Why does forgiveness exist and what is it? Who is forgiven? What is being forgiven? In this article we get an overview of God’s forgiveness of people’s sins.
by Rev. Hannes Lee
The forgiveness that God offers to people remains a mystery to us. How does it work? Why does God give forgiveness? Who does He give it to, and why? What things does He grant forgiveness for, and how do I know that I am forgiven? We are briefly going to look at some of these questions.
- Why does forgiveness exist and is it needed?
- What is forgiveness?
- Who receives God’s forgiveness?
- Are there sins that God does not forgive?
- Is there something like big and small sins?
1. Why does forgiveness exist and is it needed?
We must certainly first look at the origin of forgiveness: Forgiveness exists because sin exists. If it was not for sin, then forgiveness would not be necessary. Scripture makes it apparent to us that sin occurs when we miss the purpose for which God created us; when our deeds do not glorify him and when we are disobedient towards him and do not practice his prescripts.
Along with the sin that we commit each day, there is also the fact that humanity is born in sin as the Bible reveals. Mankind shares in the guilt of Adam and Eve when they rebelled against God (Genesis 3:1-14). The rebellion against God is fueled by the devil and mankind further caused it through his own free will. This guilt of sin alone was enough to curse all mankind, to rob them of the glory of God and to shower them in eternal death (Romans 3:19, 23; 6:23).
2. What is forgiveness?
Eternal death would have been the only end for all mankind if it were not for God’s forgiveness, because God’s justice requires that all sin be punished with death.
Forgiveness is the pardon and removal of the guilt of sin, so that we are no longer punished for it, but are absolved. And because our sins are forgiven, we have the expectation that after this life we will enter the heavenly kingdom of God.
God’s forgiveness, and our release from sin, is given to us based solely on the merits of Jesus Christ. He died on the cross and with his blood paid for the guilt of God’s children. The punishment that we were supposed to receive for our sin, He took on himself. He has fully paid for all the sin of all God’s children.
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the only way in which we could be saved. As we read in Ephesians 1:7:
In him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace …
3. Who receives God’s forgiveness?
This is a very important question. Does God forgive everyone’s sins in Jesus Christ? The answer that the Bible gives us is no. We have already referred to the fact that “God’s children” are the ones who receive his forgiveness.
Who are God’s children? This we find among others in Ephesians 1:4-5, just before verse 7 which we have already read. There it says that God has chosen us to be holy and without defect before him, and that He has through Jesus Christ predestined us to be adopted as his children, according to the pleasure of his will.
What does this mean? God has chosen some to be forgiven through Christ and thereby receive salvation, and others not. This decision to pardon some and not others is not unfair because everyone deserves the eternal judgement for their sins.
Those who are chosen for salvation receive extraordinary and undeserved grace according to the merciful decision of God. To those who are not chosen, the gospel is served just as intensively as to the elect, and they are just as seriously called by God, but they pay it no mind.
God’s children, those who are chosen, are pardoned by the Holy Spirit to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and his saving actions. Along with this faith, forgiveness is also eternally gifted to them by God.
4. Are there sins that God does not forgive?
There is only one sin that God does not forgive, and it is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:29; Luke 21:10). What is this sin? Simply stated: It is the unwillingness to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and to not believe it.
Why is this a sin against the Holy Spirit? Because the Holy Spirit is the Great Proclaimer of the gospel. Anyone who refuses to believe what the Word states about Jesus Christ makes the Holy Spirit a liar and, in this way, slanders his work.
Put another way: It is the rejection of the grace of God that the Holy Spirit serves through the gospel. It is a lifelong sin, leading to the damnation of those who persevere towards it to their last day. Those who come to repentance while they are still alive, are not considered blasphemers against the Holy Spirit, because otherwise there would be no chosen ones.
God’s children, the chosen ones, do not have to fear that they will ever commit that sin, because the faith that is gifted to them through God’s eternal mercy protects them from it.
5. Is there something like big and small sins?
We love to make a distinction between so-called “big” and “small” sins. Sins are weighed against each other, and sin that according to people’s judgment causes greater harm in society is seen as serious, while those that cause less to no harm and disruption are seen as lesser sin and not addressed as seriously. Many times, this distinction is abused to justify sinful actions, because “at least it is not so serious”.
From God’s point of view there is no such thing as a big or small sin. Thus in James 2:10 we read:
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
The only distinction God makes is between the sin committed by his children and the sins of those who are not his children.
Let’s look at the differences between the sin of God’s children versus those of the lost ones:
Characteristics of the sin of the elect are:
- It is completely forgiven by God.
- It is ignorantly done as a consequence of the weakness of man.
- There is an actual intention led by the Holy Spirit to stay away from wilful sin.
- The Holy Spirit also guides the elect to repentance and remorse of their sins.
Characteristics of the sin of the lost ones, on the other hand, are:
- The persistence in unbelief makes them blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, so that their sin is not forgiven.
- Sins are visible signs of ongoing resistance against God.
- Sins are often done on purpose and deliberately.
- There is no talk of repentance and remorse of their sin.
