or 'through' Christ (Eph 4:32; Col 2:12 ff., 1Pe 5:10; cf. Eph 1:7; Re 1:5; 1Jo 2:12 etc.). Here, as in OT, only more insistently dwelt on, the consciousness of guilt and of the need of personal holiness is the first step on the road to God's forgiveness (1Jo 1:9, cf. Ps 32:5; 51:3 etc.); and the open acknowledgment of these feelings is looked on as the natural outcome of their existence (Ac 19:18; cf. Ro 10:10; 1Jo 1:9). The hopelessness which at times seemed to have settled down on Jesus, when confronted by Pharisaic opposition, was the result of the moral and spiritual blindness of the religious teachers to their real position (Joh 9:40 f.).
3. Again, following along the line we have traced in the OT, only more definitely and specifically emphasized, the NT writers affirm the necessity for a moral likeness between God and man (cf. Mt 5:48). It is in this region, perhaps, that the most striking development is to be seen. Without exhibiting, in their relations to each other, the Divine spirit of forgiveness, men need never hope to experience God's pardon for themselves. This, we are inclined to think, is the most striking feature in the ethical creations of Jesus' teaching. By almost every method of instruction, from incidental postulate (Mt 6:12=Lu 11:4; Mr 11:25) to deliberate statement (Mt 18:21 ff; Mt 6:15; Mr 11:25; Lu 17:4) and elaborate parable (Mt 18:23-35), He sought to attune the minds of His hearers to this high and difficult note of the Christian spirit (cf. Col 3:13; 1Jo 4:11). Once more, Jesus definitely asserts the limitation to which the pardon and mercy even of God are subjected. Whatever may be the precise meaning attaching to the words 'an eternal sin' (Mr 3:29), it is plain that some definite border-line is referred to as the line of demarcation between those who may hope for this evidence of God's love and those who are outside its scope (Mt 12:32). See art. Sin, iii. 1.
4. We have lastly to consider the words, recorded only by St. John, of the risen Jesus to His assembled disciples (Joh 20:23). It is remarkable that this is the only place in the Fourth Gospel where the word tr 'forgive' (RV) occurs, and we must not forget that the incident of conferring the power of absolution on the body of believers, as they were gathered together, is peculiar to this writer. At the same time, it is instructive to remember that nowhere is St. John much concerned with a simple narrative of events as such; he seems to be engaged rather in choosing those facts which he can subordinate to his teaching purposes. The choice, then, of this circumstance must have been intentional, as having a particular significance, and when the immediately preceding context is read, it is seen that the peculiar power transmitted is consequent upon the gift of the Holy Spirit. On two other occasions somewhat similar powers were promised, once personally to St. Peter as the great representative of that complete faith in the Incarnation of which the Church is the guardian in the world (Mt 16:19), and once to the Church in its corporate capacity as the final judge of the terms of fellowship for each of its members (Mt 18:18). In both these instances the words used by Jesus with regard to this spiritual power differ from those found in the narrative of the Fourth Gospel, and the latter is seen to be more definite, profound, and far-reaching in its scope than the former. The abiding presence of the living Spirit in the Church is the sure guarantee that her powers in judging spiritual things are inherent in her (cf. 1Co 2:12-15) as the Body of Christ. Henceforth she carries in her bosom the authority so emphatically claimed by her Lord, to declare the wondrous fact of Divine forgiveness (Ac 13:38) and to set forth the conditions upon which it ultimately rests (see Westcott, Gospel of St. John, in loc.). Closely connected with the exercis
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Cain saith unto Jehovah, 'Greater is my punishment than to be borne;
Thus ye do say to Joseph, I pray thee, bear, I pray thee, with the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin, for they have done thee evil; and now, bear, we pray thee, with the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father;' and Joseph weepeth in their speaking unto him.
keeping kindness for thousands, taking away iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on children, and on children's children, on a third generation, and on a fourth.'
