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
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And Cain said to Jehovah, My punishment is too great to be borne.
Thus shall ye speak to Joseph: Oh forgive, I pray thee, the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin! for they did evil to thee. And now, we pray thee, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
keeping mercy unto thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but by no means clearing the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.
And if the whole assembly of Israel sin inadvertently, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the congregation, and they do somewhat against any of all the commandments of Jehovah in things which should not be done, and are guilty;
If any one sin and act unfaithfully against Jehovah, and lie to his neighbour as to an entrusted thing or a deposit or that in which he hath robbed or wronged his neighbour, or have found what was lost, and denieth it, and sweareth falsely in anything of all that man doeth, sinning therein; read more. then it shall be, if he hath sinned and transgressed, that he shall restore what he robbed or that in which he hath defrauded, or the deposit, or the lost thing which he found, or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; and he shall restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto; to him to whom it belongeth shall he give it, on the day of his trespass-offering. And his trespass-offering shall he bring to Jehovah, a ram without blemish out of the small cattle according to thy valuation, as a trespass-offering, unto the priest. And the priest shall make atonement for him before Jehovah, and it shall be forgiven him concerning anything of all that he hath done so as to trespass therein.
For I am Jehovah your God; and ye shall hallow yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy; and ye shall not make yourselves unclean through any manner of crawling thing which creepeth on the earth.
Speak unto all the assembly of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Holy shall ye be, for I Jehovah your God am holy.
Jehovah is slow to anger, and abundant in goodness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and fourth generation.
all that Jehovah hath commanded you through Moses, from the day that Jehovah gave commandment, and henceforward throughout your generations;
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt take them to heart among all the nations whither Jehovah thy God hath driven thee, and shalt return to Jehovah thy God, and shalt hearken to his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy sons, with all thy heart and with all thy soul; read more. that then Jehovah thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will gather thee again from all the peoples whither Jehovah thy God hath scattered thee. Though there were of you driven out unto the end of the heavens, from thence will Jehovah thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee; and Jehovah thy God will bring thee into the land that thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. And Jehovah thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And Jehovah thy God will put all these curses on thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, who have persecuted thee. But thou shalt return and hearken to the voice of Jehovah, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. And Jehovah thy God will make thee abound 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 will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers; if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law; if thou turn to Jehovah thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Have I not commanded thee: Be strong and courageous? Be not afraid, neither be dismayed; for Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
And now, I pray you, swear to me by Jehovah, since I have dealt kindly with you, that ye will also deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a certain sign,
And it came to pass, when all the people had completely gone over, that the ark of Jehovah went over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
And Joshua said to the people, Ye cannot serve Jehovah, for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
And Joshua said to the people, Ye cannot serve Jehovah, for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
then hear thou in the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou teachest them the good way wherein they should walk; and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
and forgive thy people their sin against thee, and all their transgressions whereby they have transgressed against thee, and give them to find compassion with those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them
and my people, who are called by my name, humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from the heavens, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.
and refused to obey, neither were they mindful of thy wonders which thou hadst done among them; but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion made a captain to return to their bondage. But thou art a +God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great loving-kindness, and thou forsookest them not.
and refused to obey, neither were they mindful of thy wonders which thou hadst done among them; but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion made a captain to return to their bondage. But thou art a +God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great loving-kindness, and thou forsookest them not.
If I sinned, thou wouldest mark me, and thou wouldest not acquit me of mine iniquity.
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity I covered not; I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is continually before me.
Bring us back, O God of our salvation, and cause thine indignation toward us to cease.
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and art of great loving-kindness unto all that call upon thee.
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and art of great loving-kindness unto all that call upon thee.
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases;
I, I am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and I will not remember thy sins.
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
And the Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith Jehovah.
Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broadways thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justice, that seeketh fidelity; and I will pardon it.
Wherefore should I pardon thee? Thy children have forsaken me, and swear by them that are not God. I have satiated them, and they have committed adultery, and they troop to the harlots' house.
And if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because Jehovah's flock is gone into captivity.
And I will scatter them as stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
And now, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I prepare evil against you, and devise a device against you: turn ye then every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.
And I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them; and ye shall dwell in the land that I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear nor hearkened unto me.
It may be the house of Judah will hear all the evil that I purpose to do unto them, that they may return every man from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
With the Lord our God are mercies and pardons, for we have rebelled against him;
O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Who knoweth but that God will turn and repent, and will turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in power, and doth not at all clear the guilty: Jehovah, his way is in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
Since the days of your fathers have ye departed from my statutes, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return?
Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors,
For if ye forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father also will forgive you yours, but if ye do not forgive men their offences, neither will your Father forgive your offences.
But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, (then he says to the paralytic,) Rise up, take up thy bed and go to thy house.
And whosoever shall have spoken a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the coming one.
And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens; and whatsoever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be bound in the heavens; and whatsoever thou mayest loose on the earth shall be loosed in the heavens.
Verily I say to you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? until seven times?
For this cause the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who would reckon with his bondmen. And having begun to reckon, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him. read more. But he not having anything to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and everything that he had, and that payment should be made. The bondman therefore falling down did him homage, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all. And the lord of that bondman, being moved with compassion, loosed him and forgave him the loan. But that bondman having gone out, found one of his fellow-bondmen who owed him a hundred denarii. And having seized him, he throttled him, saying, Pay me if thou owest anything. His fellow-bondman therefore, having fallen down at his feet, besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. But he would not, but went away and cast him into prison, until he should pay what was owing. But his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord, having called him to him, says to him, Wicked bondman! I forgave thee all that debt because thou besoughtest me; shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-bondman, as I also had compassion on thee? And his lord being angry delivered him to the tormentors till he paid all that was owing to him. Thus also my heavenly Father shall do to you if ye forgive not from your hearts every one his brother.
