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How many kinds of forgiveness from God are there according to the Bible? How do we explain these different kinds of forgiveness?
We have to remember one thing: the consequences of sin determine the kind of forgiveness involved. There are at least five consequences of sin:
The fourth consequence is chastisement in this age; whereas the fifth consequence is chastisement in the coming age. The Bible makes statements like, “Will not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the one to come” (Matt. 12:32). “Age” in this verse refers not to the world but to the ages. This gives us an indication that while certain sins are forgiven in this age, other sins will be forgiven in the coming age.
Since sins have five possible consequences, there must also be five kinds of forgiveness. If there were only three kinds of forgiveness, what would happen to the other two consequences of sin? If there were only four kinds of forgiveness, what would happen to the other remaining consequence of sin? Many wrongly teach that there is only one kind of judgment. The result of such a teaching is much confusion. If we are not clear regarding these five kinds of forgiveness, we will not know what to do many times.
What are the five kinds of forgiveness? First, we will mention them briefly; afterwards, we will talk about them one by one.
Now we will explain these five kinds of forgiveness separately.
Eternal forgiveness is related to man’s eternal salvation. Even though this forgiveness is eternal, it is nevertheless given to the sinners in this age. What is the basis for this forgiveness? Hebrews 9:22 says, “And without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Matthew 26:28 says, “For this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” This verse tells us that eternal forgiveness is based on the blood of the Lord Jesus. No matter how big and gross a sin is, it can be forgiven by the blood of the Lord Jesus. But this forgiveness is not without a price, and God cannot forgive freely because “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” God’s forgiveness of our sins does not mean that God is lenient toward them or will let them go. God still condemns sin as sin. God is only able to forgive us because our sins were judged in Christ. The Lord Jesus has died, shedding His precious blood and paying the price. God’s way of forgiveness is most righteous. We have a Savior who has already died for us. Therefore, God has no choice but to forgive us.
The reason that our sins can be forgiven is because the Lamb of God has taken away our sins, and the blood of His Son Jesus has cleansed us of all our sins. Our forgiveness is based on the blood of the Lord Jesus, and we obtain this forgiveness through faith (Acts 10:43; 13:39). Do not think that we were forgiven because we repented for our past sins and resolved not to commit any sins in the future. The Word of God says that our sins are forgiven because of the blood of the Lord Jesus. If we believe in the blood of the Lord Jesus, we will see that our sins have been laid upon Him and that we are forgiven.
Is the forgiveness of our sins something for the present or the future? Let us read 1 John 2:12: “I write to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you because of His name.” Pay attention to the three words “have been forgiven.” They are not “will be forgiven,” but “have been forgiven”; not “expected to be forgiven” or “waiting to be forgiven,” but “have been forgiven.” Hallelujah! As soon as we believe in the Lord Jesus, our sins are already forgiven. The Word of God says, “Little children…your sins have been forgiven you because of His name.” When God says we are forgiven, we are forgiven. God does not lie.
John 20:23 says, “Whosever sins you forgive, they are forgiven them; and whosever sins you retain, they are retained.” Is not the mention of forgiveness in this verse strange? Does this mean that the apostles have the authority to forgive sins on earth? If we do not understand the meaning of this verse, we will not be able to refute the pope’s authority. The authority of our forgiveness as related to salvation is in God’s hand. If you go to Peter and he does not forgive you, does this mean that you are not saved? No, salvation and the forgiveness of sins depend absolutely on receiving the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. Then what does forgiveness in this verse mean? It refers to a declaration which the church makes under the direction of the Holy Spirit and is based on the church’s understanding of a person’s forgiveness before God. We must notice that it says, “Whosever sins you forgive,” not “Whom you forgive.” “You” is plural not singular; it is corporate not private; it is not by an individual but by the church. “Whosever sins you forgive” means that the church declares that the sins of a certain man have been forgiven and he is saved. Someone may come to the church declaring, “I have heard the gospel and believed. Please receive me that I may be baptized and break bread the same way as the other disciples.” In order to receive him, the brothers have to know whether his sins have been forgiven. If the brothers know that his sins have been forgiven before God and that he is a child of God, they can declare that he has been forgiven and saved, and receive him. If the brothers are not clear from within, they cannot make such a testimony for such a one; therefore, they cannot receive him. The forgiveness of the church is based on the forgiveness of God. The church merely declares what God has already done. Through the church, God announces the condition of a man before Him.
