What does the Bible say about forgiveness? The answer to this question will be a lot, as forgiveness is the cornerstone and the foundation of the Christian faith. God’s relationship with humanity is built based on the forgiveness of sins.
If you take away forgiveness, God cannot reconcile with humanity, and there will be no relationship between God and man. So what does the Bible say about forgiveness?
The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3: 23 NIV). By implication, this means all humanity is indebted to God; hence, humanity needs forgiveness.
Although the Bible did not vividly state what forgiveness means, it gave diverse illustrations to describe what forgiveness means and gave illustrations that describe how we are to forgive.
Moreover, all of these are seen in the example of how God forgives us. It presents the need for forgiveness in two dimensions; we need forgiveness from God, and we need to forgive our fellow humans who have wronged us.
And also receive forgiveness from our fellow humans we have equally hurt. The Bible presents forgiveness as an ingredient that solidifies and facilitates the growth of a relationship.
This is the answer to what the Bible says about forgiveness in relationships. In addition, it also applies to marriage; if we are to love our spouse as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5: 25), then we equally need to forgive in marriage as Christ did.
As we intend to continue on the subject of what the Bible says about forgiveness, let us briefly look into what true forgiveness is.
What Is True Forgiveness?
If you want to know what true forgiveness is and how you can learn to practice it, read on.
True forgiveness means consciously and deliberately choosing to let go of grudges, resentment, rage, bitterness, anger, and thoughts of revenge against someone who hurts you or causes you great pain, regardless of whether they deserve it.
It does not deny the seriousness of pain or the gravity of the offense against you, nor does it mean accepting offenses.
Rather when forgiveness is given, it liberates and brings peace of mind to the forgiver, and it also gives clarity of thoughts and freedom from grudges, rage and bitterness towards the offender.
Forgiveness does not require anything from the forgiver not the knowledge or consent of the person. But as Christians, since we are obligated to forgive and reconcile with each other when reconciling with an offender, the person must know you have truly forgiven them.
Biblical Definition Of Forgiveness
In the Old Testament, it is the Hebrew ‘seliychah’, which means lifting one out of debt. In the New Testament, it is the Greek word ‘aphesis’, and it means to pardon, in the sense of letting go completely as if they never exist.
So forgiveness means lifting one out of debt and showing pardon by letting go as though the offense never existed. It means Christ taking away our sins, covering them, washing them away, and completely forgetting them (Isaiah 53: 6; 43: 25, Psalm 85: 2).
Types Of Forgiveness In The Bible
1. Judicial Forgiveness
Judicial forgiveness is the forgiveness of a judge (Romans 8: 1); it is the forgiveness every believer receives at repentance, and it is eternal.
Man sinned, sin attracts God’s judgment, and the penalty is death. But God forgives and completely wipes away our sins. We are now seen as not guilty, justified and acquitted.
2. Parental Or Relational Forgiveness
Parental or relational forgiveness is the forgiveness God gives us daily as we fall short in our walk with Him (Psalm 96: 13).
This is the forgiveness God gives us daily so we can freely enjoy our walk with Him without guilt and shame as we keep falling short. That is why we are expected to ask for forgiveness daily, and He has promised always to forgive us (1 John 1: 9).
What Does The Bible Say About Forgiveness – 9 Things
1. Forgiveness Is Man’s Greatest Need
Forgiveness is man’s greatest need, which is in two dimensions; the need to receive forgiveness and the need to give forgiveness.
In our walk with God and in relating with fellow humans, since God is the only perfect being, and humans are all imperfect by nature, we must certainly fall short in the sight of God and against one another.
So when we fall short in the eyes of God, we are exposed to God’s judgment and eternal punishment; hence we need forgiveness from God. So the Bible instructs us to ask God for forgiveness “and forgive us our sins” (Matthew 6: 12).
We are also expected to do the same to our fellow humans when we wrong them; we ask them for forgiveness so that we can continue to have a smooth relationship with them.
And on the other hand, when people fall short and offend us, we need to forgive them for the relationship to continue. If we do not learn to forgive and reconcile with people, we will keep having more enemies.
Either way, forgiveness is one of man’s greatest needs, and this point answers the question what does the Bible say about forgiveness.
2. God Is Ever Ready To Forgive Our Sins
God is not a reluctant forgiver; He always wants to forgive us our sins because it displays His grace, mercy, and love towards us.
And God is ever ready to display His love for us; hence He is ever willing to forgive us whenever we genuinely repent of our sins and ask for forgiveness.
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.”
So when we think of what does the Bible say about forgiveness, we know that God is ever ready to forgive our sins.
