Biblical Forgiveness – Forgiving And Forgetting – Part 2

Our Spiritual Obligation To Forgive Others

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32

How God forgave us.

Let’s imagine that everyone has sinned and the relationship with their God, their Creator was broken.  That is not too far of a stretch of your imagination! But God loved them and wanted them to be restored to Himself.  

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:9

The problem – He is holy and there is a penalty for sin and restoration was not possible unless a price was paid, a sacrifice made. Enter Jesus – that is the “in Christ” part of Ephesians 4:32. Jesus paid the price for everybody’s sin. So problem solved, right? Everyone goes to heaven, right? Wrong!  There was something else that must happen. Because of Jesus, for the sinner, there is no demand for restitution, nor is there a demand for retribution, there is only the hope of restoration.  Restoration happens when the prodigal repents, confesses and returns home. (read Luke 15:11-32)

Even though forgiveness in Christ is offered, each sinner must place their faith in Jesus.  They must confess, repent and believe which precedes their spiritual birth and restoration to the Father through the Son by faith. When they do, the forgiveness that God offers through Jesus can be appropriated or consummated. The hope of forgiveness, which is restoration becomes a reality.  The relationship between a holy God and a sinner saved by grace is restored.

How we forgive like God. When a Christian Sins against a Christian.

First, what we are talking about is spiritual not natural.  The natural man is not “in Christ.” It is impossible for them to forgive like God. They are spiritually dead.  So, I am addressing the question of Christians who are to forgive.

For the sake of this discussion, I will use Bob and Fred.  They are both Christians. Fred has sinned against Bob in some way. 

Let’s consider what happens when Fred sinned against Bob. Bob might have been hurt emotionally, physically, or relationally.  Because of Bob’s faith in Christ, when Bob resolves to forgive Fred, the bitterness and anger and hurt he feels toward Fred are replaced by love.  Bob no longer feels any animosity toward the Fred, but wants to be restored to him.  Bob knows it is because of God in him.

 “We love because God first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19

Bob has forgiven Fred, but as with God, the forgiveness process is not yet complete.  Bob is at peace in his heart, but the relationship has not been restored. Fred must repent and confess just like with the restoration that happens between God and man. 

Just like many people reject God’s offer of forgiveness and restoration, Fred may not ever repent. That means that the relationship between Bob and Fred will not be restored and the forgiveness process will be interrupted - derailed.  But, that does not mean that Bob can’t or won’t be at peace.

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” – Romans 12:18 

To Be Continued …..