We must pay attention to verse 22 since verse 23 follows it. Only after verse 22 can we have verse 23. Verse 22 says, “And when He had said this, He breathed into them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit.” Based upon the power and instruction of the Holy Spirit, the church determines whether one’s sins have been forgiven. It is not based on individual feeling. If a person is saved, and the church is not sure and asks him to wait for a little, this will not affect his forgiveness before God. For example, after Paul was saved and came to Jerusalem, he desired to join himself to the disciples. But they were all afraid of him and did not believe that he had believed in the Lord and become a disciple. Only after Barnabas testified for him was Paul able to be with the disciples coming in and going out in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-28). Therefore, the church cannot forgive or retain one’s sins directly; it only declares that one’s sins are forgiven or not forgiven before God, deciding if he may have fellowship and communion among the disciples.
First John 2:1 and 2 say, “My little children, these things I write to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for those of the whole world.” First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We must be clear about the special emphasis of the Gospel of John and 1 John. The Gospel of John shows the gospel among men; whereas 1 John shows the gospel in the heart of God. The Gospel of John has two lines: grace and truth. When grace is mentioned, truth is also mentioned. First John also has two lines: God is love, and God is light. On the one hand, it speaks of love, and on the other hand, it speaks of light. What is the relationship between grace and truth, and love and light? Love is in God’s heart. When it is expressed among men, it is grace. Light is in God’s heart. When it is expressed among men, it is truth. The Gospel of John brings God to man, while 1 John brings man to God. The Gospel of John speaks of the matters of life, salvation, eternal life, and so forth; whereas 1 John speaks of fellowship, drawing near to God, and going to Him. The Gospel of John deals with the matter of salvation; whereas 1 John deals with the matter of fellowship with God. The beginning of 1 John speaks of the matter of fellowship, and chapters one and two speak on the forgiveness in this fellowship.
There are two kinds of relationships between God and us. One is a kindred relationship in that we are saved and are children of God. This relationship can never be broken. Let me ask: is a son no longer a son of his father because of his misbehavior? No. If a son does not want to be his father’s son, can he stop being his father’s son? No. If a father denies his son, is the son no longer a child of his? No. If you are a certain man’s son, can someone else or even Satan annul this fact? No. We can respectfully say that even God cannot deny this fact. Therefore, after a person is regenerated and becomes a child of God, no one is able to overthrow this relationship. This relationship can never be severed. Nevertheless, there is another type of relationship which is subject to interruption. This is the relationship of fellowship. For example, although you are your father’s son, if you do something wrong one day, you will be afraid to see your father for fear of his rebuke. The more serious the mistake, the more you will be afraid to see him. Though your family relationship can never be cut off, your communication with your father may be broken. Our relationship with God is the same. After we are saved, there is still the possibility that we will commit sins. Whenever we sin, our fellowship with God is immediately cut off. In order for the fellowship with God to be restored, our sins must be forgiven. If we commit sins we must, according to 1 John 1:9, “confess our sins.” We must say, “O God, I was wrong in this matter; please forgive me.” After confessing this way, our fellowship with God can be restored.
By what means are we cleansed from our sins? We are cleansed by the blood. Many Christians try to use time to wash their sins away, instead of applying the blood. How do they do this? Some may commit a sin and stay in their bad feelings for several days, thinking that God could not forgive them so quickly. After five or ten days, when their heart is at peace, they think that the sin is no more. They try to wash their sins away by using five or ten days instead of applying the blood. We must remember that forgiveness of sins comes by the blood, not by forgetting. We are not forgiven because we have forgotten our sins. Rather, the blood of His Son Jesus washes away all our sins. God can only forgive our sins under the blood.
Someone once asked a child what a person should do if he has sinned. The child answered, “He should do two things. First, he should feel sorrowful for several days, and second, he should be forgiven.” The theology of this child is the theology of many people. It is also the thought of many older people. It seems that only if we suffer enough will we be forgiven; otherwise, we cannot be forgiven. Brothers and sisters, even if one suffers many days, he still cannot earn one percent of forgiveness. While we should have a sorrowful and penitent heart for our sins, our forgiveness does not depend upon our sorrow. Rather, it depends upon the blood of Jesus who saved us. If we confess our sins, God will forgive us through the blood of the Lord, and the fellowship between God and us will be restored.
