What is forgiveness?

Let me ask the reader to consider for a brief moment what forgiveness is in itself. Forgiveness, if it exists at all, must in the first instance exist in the mind of the creditor, or injured party, and it must be there before the debtor, or offender, can have any intimation of it. It is the way in which the creditor or injured party, when he acts in grace, is disposed toward the debtor or offender. The one who has the prerogative to forgive may communicate his mind to the object of his clemency, or he may not, but what he communicates must be the disposition of his mind, when he is pleased to make the communication. The debtor has been at the mercy of his creditor, and the creditor has shown grace. If I fail in the fulfilment of my responsibilities, or trespass upon my neighbour, naturally judgment must ensue, unless the aggrieved party alter his mind and resolve to act in grace, and if so, the thought of judgment leaves his mind, and forgiveness takes its place. I cannot read his mind, and might be unhappy about it, but when he makes known his mind toward me, I am at rest. But what I come to know, is what was in his mind before I knew it. I may refuse to accept his grace, and reluctantly his thoughts may have to revert to judgment again, but forgiveness was the state of his mind toward me when he resolved to visit me in grace, as much as if I had thankfully received it. And I think people mix up forgiveness as it exists in the mind of God in Christ with the apprehension of it on the part of man, and with their reception of it. Paul was sent to open the eyes of the Gentiles. This was to be done by the presentation of grace on the part of God. Forgiveness was preached by him through Christ. This was preached that men might turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance. Forgiveness is preached through a risen Christ. He is the mercy seat in whom God addresses men. He is the propitiation for our sins and for the whole world. Righteousness having been accomplished, grace can be declared to all. Forgiveness is the aspect of God’s mind toward all. It goes forth from the mercy seat sprinkled with blood, which is simply the risen Christ. I bear the announcement, and turn to God. Why should I remain away? He is gracious. I come and receive forgiveness and inheritance. How? I receive the Holy Spirit and in the Spirit I have both. I come by the Spirit into the enjoyment of that grace which was declared to me in the far country, and which first of all brought me to myself and next turned me to God. Now in Christ by the Spirit, I am in an entirely new relationship with God which cannot be disturbed by sin.

Forgiveness is, I think, evidently the changed aspect of the mind of him who forgives, as regards the faults of the forgiven. Where judicial authority, or an injured right existed of the forgiver, and judgment as to the person concerning the act, ceased in the mind, judgment was no longer its aspect for the wrong done. It may be authoritative judgment of the wrong, or the kind of authority there is in the possession of a right - there is authority as to that, so that we may say, in general, that it is authority ceasing to view the fault in the aspect of judgment, and, thereon, releasing the offender who had come under that judgment; hence, it is evident, it cannot go beyond the claim or title to judge of him who takes cognizance of the offence. All beyond this is impossible in the nature of things; I may forgive a thief, or a murderer, his wrong, but this does not screen him from the laws, nor from God's judgment if unrepentant. A man may be forgiven of God, and yet as testimony in the world, providential effects may follow, because the spheres are different, and everlasting exclusion from His presence, or favour, is the effect of sin; or, I may impose a condition - as if my child had stolen an apple, I may require him to return the apple, or I do not forgive him, because there is a double relationship - my parental authority, and the wrong done to another. But, in general, forgiveness is the release of one in fault from the judgment of one in authority - who has title to release him, and this includes all wrong - and takes place in the mind of him who has authority, who ceases to hold him in the aspect of judgment.

Send away, let go, give up, remit, forgive. These words give the true sense of what forgiveness is. It is not, as we sometimes think, a change of attitude. Forgiveness is not merely an abstract concept. It is definite and concrete. The finished work of Christ on the cross has put us in a forgiven position in the sight of God in which the eternal consequences of our sins have been sent away. But our sins also have consequences in our lives here on earth. Examples of these temporal consequences include death (as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira or of the Corinthians), sickness (James 5), debt, a sense of distance in a relationship (including things like reduced confidence and a lack of trust). Scriptures that indicate how forgiveness involves the removal (or sending away) of such consequences include 2 Samuel 12:13; Mathew 6:14-15; 18:21-35; John 20:23; James 5:15.

