Biblical Answer

Understanding Gods Forgiveness

Gods forgiveness is a divine prerogative that involves both the declaration and actual forgiveness of sins. In the Bible, Jesus consistently demonstrated this right by declaring and forgiving sins (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 7:36-50). This prerogative is grounded in Gods just character and the personal responsibility of humans, as well as the gravity of sin.

The Conditions of Forgiveness

While God is willing to forgive, forgiveness is not automatic. It requires a personal response of repentance and confession of sins before God. As Stott notes, We may forgive the injuries which others do to us; but the sins we commit against God only God himself can forgive (Stott, BC, 29). This means that individuals must acknowledge their sin and turn away from it in order to be forgiven. The Bible teaches that if we confess our sins, God forgives them because no other course would be consistent with the perfectly good will by which the whole universe is created and sustained (1 John 1:9).

The Relationship Between Forgiveness and Sin

Forgiveness is not a blanket pardon that ignores the gravity of sin. Rather, it is a divine response to human repentance and confession. When God forgives, he no longer holds our sin against us, but reckons us not guilty (Micah 7:18-20). However, forgiveness does not necessarily mean that the sin is forgotten or that the consequences of sin are ignored. Rather, it means that God has chosen to forgive and restore the individual, while also upholding the moral fiber of the universe through the death of Christ. As the Bible teaches, if we turn from sin, we can be forgiven and Gods moral government preserved (Hebrews 8:12).