By Douglas Sommerville

Today I would like to share on three different yet striking similar ways in which we are forgiven for our trespasses and sins. First and most important spiritually is receiving forgiveness from God. Secondly is forgiving others and the forgiveness of others. The third way is in some respects the most important overall - learning to forgive yourself.

God's Forgiveness to Man

God knows that man is born with a sin nature and that man will commit transgressions against God and His Word. Man regardless of how hard he tries will never be perfect in the flesh.

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

God has two ways with which to forgive man. The first way is the complete remission of all past sins when you are born again of God's spirit.

Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Change your thinking and actions so that they are in harmony with the Word of God. The Amplified Bible translation of the word 'repent' is change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it. The translation of the phrase 'remission of sins' is for the forgiveness of and release from your sins. When were born again of God's spirit we were not only forgiven we also received no merited punishment for our past sins.

The second way is forgiveness of sins after we are born again.

I John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We must be honest and admit that we erred and want to change our behavior when we go to God for His forgiveness.

God has made available these two wonderful ways to enable us to be better a witness for God. God removes our sins from us completely along with any deserved penalty. God remembers them no more and He does not hold them against us now or in the future.

Psalms 103:10-12
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Hebrews 8:12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

2 Corinthians 5:19
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Amplified Bible translation of "not imputing their trespasses unto them" is not counting up and holding against (men) their trespasses (but canceling them).

The Forgiveness of Others

All of us at one time have done something to offend someone. According to the Word, the believers are to forgive one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. We are also to forgive our brothers in Christ as many times as necessary.

In a situation where an individual is committing the same mistake continuously, that situation must be resolved in one of two ways before forgiveness can be given. The first way is through reproof and correction. If you reprove and correct that individual - thus informing them of their error and giving them a chance to change - and they do change their ways then forgiveness is in order. If the individual refuses the reproof and correction and simply will not or does not change their ways, the believers are to separate themselves from them. Once the individual is not affecting the fellowship (or believer affected) it it is then available to forgive that individual and move on in life. The key is that the negative situation be resolved either through reproof and correction or separating the believers from the negative situation before forgiveness is given.

Matthew 18:15-17
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Matthew 18:21-22
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

The last verse is a figure of speech. We are not to literally forgive someone only 490 times, but as many times as required. We must also remember to lovingly reprove and correct them so they can repent of their erroneous ways.

2 Corinthians 2:7-11
So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Without God's forgiveness and the forgiveness of others we can be overcome with great sadness and grief in our hearts and become weak spiritually and potentially even destroyed by the adversary.

By forgiving our spiritual brothers, we also help to preserve our unity. By letting things go without resolving them allows the adversary another way to cause divisions within the household of believers.

Ephesians 4:2-3
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Colossians 2:2
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

Without longsuffering, forbearing, tenderheartedness, forgiveness, etc. in the fellowship there will be no true unity and the fellowship will not be knit together in love.

Forgiving Yourself: Forgetting the Past

You might ask why forgive oneself. While we were growing up, we have always been taught to forgive others. The purpose in forgiving yourself is very similar to the reason why you forgive others. When you forgive others (as God has forgiven you), you release them from any merited penalty from their transgression.

Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

I John 3:20-22
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Do not harbor guilty feelings in your mind. This can lead to fear which can ultimately become unbelief. Also by carrying around feelings of guilt, fear, worthlessness, etc, we burden ourselves down with a load that will hold us back from moving ahead with the things of God. We must learn to unload this burden upon God so that we can free to move, as God needs us to.

Psalms 55:22
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Phillipians 3:13-14
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Do not bring up past negative events in your life or the lives of others. This can lead to feelings of guilt in people, and cause divisions in the fellowship. Any time the past is brought up in a negative, hurtful way it is always the Adversary's doing. A past event can be brought up if it is being used to teach and instruct others on what not to do and how to properly handle negative events.

Resolve disagreements between the believers quickly. The longer a problem goes unresolved the greater the damage to the individuals and the fellowship involved. It also gives the Adversary another avenue of attack (as if he needs any help).

Ephesians 4:26-27
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Neither give place to the devil.

Romans 12:17-21
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written,
Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

In closing let us try to remember to forgive others as others and especially God has forgiven us many times. As we forgive and forget the past we help to keep the household strong, unified, and knit together in love.