And if the whole company of Israel err ignorantly, and the thing hath been hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done something against one of all the commands of Jehovah concerning things which are not to be done, and have been guilty;
'When any person doth sin, and hath committed a trespass against Jehovah, and hath lied to his fellow concerning a deposit, or concerning fellowship, or concerning violent robbery, or hath oppressed his fellow; or hath found a lost thing, and hath lied concerning it, and hath sworn to a falsehood, concerning one of all these which man doth, sinning in them: read more. 'Then it hath been, when he sinneth, and hath been guilty, that he hath returned the plunder which he hath taken violently away, or the thing which he hath got by oppression, or the deposit which hath been deposited with him, or the lost thing which he hath found; or all that concerning which he sweareth falsely, he hath even repaid it in its principal, and its fifth he is adding to it; to him whose it is he giveth it in the day of his guilt-offering. 'And his guilt-offering he bringeth in to Jehovah, a ram, a perfect one, out of the flock, at thy estimation, for a guilt-offering, unto the priest, and the priest hath made atonement for him before Jehovah, and it hath been forgiven him, concerning one thing of all that he doth, by being guilty therein.'
For I am Jehovah your God, and ye have sanctified yourselves, and ye have been holy, for I am holy; and ye do not defile your persons with any teeming thing which is creeping on the earth;
Speak unto all the company of the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Ye are holy, for holy am I, Jehovah, your God.
Jehovah is slow to anger, and of great kindness; bearing away iniquity and transgression, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on sons, on a third generation, and on a fourth; --
the whole that Jehovah hath charged upon you by the hand of Moses, from the day that Jehovah hath commanded, and henceforth, to your generations,
And it hath been, when all these things come upon thee, the blessing and the reviling, which I have set before thee, and thou hast brought them back unto thy heart, among all the nations whither Jehovah thy God hath driven thee away, and hast turned back unto Jehovah thy God, and hearkened to His voice, according to all that I am commanding thee to-day, thou and thy sons, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul -- read more. then hath Jehovah thy God turned back to thy captivity, and pitied thee, yea, He hath turned back and gathered thee out of all the peoples whither Jehovah thy God hath scattered thee. 'If thine outcast is in the extremity of the heavens, thence doth Jehovah thy God gather thee, and thence He doth take thee; and Jehovah thy God hath brought thee in unto the land which thy fathers have possessed, and thou hast inherited it, and He hath done thee good, and multiplied thee above thy fathers. 'And Jehovah thy God hath circumcised thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, for the sake of thy life; and Jehovah thy God hath put all this oath on thine enemies, and on those hating thee, who have pursued thee. 'And thou dost turn back, and hast hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and hast done all His commands which I am commanding thee to-day; and Jehovah thy God hath made thee abundant in every work of thy hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, for good; for Jehovah turneth back to rejoice over thee for good, as He rejoiced over thy fathers, for thou dost hearken to the voice of Jehovah thy God, to keep His commands, and His statutes, which are written in the book of this law, for thou turnest back unto Jehovah thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.
Have not I commanded thee? be strong and courageous; be not terrified nor affrighted, for with thee is Jehovah thy God in every place whither thou goest.'
And now, swear ye, I pray you, to me by Jehovah -- because I have done with you kindness -- that ye have done, even ye, kindness with the house of my father, and have given to me a true token,
And it cometh to pass when all the people have completed to pass over, that the ark of Jehovah passeth over, and the priests, in the presence of the people;
And Joshua saith unto the people, 'Ye are not able to serve Jehovah, for a God most holy He is; a zealous God He is; He doth not bear with your transgression and with your sins.
And Joshua saith unto the people, 'Ye are not able to serve Jehovah, for a God most holy He is; a zealous God He is; He doth not bear with your transgression and with your sins.
then Thou dost hear in the heavens, and hast forgiven the sin of Thy servants, and of Thy people Israel, for Thou directest them the good way in which they go, and hast given rain on Thy land which Thou hast given to Thy people for inheritance.
and hast forgiven Thy people who have sinned against Thee, even all their transgressions which they have transgressed against Thee, and hast given them mercies before their captors, and they have had mercy on them --
and My people on whom My name is called be humbled, and pray, and seek My face, and turn back from their evil ways, then I -- I hear from the heavens, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.
yea, they refuse to hearken, and have not remembered Thy wonders that Thou hast done with them, and harden their neck and appoint a head, to turn back to their service, in their rebellion; and Thou art a God of pardons, gracious, and merciful, long-suffering, and abundant in kindness, and hast not forsaken them.
yea, they refuse to hearken, and have not remembered Thy wonders that Thou hast done with them, and harden their neck and appoint a head, to turn back to their service, in their rebellion; and Thou art a God of pardons, gracious, and merciful, long-suffering, and abundant in kindness, and hast not forsaken them.