This concerns God’s way of dealing with His children. What is God’s administration? God’s administration is God’s method or way by which He deals with man. Let us read several portions of the Scripture.
Second Samuel 22:26 and 27 say, “With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful,/and with the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright./With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure;/and with the froward thou wilt show thyself unsavory.” This shows the way of God’s administration. God deals with us according to the way we are. Galatians 6:7 and 8 say, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For he who sows unto his own flesh will reap corruption of the flesh, but he who sows unto the Spirit will of the Spirit reap eternal life.” This also shows us God’s principle in dealing with man. He who sows unto his own flesh will reap corruption of the flesh; but he who sows unto the Spirit will of the Spirit reap eternal life. Committing sin not only causes man to have a sinful record before God but also brings suffering as a consequence. The record of sins can be remitted by God, but suffering its consequence cannot be avoided. For example, a child may disobey his mother and steal candy all the time. If he is willing to repent, the sin of stealing can be forgiven, but his teeth may be ruined. Many times, even though the sins of God’s children are forgiven, the consequences of those sins still remain. We gain eternal forgiveness as soon as we believe; we gain forgiveness for the restoration of fellowship as soon as we repent. But the consequence of God’s discipline may be very hard.
For example, Samson was a judge, but he later fell and was ill-treated by the Philistines. Even though he cried to Jehovah in the end, saying, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes” (Judg. 16:28), and even though he killed more at his death than when he was alive, his eyes were never restored. His hair grew back again, and the fellowship between him and God was restored, but his ministry as a judge was not recovered.
Second Samuel 11 and 12 record the two most evil sins of David: adultery and murder. After David committed these sins, God sent the prophet Nathan to David to rebuke him. God judged these sins most severely. He said, “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife…Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun” (12:10-12). This was the consequence of God’s discipline for David. Even though he confessed his sin and Nathan told him, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin,” David still had to bear the sufferings of God’s discipline. David confessed his sins before God and was forgiven; his fellowship with God was restored. Discipline, however, still followed the forgiveness. He killed only one person, Uriah, but four of his sons died (the first being the one born to Bathsheba, and also Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah). This is what God did with respect to righteousness. If we realize this, we will not dare to sin. God had to vindicate Himself by making it clear that He was displeased with David’s conduct. If God had not disciplined David, the whole world would have said that Jehovah was pleased with David in committing these sins. God could forgive David, but He had to manifest His hatred for David’s sin. We need to pay attention to the fact that if we sin against a brother, a sister, or someone, we must take care of the matter.
James 5:14 and 15 say, “Is anyone among you ill? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him.” The forgiveness spoken of in these verses is the forgiveness in God’s discipline. If it were eternal forgiveness, it could not be received through another’s prayer of faith. Nor is it forgiveness to restore fellowship, because the forgiveness of fellowship can be obtained as soon as one confesses his sins. The forgiveness of discipline requires that one call for the elders of the church to pray for him. If the Lord gives the elders faith to pray for such a one, he will be healed.
Isaiah 53:5 says, “But He was pierced because of our transgressions; / He was crushed because of our iniquities; / The chastening for our peace was upon Him, / And by His stripes we have been healed.” This verse touches four aspects. The first aspect concerns conduct; the second, one’s condition before God; the third, the body; and the fourth is expressed in the sentence: “The chastening for our peace was upon Him.” Concerning God’s discipline, His chastening will continue even after one has repented. The Lord, however, has already been chastened for us; chastening is a part of the work of the Lord’s crucifixion. Therefore, we may ask God to acquit us of our chastening since the Lord was already chastened on our behalf.
