The Theological Basis for Forgiveness

Matthew 6:14-15 - [COLOR=windowtext !important]"For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.[/COLOR] [COLOR=windowtext !important]But if you do not forgive others , then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.[/COLOR]

Luke 23:33-34 - When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, [COLOR=windowtext !important]"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."[/COLOR] And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

I would think that the issue of forgiveness is not just for saved to saved, but for us to forgive anyone who has wronged us even before they ask and even if they never ask, which is what the Lord Jesus did. Because forgiveness frees us to worship and serve God without bitterness.

Personally, I marvel at the grace of God that works in a family when they forgive the murderer of their loved one. I like to think I would be able to do that, but I am not too sure. :tear:

 

2Co 6:14 for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Lu 11:17 Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

Can hate/love exit in the heart at the same time???

Mt 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

 

If someone does something that offends you, and you hold a "Grudge" against them,

That grudge "prevents" you from loving them.

Our sin offends God, but even while sinners, God still loved us and Jesus died for us,

And to "show the love of God", we have to do the same.

 

Tom got it right but missed the 'proof text'.
　
You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.
For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?
Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.
But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:43-48 NLT

We forgive others (extend them grace) because God forgave us (extended his grace to us).
As God's children, we are to be like him.

Rob

 

Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
… be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children
Ephesians 4:23,32; 5:1 NLT
(also see Col 3:12–13!; 1 John 4:19).

I. We are to forgive others (brothers) because we imitate God who forgave us.

II. Forgiveness is our general attitude but there are limits.
(See Matthew 18:21-35)

Bringing these both together is a familiar and powerful passage,

The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out,
“Yahweh! The LORD!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
But I do not excuse the guilty.
I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren;
the entire family is affected—
even children in the third and fourth generations.”
Exodus 34:6-7 NLT

III. God is the perfect forgiver; we imitate him imperfectly.

It’s wrapped up well in the conclusion of a study of the Greek word aphiēnai in the TDOT.

Rob

 

Love. . . . .God is love. Love beareth all things.

 

I'm bumping up against this theme today as I study Psalm 69 for class tomorrow.
Psalm 69, an imprecatory psalm ('Curse' ) and is adapted quite a bit by various authors in the NT.

You know of my shame, scorn, and disgrace.
You see all that my enemies are doing.
Their insults have broken my heart,
and I am in despair.

If only one person would show some pity;
if only one would turn and comfort me.
But instead, they give me poison for food;
[Matthew 27:34]
they offer me sour wine for my thirst.
[John 19:28-30]

Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare
and their prosperity become a trap.
Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,
and make their bodies shake continually.
[Romans 11:9-10]
Pour out your fury on them;
consume them with your burning anger.
Let their homes become desolate
and their tents be deserted.
[Acts 1:20]

To the one you have punished, they add insult to injury;
they add to the pain of those you have hurt.
Pile their sins up high,
and don’t let them go free.

Erase their names from the Book of Life;
don’t let them be counted among the righteous.
[Rev 3:5; 20:15; 21:27]

Psalm 69:19-28 NLT

Would their changing of the curses into the blessings of grace effect how we apply forgiveness today?

Rob

 

If we take the whole counsel of God into account there is a condition for forgiving another brother/sister

Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.​

Matthew 18
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Just as God's forgiveness has not limits, neither should ours but repentance is the basis (humanly speaking).

HankD​

 

Forgiveness is not a characteristic of love?

I agree. Who suggested anything as absurd?

Your question was, how can the family of a murder victim forgive the murderer? I answered it.

Perhaps you should rephrase your question.

 

How? love

Why? love

Maybe you should define "sins against us."

 

God will have mercy upon whom He has mercy, and the mercy He shows is unconditional. I guess I don't know what you're asking.

How do you define un-forgiveness?

a) Harboring resentment, ill will or bitterness
b) Administrating justice
c) Seeking revenge
d) All of the above


How do you define forgiveness?

a) Releasing resentment, ill will or bitterness for kindly affection
b) Staying punishment
c) Bearing the cost and not seeking compensation or restitution
d) All of the above

 

Forgiveness is conditioned upon those who ask for it.
As Hank quoted:

Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Only those who ask for forgiveness will be saved, when the trust Christ as Savior. They must ask first. We don't believe in universalism.
If a person is disciplined out of a church we wait until he repents before he can be forgiven and allowed back into the church.
What good is it to either forgive or ask for forgiveness if there is no change of heart first.

On the other hand when a Christian's forgiveness for others is directed to God it may be unconditional, such as Stephen's was. Stephen asked God: Acts 7:60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.
--But he wasn't asking personal forgiveness from the Pharisees.
John the Baptist wouldn't forgive the Pharisees unless they brought evidence of repentance from their sins. But while in jail he may have prayed to God and asked forgiveness on their behalf.