If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,
My sin I cause Thee to know, And mine iniquity I have not covered. I have said, 'I confess concerning My transgressions to Jehovah,' And Thou -- Thou hast taken away, The iniquity of my sin. Selah.
For my transgressions I do know, And my sin is before me continually.
Turn back to us, O God of our salvation, And make void Thine anger with us.
For Thou, Lord, art good and forgiving. And abundant in kindness to all calling Thee.
For Thou, Lord, art good and forgiving. And abundant in kindness to all calling Thee.
Who is forgiving all thine iniquities, Who is healing all thy diseases,
I -- I am He who is blotting out Thy transgressions for Mine own sake, And thy sins I do not remember.
I have blotted out, as by a thick cloud, Thy transgressions, And as by a cloud thy sins, Return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee.
Forsake doth the wicked his way, And the man of iniquity his thoughts, And he returneth to Jehovah, and He pitieth him, And unto our God for He multiplieth to pardon.
And come to Zion hath a redeemer, Even to captives of transgression in Jacob, An affirmation of Jehovah.
Go to and fro in streets of Jerusalem, And see, I pray you, and know, And seek in her broad places, if ye find a man, If there be one doing judgment, seeking stedfastness -- Then am I propitious to her.
For this I am not propitious to thee, Thy sons have forsaken Me, And are satisfied by that which is not god, I satisfy them, and they commit adultery, And at the house of a harlot They gather themselves together.
And if ye do not hear it, In secret places doth my soul weep, because of pride, Yea, it weepeth sore, And the tear cometh down mine eyes, For the flock of Jehovah hath been taken captive.
And I scatter them as stubble, Passing away, by a wind of the wilderness.
And now, speak, I pray thee, unto men of Judah, And against inhabitants of Jerusalem, Saying: Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am framing against you evil, And devising against you a device, Turn back, I pray you, each from his evil way And amen your ways and your doings.
And I send unto you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending, saying: Turn back, I pray you, each from his evil way, and amend your doings, yea, ye do not walk after other gods, to serve them, and dwell ye on the ground that I have given to you and to your fathers; and ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto Me.
if so be the house of Israel do hear all the evil that I am thinking of doing to them, so that they turn back each from is evil way, and I have been propitious to their iniquity, and to their sin.'
Say unto them, I live -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, I delight not in the death of the wicked, But -- in the turning of the wicked from his way, And he hath lived, Turn back, turn back, from your evil ways, Yea, why do ye die, O house of Israel?
To the Lord our God are the mercies and the forgivenesses, for we have rebelled against Him,
Turn back, O Israel, unto Jehovah thy God, For thou hast stumbled by thine iniquity.
And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn back unto Jehovah your God, For gracious and merciful is He, Slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, And He hath repented concerning the evil.
Who knoweth? He doth turn back, and God hath repented, and hath turned back from the heat of His anger, and we do not perish.'
Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in power, And Jehovah doth not entirely acquit, In a hurricane and in a tempest is His way, And a cloud is the dust of His feet.
Even from the days of your fathers Ye have turned aside from My statutes, And ye have not taken heed. Turn back unto Me, and I turn back to you, Said Jehovah of Hosts. And ye have said, 'In what do we turn back?'
ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father who is in the heavens is perfect.
'And forgive us our debts, as also we forgive our debtors.
For, if ye may forgive men their trespasses He also will forgive you -- your Father who is in the heavens; but if ye may not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
But, that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power upon the earth to forgive sins -- (then saith he to the paralytic) -- having risen, take up thy couch, and go to thy house.'
And whoever may speak a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven to him, but whoever may speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is coming.
and I will give to thee the keys of the reign of the heavens, and whatever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever thou mayest loose upon the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens.'
'Verily I say to you, Whatever things ye may bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever things ye may loose on the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens.
Then Peter having come near to him, said, 'Sir, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him -- till seven times?'
'Because of this was the reign of the heavens likened to a man, a king, who did will to take reckoning with his servants, and he having begun to take account, there was brought near to him one debtor of a myriad of talents, read more. and he having nothing to pay, his lord did command him to be sold, and his wife, and the children, and all, whatever he had, and payment to be made. The servant then, having fallen down, was bowing to him, saying, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all; and the lord of that servant having been moved with compassion did release him, and the debt he forgave him. 'And, that servant having come forth, found one of his fellow-servants who was owing him an hundred denaries, and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which thou owest. His fellow-servant then, having fallen down at his feet, was calling on him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all; and he would not, but having gone away, he cast him into prison, till he might pay that which was owing. 'And his fellow-servants having seen the things that were done, were grieved exceedingly, and having come, shewed fully to their lord all the things that were done; then having called him, his lord saith to him, Evil servant! all that debt I did forgive thee, seeing thou didst call upon me, did it not behove also thee to have dealt kindly with thy fellow-servant, as I also dealt kindly with thee? 'And having been wroth, his lord delivered him to the inquisitors, till he might pay all that was owing to him; so also my heavenly Father will do to you, if ye may not forgive each one his brother from your hearts their trespasses.'