James 4:7 says, “Be subject therefore to God; but withstand the devil, and he will flee from you.” First Peter 5:6 through 10 says, “Therefore be humbled under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your anxiety on Him because it matters to Him concerning you. Be sober; watch. Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking someone to devour. Him withstand, being firm in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being accomplished among your brotherhood in the world. But the God of all grace, He who has called you into His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself perfect, establish, strengthen, and ground you.” Whenever we are being disciplined, we need to submit under the mighty hand of God and tell Him, “I will not resist what You are giving to me. Your treatment is what I deserve.” We must, however, resist the devil. The minute we become careless, the devil will come and give us additional sufferings. While God scourges us, the devil will try to scourge us also. Therefore, we must resist the devil. Only when we submit ourselves under God’s chastening can we resist the devil. On the one hand, we need to submit to God. On the other hand, we need to exercise our will daily to resist the devil, proclaiming that we refuse to be sick or weak.
Concerning the forgiveness of the kingdom, Matthew 18:21 through 35 says, “Then Peter came and said to Him, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, Up to seven times, but, Up to seventy times seven. For this reason the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who desired to settle accounts with his slaves. And when he began to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, the master commanded him to be sold, as well as his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. Then the slave fell down and worshipped him, saying, Be patient with me and I will repay you all. And the master of that slave was moved with compassion and released him and forgave him the loan. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and he took hold of him and began to choke him, saying, Repay me what you owe. Then his fellow slave fell down and begged him, saying, Be patient with me and I will repay you. But he would not; instead, he went away and threw him into prison until he would repay what was owed. Then his fellow slaves, seeing what had taken place, were greatly grieved and came and explained fully to their master all that had taken place. Then his master called him to him and said to him, Evil slave, all that debt I forgave you, because you begged me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave even as I had mercy on you? And his master became angry and delivered him to the torturers until he would repay all that was owed. So also will My heavenly Father do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts.”
If we cannot differentiate between the various kinds of forgiveness in reading the Scripture, we will encounter difficulties. In this portion of the Scripture, if we do not distinguish what kind of forgiveness is spoken of here, we may think that our heavenly Father can nullify eternal forgiveness and that we can no longer be saved. We have to realize that this passage is not speaking of the previous four kinds of forgiveness; rather, it is speaking of the forgiveness of the kingdom. We shall receive this kind of forgiveness when the King settles His accounts with His slaves (v. 23). Concerning the church, God speaks of grace; but concerning the kingdom, it is a matter of responsibility. As regards the church, it is a matter of what the Lord has done and how He deals with man; but, as regards the kingdom, it is a matter of how we are trained before God. Concerning the kingdom, the judgment in the future depends upon the kind of living we have today. These verses speak of our responsibility. This is related to the kingdom of the heavens and reigning in the millennium, not to eternal salvation.
There are several parables concerning the kingdom in the four Gospels. Matthew 18:21 through 35 is one of them. The kingdom of the heavens is likened to a king who settles accounts with his slaves. One owed his master ten thousand talents and had no means to repay. He begged his master to have patience with him so that he could repay later. The master was moved with compassion and forgave him the loan. The same slave then went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii. Rather than forgive him, he cast him into prison until he would pay the debt. Afterward, other slaves told their master what had been done, and his master said to him, “Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave even as I had mercy on you?” After the Lord Jesus finished telling this parable, He explained its meaning. He said, “So also will My heavenly Father do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts.” This refers to the forgiveness of the kingdom. This forgiveness is not obtained by every Christian, but only by those who forgive others. The first kind of forgiveness is received through believing in the Lord Jesus. The second kind of forgiveness is received through the declaration of the church. The third kind of forgiveness is received by confessing our sins to God. The fourth kind of forgiveness is received when God sees that the time of chastening is fulfilled, and He takes away the rod of discipline. The fifth kind of forgiveness can only be obtained as we pardon and forgive others from our hearts.
We know that the daily life and work of Christians on earth will be judged in the future. First the Lord will receive those who have overcome and are prepared into the air. After all the Christians are raptured, each one will be judged before the judgment seat of Christ. This judgment is not concerning the matter of salvation; it is a judgment to determine whether or not a Christian is worthy to participate in the kingdom. For those who are worthy, this will be the time to establish their position in the kingdom. There are two dangers one can face at the judgment seat: (1) being found unworthy to even enter the kingdom, and (2) even though being found worthy to enter the kingdom, being given a very low position.
