Put on … forgiveness
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What is forgiveness?
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The word forgiveness means “leave, abandon, or release.”
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The same Greek word translated forgiveness is also translated to other English words:
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Matthew 27:50 – “yielded up” His spirit
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Matthew 4:20 – “left” their nets
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Matthew 4:22 – “left” their boat and father
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I Corinthians 7:11 – “divorce” his wife
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God is the source of forgiveness.
- Psalms 130:3
- Psalms 103:10-13 – We don’t want God to deal with us according to our sins!
- Acts 5:30-31; 13:3-39 – Forgiveness of sin is only through Jesus and His sacrifice.
- II Chronicles 33:5-6, 9, 12-13 – Even evil king Manasseh received forgiveness after he humbled himself before God.
God is the motivation for forgiveness.
- Matthew 6:12-15 – We should have an attitude of forgiveness because we are thankful for our own forgiveness.
- Matthew 18:21-35; Hebrews 10:29 – People’s sins against me cannot compare with humanity’s sins against God.
- Ephesians 4:32
God is the example of forgiveness.
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Does the Bible require me to forgive and forget?
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This is a common phrase, but it is not found in the Bible.
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Hebrews 10:17, 3 – Peter and Paul were forgiven, but their sins were recorded in Scripture. They could not be forgotten!
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Genesis 50:15-21 – Joseph was willing to forgive but could not forget the sins his brothers had committed against him that put him in the position he was in. He did let go of any desire to retaliate. He showed them love.
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Must one repent to be forgiven?
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Matthew 18:15-17; Luke 17:3-4 – We are not instructed to jump to forgiveness.
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I Corinthians 5:1-2 vs. II Corinthians 2:6-8 – If this is referring to the same man, evidently, he repented.
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What about the statements from Jesus and Stephen?
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We should have an attitude of forgiveness.