3. Forgiveness Is Offered On Christ’s Death
Christ in John 1: 29 (NIV) is called “…the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” and in Revelation 13: 8 (NIV), “…the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”
In the past, animals were killed to atone for the sins of men, but the Bible says the blood of animals was not a worthy sacrifice; hence it was not enough to take away the sins (Hebrews 10: 4 – 10).
But God showed forgiveness anyway because the blood of animals was pointing at what Christ will do on the cross (Hebrews 10: 1 – 14); hence it was on the ground of Christ’s death that God gave forgiveness.
So this gives us another answer to the question what does the Bible say about forgiveness.
4. Without Confession, There Is No Forgiveness
1 John 1: 8 – 9 (NIV) “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. On the other hand, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
To confess your sins means to accept God’s perspective about sin and to be willing to ask for forgiveness; it means accepting what the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7: 20, Romans 3: 10, and Romans 3: 23.
On the other hand, when you refuse to confess your sins, it means refusing to accept you have sinned, hence rejecting God’s perspective of sin.
Confession of sins is an action that characterizes a genuine believer in Christ, one who approaches God with a poor spirit, and God will continually cleanse those who confess and seek forgiveness.
5. Forgiving Others Is Essential To Be Forgiven
Jesus said in Matthew 6: 15 (NIV), “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” By this statement, Jesus gave a condition to receiving God’s forgiveness, but this was not referring to the believer’s justification.
The sort of forgiveness Christ is talking about here is simply washing a person from the worldly defilements of sin; it is like washing the feet rather than a bath (John 13:10).
This means as Christians, when we fall short in our daily walk with God, God withholds forgiveness and cleansing from Christians who have refused to forgive others.
One of the answers to what does the Bible say about forgiveness is that forgiving one another is essential to receiving forgiveness for ourselves.
6. We Have The Power To Forgive When We Are Hurt
Forgiveness is one of the most powerful gifts we can ever give to someone. And though it may seem difficult or impossible, as believers in Christ, we can forgive those who have deeply hurt us.
The Bible says in Romans 5: 5 (NIV), “…God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
This means we have God’s love in us, which will cause us to have a heart of forgiveness.
In addition, we have the Holy Spirit, which is the power of God in us. This means by the power of the Holy Spirit in us; we can also forgive others who have deeply hurt us, the same way God forgives us when we fall short.
When we forgive others, it shows that we carry God’s mercy, grace, and love in us. So we have to forgive others when they hurt us, which is one of the answers to what does the Bible says about forgiveness.
7. We Owe Offenders Forgiveness
We have seen that forgiveness is one of man’s greatest needs because we need to be forgiven, and we also owe everyone who hurt us forgiveness, even those who do not deserve it.
After all, no one deserved to be forgiven from the start because in Adam’s sin, the whole of the human race was affected, even to the unborn generations (Romans 5: 12).
However, out of God’s grace and loving kindness, Christ came to die, and forgiveness was made possible. So we are expected to forgive everyone just as God has forgiven us.
8. God Initiated Forgiveness From The Beginning
God is the one that initiated forgiveness right from the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. The moment man fell, sin came with its full force, and wickedness, pain and hurt began.
But God as a compassionate, loving Father, displayed His grace and mercies by showing the first man forgiveness even when he did not ask for it. He made the first sacrifice to cover man’s sins (Genesis 3: 21).
This act displays one of God’s greatest attributes, which is love, and it shows how God initiated forgiveness right from the start. Therefore, what does the Bible say about forgiveness? The Bible teaches us that God began forgiveness from the beginning.
9. God’s Forgiveness Has No Limit
We are taught in the scriptures that we should forgive one another no matter how badly we have been hurt because we have been forgiven (Ephesians 4: 32).
And we are also to always forgive anyone who hurts us, no matter how many times the same person offends us in one day (Matthew 18: 21 – 22). If God expects humans to grant forgiveness in this manner, imagine what is in God’s bank of forgiveness.
The Bible says if we confess, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1: 19). To forgive in this text is in the aorist tense in Greek, and the aorist tense is used to explain and action that has no time limit.
Hence, this implies that no matter how many times we sincerely ask God for forgiveness, He will always give it to us. God is boundless in love and mercy and limitless in forgiveness.
Therefore, what does the Bible say about forgiveness? It teaches that God’s forgiveness is limitless, and we are expected to replicate it to our fellow humans.
Why Do We Need Forgiveness?
If you are one of those that often ask why do we need forgiveness, read on.
