Some Questions On Forgiveness Answered
What does the Bible say about forgiving and asking for forgiveness?
The Bible teaches about forgiveness as it impacts various facets of our lives: our relationship to God; our relationship to our personal family members; our relationship to other church members; and our relationship to those who live around us.
So far as God is concerned, He is abundant in mercy and willing to forgive our faults and shortcomings. God's willingness to forgive does not mean He turns a blind eye to our faults, for if we fail to ask forgiveness we will not be forgiven.
So far as our relationship to family members go, refusing to forgive and holding grudges, decimates love, brings bitterness and sad consequences that significantly impacts our families. Spouses will need to frequently forgive one another, and parents need to model forgiving and asking forgiveness before their children. Parents should also encourage their children to forgive and ask forgiveness between themselves. Sometimes adult children forgiving their parents, or asking forgiveness, is necessary to experience emotional or other healing, and dealing with baggage of the past.
Regarding forgiveness within the church, God wants us to enjoy "heavenly" relationships with other members. Our unity is the strongest proof that Christ came to this earth. Forgiveness is an important ingredient of that unity.
So far as the world around us is concerned, we need to remember Christ's example of forgiving those who crucified Him, and His teachings that we are to love and do good to those who persecute and take advantage of us.
Those who find it impossible to forgive will not only NOT be forgiven by God, but they will harbor a bitterness that will poison their lives and relationships in a way that is entirely unnecessary.
I want to be in heaven some day and if my getting there requires my forgiving or asking forgiveness, then so be it!
The following Bible study will help you to better understand forgiveness. As you go through the Bible study, ask yourself what is the key teaching and how it impacts your life. As you feel convicted to forgive, respond. You will find the Bible study on forgiveness a wonderful healing instrument that God will use to bless your life.—Dan
Exodus 34:6-7 "And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation.”
2 Chronicles 30:9 (NKJV) "For if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.”
Psalms 103:8-12 (NKJV) "The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us."
Jonah 4:2 (NKJV) "So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was nsot this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm."
Micah 7:18 "Who [is] a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth [in] mercy."
Romans 2:4 "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"
Romans 5:20 "Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: It necessitates our forgiving others."
Matthew 6:12 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."
Matthew 6:14 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 18:21 "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."
"The Jewish precepts enjoined upon men the duty of forgiving five offenses, and Peter thought that in suggesting seven times he had reached the limit of human patience. But Jesus would have him understand that those who have the divine mind, and were imbued with the divine spirit, would exercise forgiveness without limit. The plan and ground of salvation, which is love, is the principle which must be carried out by [the] human family. Should Christ limit His mercy, compassion, and forgiveness by a certain number of sins, how few men would be saved!" {UL 43.4}
Mark 11:25-26 (NKJV) 25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Luke 17:3 "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
Rom. 12:20 "Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
2Cor. 2:7 "so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow."
Eph. 4:32 "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
Col. 3:12 "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do."
1Pet. 3:8 "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing."
1 John 1:9 (NKJV) "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Hannah "She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish." (1 Sam. 1:10)
The Jewish People Jer. 31:15 "'A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more."
Mordecai: "When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out in to the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry."
Acts 8:23 "For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity."
Eph. 4:31 "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."
Gen 50:17,18: Joseph
Jonah 4:2: Jonah
Luke 7:47,48 Mary Magdaline
Luke 15:11 Prodigal Son
I hope the Bible study has been a blessing. Asking forgiveness and forgiving has proven to be a great blessing in my life, and unlocked many blessings that were not coming prior to my humbling myself and seeking to be right with others. Do the same and you will also be blessed. Please let others know about this Bible study on Christian forgiveness.
Now explore the other links in this section on forgiveness. You will find much helpful information. Be sure to look at the questions section as well.