Articles
Forgiveness of Sins
Sin is a violation of God’s law. It may be doing what He prohibits or not doing what He requires. It may be in word, thought, or deed. It may openly show itself in some outward expression, or it may be something hidden in one’s heart.
Sin has consequences. Among them, sin separates us from God, it creates friction in human relations, and it brings guilt to the one who has committed the wrong. These consequences can only be removed by forgiveness. That forgiveness must take place on three levels.
Divine
First and foremost, we must have God’s forgiveness. Without that we will suffer sin’s worst effect: eternal punishment. God has graciously offered to forgive our sins—all of them! He sent His Son to die for us (Romans 5:8). We are reconciled to God through His blood (Colossians 1:30). The Bible often emphasizes the essentiality of faith in Jesus as a condition of divine forgiveness: “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43). It also says both repentance (Luke 24:47) and baptism (Acts 2:38) are for forgiveness of sins.
Human
When one sins against another, human forgiveness is also essential to righting the relationship. The Bible stresses the importance of willingness to forgive, perhaps because at times we may be slow to do so. Jesus taught, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:14-15). Paul urged, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).
Personal
The third level on which forgiveness must take place is what I am calling the personal level; by that I mean we must be willing to forgive ourselves. Feelings of guilt are understandable, and they are valuable for bringing us to repentance. They can become a problem, however, if we never get past them. We may get so down on ourselves that we give up trying to do better. Surely Peter found it hard to forgive himself of denying the Lord; or Paul, for persecuting Christians. While there are indications these men never forgot what they had done, they moved on. They learned, they did better, and they even used their experience to encourage others. We can, too.
Have you sought God’s forgiveness in Christ, the forgiveness of others whom you have wronged, and also your own forgiveness?