John came baptizing in the wilderness, and proclaiming a baptism of reformation -- to remission of sins,
Why doth this one thus speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins except one -- God?'
And, that ye may know that the Son of Man hath authority on the earth to forgive sins -- (he saith to the paralytic) --
but whoever may speak evil in regard to the Holy Spirit hath not forgiveness -- to the age, but is in danger of age-during judgment;'
'And whenever ye may stand praying, forgive, if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your trespasses;
'And whenever ye may stand praying, forgive, if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your trespasses;
'And whenever ye may stand praying, forgive, if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your trespasses;
and he came to all the region round the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of reformation -- to remission of sins,
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, 'Who is this that doth speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins, except God only?'
And that ye may know that the Son of Man hath authority upon the earth to forgive sins -- (he said to the one struck with palsy) -- I say to thee, Arise, and having taken up thy little couch, be going on to thy house.'
And Simon answering said, 'I suppose that to whom he forgave the more;' and he said to him, 'Rightly thou didst judge.'
and forgive us our sins, for also we ourselves forgive every one indebted to us; and mayest Thou not bring us into temptation; but do Thou deliver us from the evil.'
and if seven times in the day he may sin against thee, and seven times in the day may turn back to thee, saying, I reform; thou shalt forgive him.'
And Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they have not known what they do;' and parting his garments they cast a lot.
And those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and they said to him, 'Are we also blind?'
when, therefore, Jesus received the vinegar, he said, 'It hath been finished;' and having bowed the head, gave up the spirit.
if of any ye may loose the sins, they are loosed to them; if of any ye may retain, they have been retained.'
and Peter said unto them, 'Reform, and be baptized each of you on the name of Jesus Christ, to remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,
and Peter said unto them, 'Reform, and be baptized each of you on the name of Jesus Christ, to remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,
to this one do all the prophets testify, that through his name every one that is believing in him doth receive remission of sins.'
Then answered Peter, 'The water is any one able to forbid, that these may not be baptized, who the Holy Spirit did receive -- even as also we?'
'Let it therefore be known to you, men, brethren, that through this one to you is the forgiveness of sins declared,
and they, having heard, were baptized -- to the name of the Lord Jesus,
many also of those who did believe were coming, confessing and declaring their acts,
we were buried together, then, with him through the baptism to the death, that even as Christ was raised up out of the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we in newness of life might walk.
for with the heart doth one believe to righteousness, and with the mouth is confession made to salvation;
And we the spirit of the world did not receive, but the Spirit that is of God, that we may know the things conferred by God on us, which things also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Holy Spirit, with spiritual things spiritual things comparing, read more. and the natural man doth not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for to him they are foolishness, and he is not able to know them, because spiritually they are discerned; and he who is spiritual, doth discern indeed all things, and he himself is by no one discerned;
so that the law became our child-conductor -- to Christ, that by faith we may be declared righteous,
in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the remission of the trespasses, according to the riches of His grace,
in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the remission of the trespasses, according to the riches of His grace,
and become one to another kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as also God in Christ did forgive you.
in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of the sins,
being buried with him in the baptism, in which also ye rose with him through the faith of the working of God, who did raise him out of the dead.
being buried with him in the baptism, in which also ye rose with him through the faith of the working of God, who did raise him out of the dead.
forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any one with any one may have a quarrel, as also the Christ did forgive you -- so also ye;
and with blood almost all things are purified according to the law, and apart from blood-shedding forgiveness doth not come.
and where forgiveness of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having, therefore, brethren, boldness for the entrance into the holy places, in the blood of Jesus,
And the God of all grace, who did call you to His age-during glory in Christ Jesus, having suffered a little, Himself make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you;
if we may confess our sins, stedfast He is and righteous that He may forgive us the sins, and may cleanse us from every unrighteousness;
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born out of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth; to him who did love us, and did bathe us from our sins in his blood,
Morish
There are three Hebrew words translated to forgive.
