Forgiveness Comes from Two Sources

Forgiveness is one of our greatest needs, as humans. And when we discover the enormity of this need, we act accordingly.

The late pastor and author Tim Keller tells the story of Hashim Garrett.

“Hashim was a fifteen year-old, living with his mother and hanging out on the streets of Brooklyn with a gang, when he was shot six times and was left paralyzed from the waist down. For most of the next year he lay in a New York City hospital, fantasizing about revenge. He later wrote:

‘Revenge consumed me. All I could think about was, Just wait till I get better; just wait till I see this kid.’

But when he was lying on the sidewalk immediately after his shooting, he had instinctively called out to God for help and, to his surprise, he had felt a strange tranquility.

Now during his rehabilitation, a new thought struck him, namely that if he took revenge on this kid, why should God not pay him back for all his sins?

‘You see six months before this happened,’ he wrote, ‘I shot a kid for no reason except that a friend told me to do it and I wanted to prove how tough I was. Six months later, I am shot by somebody because his friend told him to do it.’

That thought was electrifying- It donned on Hashim that he could not feel superior to the perpetrator. They were both fellow sinners who deserved punishment- and needed forgiveness. He said:

‘In the end… I decided to forgive. I felt God had saved my life for a reason, and that I had better fulfill that purpose…And I knew I could never go back out there and harm someone. I was done with that mindset and the life that goes with it. I came to see that I had to let go and stop hating.’” (Timothy Keller, Forgive, 16).

We hear of such a story and wonder how that young man could forgive someone that did that to him. The answer is simple: Only by the grace of God. It was critical for Mr. Garrett to see his own need for forgiveness before he could give it away. If he was going to survive his shooting, he must forgive the person who did that to him.

Jesus teaches us to forgive and to pray for forgiveness. We first learn that...

You and I need to be pardoned.

It is a critical spiritual need that each of us have.

In this fifth request of the Lord’s Prayer, we see that our physical needs are not the only type of needs we have. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4

Matthew 4:4 ESV

4 But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

In the Lord’s Prayer, after we have asked for our daily bread, you then request for your soul to be cleansed.

Donald Carson states:

“The first three petitions stand independently from one another. The last three, however are linked in Greek by ‘ands,’ almost as if to say that life sustained by food is not enough. We also need forgiveness of sin and deliverance from temptation.” (D.A. Carson, “Matthew,” Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 172).

You might say: “Well, Pastor David, I thought I was forgiven when I became a Christian.” Yes, that is true. But there is a relational aspect that needs a regular and practical restoration, born out of fellowship with the Lord.

Justification denotes a one-time forgiveness. When we first come to faith in Christ, we are “declared righteous,” because of Christ’s work on the cross. We are forgiven and adopted by the Holy Spirit into the family of God. This is why Jesus’ sacrifice is so precious to Christians everywhere.

But then there is daily forgiveness that Jesus teaches us to pray for. It is something that we must ask for regularly. Why? Because disobedience disturbs and upsets the relationship. If it is true in our earthly relationships, it is true in our heavenly relationships. But there is daily hope, because of the goodness of Christ. John teaches us...

1 John 1:8–9 ESV

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Notice the twofold blessing: forgiveness of the debt and renewal of the heart. The reason you and I can do this is wrapped up in one word: God.

God’s character is the basis on which you and I are pardoned.

Forgiveness is born out of His character. He was never in need of forgiveness. He is the picture of moral perfection. And yet, He gives forgiveness to His beloved.

Psalm 103 is an explication of God’s beauty. Notice the references to forgiveness.

Psalm 103:1–4 (ESV)

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name!

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits,

3 who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

So forgiveness is one of the benefits to knowing God in a personal way.

The word for benefit is the Hebrew גְּמוּל. In the Ancient Near East, words built from the verbal root gml occur in several Semitic languages. But the main meanings of the verb forms are: “to treat kindly, be kind to someone, be helpful,” and “to spare, save.” (K. Seybold, “גָּמַל,” ed. G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren, trans. John T. Willis and Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978), 23).

God forgives because He is kind.

Psalm 103:8–10 (ESV)

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 He will not always chide,

nor will he keep his anger forever.

10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

Notice that forgiveness is not about justice, it is about love. Though the justice of God was satisfied in the death of Christ.

King David knew very well of this diamond of God’s character. He also wrote Psalm 51, which is one of the most profound Scriptures relating to forgiveness.

It is David’s confession to the Lord, after Nathan the prophet approached him about his sin with Bathsheba and subsequent arranging for her husband Uriah’s death on the battlefield to cover-up his sin.

In the pain of David’s confession, he remembers something about God’s character that gives him hope. Psalm 51:17

Psalm 51:17 ESV

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Although he had sinned greatly, and would suffer the consequences of that sin, (the infant conceived would die), David knew he could be forgiven by coming to the Lord and confessing in humility.

Author and pastor Kevin DeYoung offers this definition of forgiveness. He writes:

“Forgiveness involves canceling a debt or remitting a payment. Forgiveness doesn’t mean the consequences of our actions will always be removed, nor does it mean we can’t be discerning in our judgments about others. Forgiveness is not a feeling but a decision to let go of the debt owed us. Forgiveness means we say no to revenge, trusting that God is the one to avenge. Forgiveness means our sins are no longer counted against us and we no longer count the sins of those who have hurt us.” (Kevin DeYoung, The Good News We Almost Forgot, 236-237).

But benefit leads to responsibility.

Do you need forgiveness this morning? The Lord is ready for you. Run to Him! You will be glad you did.

Because God’s been good to us, you and I need to pardon others.

There is also the admonition to Peter in Matthew 18:21-22

Matthew 18:21–22 ESV

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

And yet forgiveness is one of the most challenging things to do as Christians. Why is that? It is because we like revenge? “Don’t get mad, get even.”

“Let justice must be served.” And we believe the lie that we are the most qualified to be judge, jury and executioner.

John Stott states:

“Once our eyes have been opened to see the enormity of our offence against God, the injuries which others have done to us appear by comparison extremely trifling. If, on the other hand, we have an exaggerated view of the offences of others, it proves that we have minimized our own.” (As quoted in D.A. Carson, “Matthew,” Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 172)

Is there someone you have been harboring resentment towards? Would the Lord have you forgive someone today? Who has hurt you that you need to release from your heart?

Conclusion

Interesting that Jesus revisits this at the end of the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:14-15

Matthew 6:14–15 ESV

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Anne Landers, the famous syndicated columnist who has given perspective to millions of people during the last half of the 20th century, stated something profound when talking about forgiveness. She wrote:

“Hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despise live rent free in your head.”

In the end, resentment, bitterness and an unforgiving spirit functions like a poison that we ourselves drink.

Remember the words of William Arthur Ward:

“We are most like beasts when we kill.

We are most like men when we judge.

We are most like God when we forgive.” (William Arthur Ward, Thoughts of a Christian Optimist).