Only When We Forgive Are We Forgiven by God

How often we ask God to forgive us of our sins, but forget that we are obligated to forgive the sins of those who sin against us. In fact, God won’t forgive us until we have forgiven others. So, what does the bible say about forgiving, and is it conditional?

Forgiveness And Forgetting

There is a difference between being forgiven, and forgetting. Saul of Tarsus was forgiven of his sins when he was baptized (Acts 22:16), but he remembered his past sins when he wrote Timothy (1 Tim. 1:13-15). In the Old Testament we read of David being forgiven, yet he remembered his past sins. Nathan said, “God hath put away thy sin” (2 Sam. 12:13), but years later David wrote about his past sins (Psa. 32:1-5). God even remembered David’s offense in Matthew 1:6.

The Bible records many sins that God had forgiven, and did not hold against the forgiven party. Did God remember them? If not, how did He inspire the writers to write about them? Did God forgive the fornicator in Corinth, after he repented?  (2 Cor. 2:6,7). Needless to say, there is a difference between forgiving and forgetting.

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9).

Is Forgiveness Conditional?

The Bible teaches that we are to forgive others, but is it conditional?  Jesus said, “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and IF he repents, forgive him. 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” (Lk. 17:3, 4)

What happens when that same person doesn’t repent, and doesn’t seek for forgiveness? Are we obligated to forgive anyway? Paul wrote for us to, forgive one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32). Christ forgives us AFTER we repent (Acts 8:22-24), but not BEFORE we repent.

If we are authorized, or even compelled to forgive someone before he or she repents, what does that do to church discipline? The person from whom a church withdraws is to be forgiven only after that person repents (1 Cor. 5:1-5; 2 Cor. 2:6-11; 7:8-11). Forgiveness before the point of repentance would make the entire process a formality of nonsense.

Also, consider the scenario Jesus gives us in Matthew 18:15-17. One brother sins against another. The principle laid down is that forgiveness, and eventually reconciliation, is extended when the sinner repents, not before.

Conclusion: Despite the fact we can only forgive that which God has forgiven, we are not to hold grudges, and bitterness toward those who sin against us. Jam 5:9; Jam 3:14 We are not to take vengeance on those who sin against us. Rom 12:19 We are to feed our enemies, and give them drink. Rom 12:20  Jesus said for us to turn the other cheek, love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them which spitefully use and persecute us. Mt 6:39-44

When we do good to those who sin against us, we are showing the world that we are the children of God. Mt 6:45 When mankind sinned against God, it was God who gave man the opportunity to repent. God gave Nineveh a chance to repent, He gave Israel a chance to repent, and today He gives us the chance to repent through his only begotten son. Jn 3:16; Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30 God offered his hand to Israel many times, yet they eventually refused. Isa 9:12,17,21 Today, God offers us the same opportunity by his goodness, forbearance and longsuffering. Rom 2:4 Even so, as the children of God, when we do good to those who sin against us, we are offering them the opportunity to repent of their sins both to God, and to the one they have sinned against_us. In truth, only when we forgive others are we truly forgiven by God.  Mt 6:15; Mk 11:26