How will God judge? The kingdom is God’s reward to us. Reward is given according to our behavior. Although we cannot be saved through good behavior, we do need good behavior in order to be rewarded. Our salvation is due to faith, but our reward is due to good works.
A certain saint once said, “I pray that God will cleanse with the Lord’s blood even the tears that I shed in sorrow for my sin! I still need to ask God to cleanse my repentance for my sin with the Lord’s blood!” In the future, when we stand before the judgment seat, the flaming eyes of the Lord will examine our living and work from the day we were saved until that day. At that time, probably not many things will be deemed flawless in the eyes of the Lord. The works which many consider as superior may be judged as impure, improperly motivated, and quite mixed in the eyes of the Lord. Many “good” works may not appear so good in the eyes of the Lord.
If judgment is to begin from the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17), this judgment must be most severe. If so, who can pass this judgment? How we hope that God will have mercy upon us before the judgment seat, for even there, there is grace. This is what Matthew 18 speaks about. While it is true that God is absolutely righteous in His judgment, He is also forgiving. However, His forgiveness is based upon our forgiving others today. Suppose five people offend you, and you forgive them. Suppose another ten people offend you, and you forgive them again. Suppose you forgive everyone who has offended you. On that day, God will treat you justly. Since you have forgiven others, it is very just for God to forgive you at the judgment seat.
James 2:13 says, “For the judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” If you show mercy toward others, God will have mercy on you. If you show no mercy toward others, God will have no mercy on you. If you are daily forbearing, do not try to find fault, and are generous with others, God will also forgive you on that day.
Daily we need to pay attention to these things: (1) examine our own behavior so that we will not fall under God’s judging hand, and (2) have mercy toward and forgive others who may owe us much, so that we may obtain God’s forgiveness in that day.
Matthew 7:1 and 2 say, “Do not judge, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you.” The word “judgment” in this verse indicates that God will judge us in the same way that we judge others; this means that we will be judged by God on that day in the same manner that we judge our brothers today. For example, if we observe wrongdoing in a certain person and, rather than beseeching him in love, criticize him presumptuously and judge him severely, God will similarly judge us on that day. The way God will judge us on the day of judgment depends on how we treat others today. This is the meaning of the opening verses of Romans 2: “Therefore you are without excuse, O every man who judges, for in what you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth upon those who practice such things. And do you consider this, O man, who judge those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?” (vv. 1-3).
Luke 6:38 puts it even more clearly: “Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, they will give into your bosom. For with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you in return.” If we give to others, God will give to us abundantly and richly repay us with a measure not only full to the brim but also running over. The amount of grace you give to others is the same amount of grace God will give to you in the future. If you treat others severely today, you should not expect God to treat you generously in the future. Therefore, every Christian should learn not to be a “judge” and should avoid judging others with self-righteousness. If we do not forgive others, we will receive the most severe punishment in the millennium. We are destined to have eternal life because salvation is eternal. But if we do not forgive others who offend us in this life, God will not forgive us in the future.
How can a nation be destroyed? How can a house fall? Is it not because it is divided against itself? Therefore, God will not allow two people in His kingdom to be divided against each other, nor will He permit hatred in the hearts of His people. God will not allow a ruler of five cities to be in conflict with the ruler of another five cities. He cannot use anyone who is not a peacemaker to rule a city. He can only hand them over to the tormentor until they have paid all their debts. How do they make payment? They must be willing to pardon and forgive others from their hearts. Sooner or later we must forgive others; so why wait until that day?
Matthew 6:14 and 15 say, “For if you forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also; but if you do not forgive men their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses.” Matthew 5 through 7 speaks of the kingdom. Whoever does not forgive others shall not be forgiven by God. This forgiveness will affect his position in the kingdom. Whether or not he forgives will affect his being forgiven in the coming kingdom.
Today our God is testing us to see whether or not we are worthy to be kings in His kingdom and whether or not we are fit to govern in His kingdom. Do not think that serving in the church is a great thing; in the future, the things of the kingdom will be much greater. In the coming kingdom, God will give us higher and more glorious things to rule over. If we cannot manage small things today, we will not be able to handle great things in the future. If we cannot deal with things pertaining to this present life, how can we be qualified to judge angels in the future (1 Cor. 6:1-8). For the sake of that day, let us learn how to forgive others today.