1. kaphar, 'to cover,' De 21:8; Ps 78:38; Jer 18:23. It is also translated 'atonement.'
2. nasa, 'to bear,' take away guilt: used by Joseph's brethren when they asked him to forgive them, Ge 50:17; and used of God as "forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." Ex 34:7; Nu 14:18; and in describing the blessedness of the man "whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." Ps 32:1.
3. salach, 'to pardon,' used only of the forgiveness that God gives. It is employed for the forgiveness attached to the sacrifices: "it shall be forgiven him." Le 4:20,26,31,35; 5:10,13,16,18; etc. It occurs in the prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple. 1Ki 8:30,34,36,39,50. Also in Ps 103:3; Jer 31:34; 36:3; Da 9:19.
In the N.T. two words are used: fesi" -->??????, from ??????, 'to send from, release, remit,' several times translated REMISSION; and ?????????, 'to be gracious, bestow freely, forgive.' Both words are applied to the forgiveness granted by God, as well as that between man and his fellow.
There are two aspects in which forgiveness is brought before us in scripture.
1. The mind and thought of God Himself towards the sinner whom He forgives. On the ground of the sacrifice of Christ, God not only ceases to hold those who have faith in Christ's blood as guilty before Him, but His favour is towards them. "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." Heb 10:17. Thus all sense of imputation of guilt is gone from the mind of God. "God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (?????????, graciously forgiven). Eph 4:32. So in the O.T., "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely." Ho 14:4.
2. The guilty one is released, forgiven. "That they may receive forgiveness of sins." Ac 26:18. "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Ps 103:12. "Your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake." 1Jo 2:12. Hence it is true of all Christians, that their sins are forgiven. Another thought is included in the forgiveness of sins, namely, that having redemption by Christ, which brings into a new state, the whole guilty past is forgiven, removed from us, so that there is no hindrance to the enjoyment of that into which redemption brings.
The general principle as to forgiveness is stated in 1Jo 1:9; "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins;" and to this is added, "and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This involves honesty of heart, whether in a sinner first coming to God, or in a child who has grieved the heart of the Father by sinning. The two aspects above referred to are here also. The faithfulness and righteousness of God in forgiving, and the cleansing us from all unrighteousness. God is faithful to His own blessed character of grace revealed in His Son, and righteous through the propitiation which He has made.
3. If a Christian is 'put away' from the assembly and is repentant, he is forgiven and restored. 2Co 2:7,10. This of course is different from the act of God in forgiving sins, and may be called administrative forgiveness in the church; and if the act of discipline is led of the Spirit, it is ratified in heaven: cf. Joh 20:22-23. This is entirely different from any pretended absolution that may be pronounced over poor deluded unconverted persons.
4. There is also a governmental forgiveness in connection with the government of God here below in time, both on God's part, and toward one another. Isa 40:1-2; Lu 17:3; Jas 5:15-16; 1Jo 5:16. We are called upon to forgive one another; and if we indulge in a harsh unforgiving spirit, we must not expect our Father to forgive us in His governmental dealings. Mt 6:14-15.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Thus ye do say to Joseph, I pray thee, bear, I pray thee, with the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin, for they have done thee evil; and now, bear, we pray thee, with the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father;' and Joseph weepeth in their speaking unto him.
keeping kindness for thousands, taking away iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on children, and on children's children, on a third generation, and on a fourth.'
'And he hath done to the bullock as he hath done to the bullock of the sin-offering, so he doth to it; and the priest hath made atonement for them, and it hath been forgiven them;
and with all its fat he doth make perfume on the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings; and the priest hath made atonement for him because of his sin, and it hath been forgiven him.
and all its fat he doth turn aside, as the fat hath been turned aside from off the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, and the priest hath made perfume on the altar, for sweet fragrance to Jehovah; and the priest hath made atonement for him, and it hath been forgiven him.
and all its fat he turneth aside, as the fat of the sheep is turned aside from the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, and the priest hath made them a perfume on the altar, according to the fire-offerings of Jehovah, and the priest hath made atonement for him, for his sin which he hath sinned, and it hath been forgiven him.
'And the second he maketh a burnt-offering, according to the ordinance, and the priest hath made atonement for him, because of his sin which he hath sinned, and it hath been forgiven him.