There came John baptising in the wilderness, and preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.
Why does this man thus speak? he blasphemes. Who is able to forgive sins except God alone?
But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, he says to the paralytic,
but whosoever shall speak injuriously against the Holy Spirit, to eternity has no forgiveness; but lies under the guilt of an everlasting sin;
And when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your offences.
And when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your offences.
And when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your offences.
And he came into all the district round the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason in their minds, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins but God alone?
But that ye may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralysed man, I say to thee, Arise, and take up thy little couch and go to thine house.
And Simon answering said, I suppose he to whom he forgave the most. And he said to him, Thou hast rightly judged.
and remit us our sins, for we also remit to every one indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation.
And if he should sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times should return to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him.
And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And, parting out his garments, they cast lots.
And some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and they said to him, Are we blind also?
When therefore Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished; and having bowed his head, he delivered up his spirit.
whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
And Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptised, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for remission of sins, and ye will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
And Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptised, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for remission of sins, and ye will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
To him all the prophets bear witness that every one that believes on him will receive through his name remission of sins.
Can any one forbid water that these should not be baptised, who have received the Holy Spirit as we also did?
Be it known unto you, therefore, brethren, that through this man remission of sins is preached to you,
And when they heard that, they were baptised to the name of the Lord Jesus.
And many of those that believed came confessing and declaring their deeds.
We have been buried therefore with him by baptism unto death, in order that, even as Christ has been raised up from among the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life.
For with the heart is believed to righteousness; and with the mouth confession made to salvation.
But we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things which have been freely given to us of God: which also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, communicating spiritual things by spiritual means. read more. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him; and he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned; but the spiritual discerns all things, and he is discerned of no one.
So that the law has been our tutor up to Christ, that we might be justified on the principle of faith.
in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of offences, according to the riches of his grace;
in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of offences, according to the riches of his grace;
and be to one another kind, compassionate, forgiving one another, so as God also in Christ has forgiven you.
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins;
buried with him in baptism, in which ye have been also raised with him through faith of the working of God who raised him from among the dead.
buried with him in baptism, in which ye have been also raised with him through faith of the working of God who raised him from among the dead.
forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any should have a complaint against any; even as the Christ has forgiven you, so also do ye.
and almost all things are purified with blood according to the law, and without blood-shedding there is no remission.
But where there is remission of these, there is no longer a sacrifice for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness for entering into the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus,
But the God of all grace who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, when ye have suffered for a little while, himself shall make perfect, stablish, strengthen, ground:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and has washed 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.
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Thus shall ye speak to Joseph: Oh forgive, I pray thee, the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin! for they did evil to thee. And now, we pray thee, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
keeping mercy unto thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but by no means clearing the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.
And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock of sin-offering: so shall he do with it. And the priest shall make atonement for them; and it shall be forgiven them.
And he shall burn all its fat on the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him to cleanse him from his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall burn it on the altar, for a sweet odour to Jehovah; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, with Jehovah's offerings by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.
And he shall offer the other for a burnt-offering, according to the ordinance. And the priest shall make atonement for him to cleanse him from his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.
And the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him; and it shall be the priest's, as the oblation.
And he shall make restitution for the wrong that he hath done in the holy things, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and shall give it unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and it shall be forgiven him.
And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the small cattle, according to thy valuation, as trespass-offering, unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his inadvertence wherein he sinned inadvertently, and knew it not, and it shall be forgiven him.
Jehovah is slow to anger, and abundant in goodness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and fourth generation.
Forgive thy people Israel, whom thou, Jehovah, hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood to the charge of thy people Israel; and the blood shall be expiated for them.
And hearken unto the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place, and hear thou in thy dwelling-place, in the heavens, and when thou hearest, forgive.
then hear thou in the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land that thou gavest unto their fathers.
then hear thou in the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou teachest them the good way wherein they should walk; and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
then hear thou in the heavens, the settled place of thy dwelling, and forgive, and do, and render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou knowest (for thou, thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men),
and forgive thy people their sin against thee, and all their transgressions whereby they have transgressed against thee, and give them to find compassion with those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them
{Of David. Instruction.} Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!
But he was merciful: he forgave the iniquity, and destroyed them not; but many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his fury:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases;
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her time of suffering is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins.
And thou, Jehovah, knowest all their counsel against me to slay me. Forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee: deal with them in the time of thine anger.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Jehovah: for I will pardon their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.
It may be the house of Judah will hear all the evil that I purpose to do unto them, that they may return every man from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, hearken and do! defer not, for thine own sake, O my God! for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him.
For if ye forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father also will forgive you yours, but if ye do not forgive men their offences, neither will your Father forgive your offences.
Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother should sin, rebuke him; and if he should repent, forgive him.
And having said this, he breathed into them, and says to them, Receive the Holy Spirit: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.
so that on the contrary ye should rather shew grace and encourage, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with excessive grief.
But to whom ye forgive anything, I also; for I also, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, it is for your sakes in the person of Christ;
and be to one another kind, compassionate, forgiving one another, so as God also in Christ has forgiven you.
and their sins and their lawlessnesses I will never remember any more.
and the prayer of faith shall heal the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be one who has committed sins, it shall be forgiven him. Confess therefore your offences to one another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The fervent supplication of the righteous man has much power.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I write to you, children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.