Forgiveness (also translated remission) simply means `sending away'. The eternal consequences due to us because of our sins have been sent completely away. This is the position in which every believer stands. Of course, the consequences on earth due to us if we sin - including a break in fellowship with the Father - require confession on our part in order to be removed. It is important not to confuse these things.

The guilty one is released, forgiven. "That they may receive forgiveness of sins." Acts 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." 1 John 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.

When the Lord Jesus was on earth He spoke forgiveness to sinners, for He had indeed power on earth to forgive sins, and He knew of the work that He was about to accomplish that would vindicate God in forgiving those who had sinned against Him. After the Lord Jesus had died the word of forgiveness was preached in the Gospel, so that the Apostle Paul could write to the saints, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). Whether our sins are viewed as transgressions against God’s commandments, or as offences against His majesty, through faith in His Son our sins are forgiven.

All forgiveness is founded on the blessed work of the Lord Jesus. But it is important to distinguish between the pardon which clears us once and forever from all our sins before God, by which we are justified, and have peace with God, and the pardon which we may receive on the way as under God's government, supposing we are pardoned and saved.

It must be evident, therefore that when scripture speaks of our debts being forgiven (see Matt. 6:12; Matt. 18:23–35; Luke 7, etc.), the term is used in the more general way, as indeed uniformly in the word, namely, as defaulted debts, trespasses or sins which God forgives, as we have seen, because Christ has died and made atonement. Thus in the parables referred to we are seen not only as debtors, but as so thoroughly insolvent, so hopelessly bankrupt, that we have not a penny in the pound to offer. This is carefully noted in the words, "forasmuch as he had not to pay," and again, "when they had nothing to pay." Deliverance comes to us, then, not because God cancels the obligation, but because the penalty has been borne for us by the competent Substitute His own love had provided.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Here again is a broad, all‑embracing principle. If we” involves the same scope as does the expression in each one of these last five verses, that is, if anyone confesses his sins, there is in God perfect faithfulness, perfect justice in forgiving. As the light penetrates, it brings confession with it. Who can say whether repentance or faith is chronologically first? Are they not rather simultaneous? If one believes, it will be manifest in a spirit of confession: if one really repents, he will believe, for the evidence of faith is in his repentance. The confession here is real, of course, as being produced by the light, and cannot in any way be divorced from faith in the Son of God. If this is not specifically mentioned in the verse, yet it is clearly implied in God’s faithfulness and justice. Is God not faithful to His own Son, who has accomplished redemption for confessed sinners? And He is just in forgiving simply because the cross of Christ has satisfied every requirement of justice. Any sinner therefore may come to Him on the ground of this blessed verse, and find eternal forgiveness. On the other hand, a mere lip confession, such as King Saul’s (1 Samuel 15:30), which ignores the justice of God, is not even considered in this verse. Here rather is the reality that faces the facts of God’s faithfulness and righteousness, and frankly confesses. Compare the prodigal son (Luke 15:21,22). Forgiveness is the discharging of every offense against God, no holding it any longer against the offender. But there is cleansing from all unrighteousness also, in order that the soul may be in God’s presence in consistency with the purity of the light.

Forgiveness implies too the release (aphesis) from the penal liability to which the judgment of the mind of the forgiver rightly holds it; but forgiveness is properly what I have before referred to - this is an effect. It may be applied to the person or the faults; it has rather the previous and essential sense as to the person - the latter (aphesis) as to the sins. The words are different, at any rate often when applied to people and sins, as Luke 7:42; 2 Corinthians 2:7; Colossians 3:13; Ephesians 4:32 it is charizomai - of sins aphesis. But we have aphes auto (forgive him) (Luke 18:3), and charizesthe o ti; 2 Corinthians 2:10, and chap. 12:13. Etymologically, charizomai (to forgive, or show kindness to) is evidently more the favour of the person forgiving but actually exercised; aphiemi, its application to dismissal of the sin - a release. The force of aphiemi (to forgive or leave) is seen in Matthew 6:12, 14, 15, and Luke 11:4.