We need forgiveness because all have sinned and fallen short (Romans 3: 23). Through one man, Adam, sin came into this world (Romans 5: 12 – 19).
This is why the Psalmist says in sin did my mother conceive me (Psalm 51: 5); the Bible also says there is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3: 10).
The sin of Adam makes all of humanity guilty and brings God’s judgment on us; hence, we need forgiveness of sin. Now imagine a world without the forgiveness of sins; we will be living in guilt and awaiting judgment.
Everyone will be miserable because of our guilt, and we will have no hope. Therefore, forgiveness of sins liberates us from guilt and gives us hope.
What Does The Bible Say About Forgiveness Of Sin?
If you are asking what does the Bible say about forgiveness of sin, here is a straightforward answer. The Bible says that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission and forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9: 22).
Hence the forgiveness of sin is from the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. This is because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6: 23); that is, for every little sin committed, the penalty is death.
If the penalty is death, then for us to be forgiven, a life needs to be taken; hence Christ gave His life to remit our sins. Jesus Christ came to give His life as the perfect sacrifice, dying once and for all to wash away our sins (Romans 6: 10).
The Bible emphasizes it in these verses; Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1: 29). Behold the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world (Revelation 13: 8).
Does Forgiveness Require Reconciliation In The Bible?
If you are one of those people that often ask, does forgiveness require reconciliation?
Forgiveness itself does not require reconciliation because you can forgive someone without the person’s consent. Hence, it is possible to forgive without reconciliation because reconciliation involves both parties coming back together.
Forgiveness itself is different from reconciliation; it is not a two-way thing. However, reconciliation is a two-way thing; both parties must get involved.
However, reconciliation requires forgiveness because without forgiving someone, you cannot reconcile with the person. God has offered forgiveness to the world; the Bible said Christ died for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5: 8).
But not all of humanity will be reconciled to God; only those who receive this forgiveness and confess their sins will be reconciled to God.
So forgiveness does not require reconciliation. However, as believers, we are required to forgive and reconcile with one another, to break the wall of hostility (Ephesians 2: 11 – 12).
Why Is It Important To Forgive And Reconcile?
People tend to often ask why is it important to forgive and reconcile?
It is essential to forgive and reconcile because we are believers in Christ. In fact, as believers, we are not just to forgive; we are obligated to forgive fellow believers and to reconcile with each other (Matthew 5: 24, Colossians 3: 13).
It is important to forgive and reconcile, because you can forgive someone without their consent, and the person might still be living in guilt.
Therefore, if we forgive and do not reconcile, the void will still be there. To an extent, there will still be some little trace of grudges inside, which is unhealthy for our spiritual life.
We are meant to replicate the love of God to our fellow humans. He forgave us and reconciled with us and is in the business of reconciling men back to Himself ( 2 Corinthians 5: 18 – 21).
So when we forgive, we should also make it known to the person or persons we have forgiven by reconciling with them. And although the relationship will never be the same again, there will be no guilt and grudge.
What Does The Bible Say About Forgiveness To Others?
Again, you might also be asking what does the Bible say about forgiveness to others.
The Bible says we should forgive others who have wronged us because God has forgiven us (Colossians 3: 13), but if we don’t forgive others, our heavenly Father will not forgive us (Matthew 6: 14, Mark 11: 25).
So we are to forgive whoever has hurt us as an expression of God’s forgiveness that we have received. We are to grant forgiveness to others regardless of whether they deserve it.
We are to grant forgiveness to others no matter what they have done to us and the number of times they have repeated the offense.
We are to always forgive because God always forgives us whenever we fall short, so we should do the same to others that hurt us.
What Does The Bible Say About Forgiveness And Forgetting?
If you are among those asking what does the Bible say about forgiveness and forgetting?
The Bible says we should forgive and forget. It says just as our Heavenly Father has forgiven us, we should do likewise to others (Colossians 3: 13).
Although we are humans, God expects us to replicate His kind of forgiveness to those who have hurt us. The standard or level of forgiveness we should give people is not based on our standard but on God’s standard.
That is why we are required to forgive and reconcile with one another, but if we don’t forget about the past, we cannot truly reconcile with one another.
So we are to follow God’s standard of forgiveness that is expected from us; we are to forgive and forget. This is why we can only express such by God’s grace; hence we must depend on God before doing it.
Conclusion
One of the important things the Bible says about forgiveness is that it is man’s greatest need, the need to forgive and be forgiven.
Without forgiveness, there will be no reconciliation; hence no relationship will ever exist. So because sin exists, then there is a need for forgiveness; therefore, this is the truth of what the Bible says about forgiveness.
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