And the priest hath made atonement for him, for his sin which he hath sinned against one of these, and it hath been forgiven him, and the remnant hath been to the priest, like the present.'
'And that which he hath sinned against the holy thing he repayeth, and its fifth is adding to it, and hath given it to the priest, and the priest maketh atonement for him with the ram of the guilt-offering, and it hath been forgiven him.
'Then he hath brought in a ram, a perfect one, out of the flock, at thy valuation, for a guilt-offering, unto the priest; and the priest hath made atonement for him, for his ignorance in which he hath erred and he hath not known, and it hath been forgiven him;
Jehovah is slow to anger, and of great kindness; bearing away iniquity and transgression, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on sons, on a third generation, and on a fourth; --
receive atonement for Thy people Israel, whom Thou hast ransomed, O Jehovah, and suffer not innocent blood in the midst of Thy people Israel; and the blood hath been pardoned to them,
Then Thou hast hearkened unto the supplication of Thy servant, and of Thy people Israel, which they pray towards this place; yea, Thou dost hearken in the place of Thy dwelling, in the heavens -- and Thou hast hearkened, and hast forgiven,
then thou dost hear in the heavens, and hast forgiven the sin of Thy people Israel, and brought them back unto the ground that Thou gavest to their fathers.
then Thou dost hear in the heavens, and hast forgiven the sin of Thy servants, and of Thy people Israel, for Thou directest them the good way in which they go, and hast given rain on Thy land which Thou hast given to Thy people for inheritance.
then Thou dost hear in the heavens, the settled place of Thy dwelling, and hast forgiven, and hast done, and hast given to each according to all his ways, whose heart Thou knowest, (for Thou hast known -- Thyself alone -- the heart of all the sons of man),
and hast forgiven Thy people who have sinned against Thee, even all their transgressions which they have transgressed against Thee, and hast given them mercies before their captors, and they have had mercy on them --
By David. -- An Instruction. O the happiness of him whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.
And He -- the Merciful One, Pardoneth iniquity, and destroyeth not, And hath often turned back His anger, And waketh not up all His fury.
Who is forgiving all thine iniquities, Who is healing all thy diseases,
As the distance of east from west He hath put far from us our transgressions.
Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people, saith your God. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call to her, That her warfare hath been completed, That accepted hath been her punishment, That she hath received from the hand of Jehovah Double for all her sins.
And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known, All their counsel against me is for death, Thou dost not cover over their iniquity, Nor their sin from before Thee blottest out, And they are made to stumble before Thee, In the time of Thine anger work against them!
And they do not teach any more Each his neighbour, and each his brother, Saying, Know ye Jehovah, For they all know Me, from their least unto their greatest, An affirmation of Jehovah; For I pardon their iniquity, And of their sin I make mention no more.
if so be the house of Israel do hear all the evil that I am thinking of doing to them, so that they turn back each from is evil way, and I have been propitious to their iniquity, and to their sin.'
O lord, hear, O Lord, forgive; O Lord, attend and do; do not delay, for Thine own sake, O my God, for Thy name is called on Thy city, and on Thy people.'
I heal their backsliding, I love them freely, For turned back hath Mine anger from him.
For, if ye may forgive men their trespasses He also will forgive you -- your Father who is in the heavens; but if ye may not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
'Take heed to yourselves, and, if thy brother may sin in regard to thee, rebuke him, and if he may reform, forgive him,
and this having said, he breathed on them, and saith to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit; if of any ye may loose the sins, they are loosed to them; if of any ye may retain, they have been retained.'
to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of the Adversary unto God, for their receiving forgiveness of sins, and a lot among those having been sanctified, by faith that is toward me.
so that, on the contrary, it is rather for you to forgive and to comfort, lest by over abundant sorrow such a one may be swallowed up;
And to whom ye forgive anything -- I also; for I also, if I have forgiven anything, to whom I have forgiven it, because of you -- in the person of Christ -- I forgive it,
and become one to another kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as also God in Christ did forgive you.
and 'their sins and their lawlessness I will remember no more;'
and the prayer of the faith shall save the distressed one, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if sins he may have committed, they shall be forgiven to him. Be confessing to one another the trespasses, and be praying for one another, that ye may be healed; very strong is a working supplication of a righteous man;
if we may confess our sins, stedfast He is and righteous that He may forgive us the sins, and may cleanse us from every unrighteousness;
I write to you, little children, because the sins have been forgiven you through his name;