If you “remember” someone’s sin against you does that mean you have not forgiven them? Some people have been taught in order to forgive you have to “forget” and if you “remember” it means you never have truly forgiven!
There are 7 different words used for “forgiveness” in the Bible and none of them are “forget” as part of true forgiveness!
Nowhere are we told in The Bible that “Forgiveness” means to ” Forgive and Forget ” as the popular saying goes. When the Bible uses the word, “Forget” of God it is NOT that He erases His memory of sin, but that He CHOOSES NOT TO HOLD SIN AGAINST THAT PERSON,{ see Isaiah 43:25; Heb 10:17;}- He does this based on the acceptable sacrifice of His Son on satisfying His demands and on behalf of that person!
The words most often used in the New Testament for “Forgiveness,” is “aphesis” and conveys the idea of “sending away” or “letting go” continually. In its thirty-six times in the New Testament, it always is associated with the “pardon of sins” (Spicq 1994, 242). See, for example, the use of “forgiveness” in Matthew 26:28 and Acts 2:38. A second term used for “forgiveness” is “charizomai,” which signifies “to bestow a favor” or to “show kindness.” In Romans 8:32, charizomai is rendered “shall . . . freely give.”
“Forgetting” is not a prerequisite for “Forgiveness.” God does not have “amnesia” and does not expect you to have the same! But what He does do and requires you the offended party to “graciously- Eph 4:32; and “readily”- forgive “from the heart,” through choosing NOT TO HOLD THE SIN AGAINST THE PERSON- This means not holding “records of wrong”- 1 Cor 13:5; not using it against them to control, belittle, manipulate, “keep them in their place” – all such responses are loveless{1 Cor 13:5} and a failure to show appreciation to God for how much He has forgiven you!
The woman of whom Jesus said, she had been “Forgiven MUCH” and she “Loved MUCH.” To truly see our own sin and how MUCH God has “sent away….let go ” our sin at great cost to Himself through the cruel murder of His Son in bearing our sin- should produce humility, gratitude, love and readily release others from our heart concerning their sin, offense against us!
“FORGIVE AND FORGET”- is not Scriptural. It is phrase that has been passed down and many have embraced it and it has brought great guilt, confusion to many a tender conscience because they have believed the error- forgiveness means to “Forgive and Forget.”
Take heart, to “Forgive” is to adopt a LOVING ATTITUDE and maintain that attitude and LIVE OUT THE ACTION- “I have released them from that offense, I may have it come to my mind but that does not change the FACT- I have- and maintain that attitude out of love for my Lord and love for them. I will never bring it up again to berate, embarrass, manipulate or gossip about their sin. I HAVE RELEASED THEM FROM IT. I DO NOT HOLD IT AGAINST THEM.” Feelings may come and it may come before your mind, by the evil one who desires to have a wedge come between you and is un-Christlike.
Forgiveness CHOOSES to release the person and does not RELY on the ever changing “feelings” as the final determination on whether it means your have forgiven or not! No- you look at the matter- call it what God calls it- sin! Then you choose before the LORD to release the person from it by faith, and CHOOSING to maintain that attitude whenever the thought of the offense or the offender comes to mind-“I have forgiven them… and I maintain that stance before God!” AND WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION FOR DOING SO? “…JUST AS GOD IN CHRIST HaS FORGIVEN YOU”- Eph 4:32. There is a wonderful testimony of a woman who “LOVED MUCH BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN FORGIVEN MUCH.”
FORGIVENESS IS ACTIVE
- Forgiveness means COMFORTING the offended – 2 Corinthians 2:7
- Forgiveness means EXTENDING so the person may not be “overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.” – 2 Corinthians 2:7
- Forgiveness means REAFFIRMING your love for them FORGIVENESS means REAFIRMING YOUR LOVE FOR THEM- 2 Corinthians 2:7
- Forgiveness IS POSSIBLE for you because God has given you the power to – 2 Peter 1:3-4
- Forgiveness IS A LOVE ISSUE… to express love to God – John 14:21
- Forgiveness is a POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND ACTION against the one who has offended
PRAY FOR THEM… DO GOOD TO THEM – THIS IS LOVING THEM!!!
To embrace “Forgive and Forget” is to reject Truth and embrace a lie!
To embrace Biblical Forgiveness and practice it is to express love to God and reflect His graciousness to others, and His truth practiced is Liberating!
GREAT NEWS;
“…just as God in Christ has forgiven you, KEEP ON Forgive one another.” – Ephesians 4:32
- Forgiveness is two words used in the New Testament conveys the idea “to send away…”let go” which speaks of pardon and “to bestow a favor, to show a kindness… to freely give.”
- Forgiveness is a Promise.- Heb 10:17
- Forgiveness does not keep records of wrongs nor bring the sin up to berate, manipulate, or gossip about a person’s sin – 1 Cor 13:5
- Forgiveness is to be “graciously” extended immediately to others from the heart and so reflect the kindness and love of Christ- Eph 4:32
UN-FORGIVENESS
To “Withhold” Forgiveness… is SIN.
It is unloving- 1 Cor 13:5 and a failure to understand God’s graciousness to you and is disobedience.
“Un-forgiveness” is to hold unto a hurt and choose to allow it to turn into resentment, bitterness.
THE SOLUTION
Repent of your unforgiveness- and choose to forgive by not holding the offenders sin / offense against you…for Jesus Sake, – 2 Cor 4:5
GREAT NEWS
“…Just as God in Christ has forgiven you, KEEP ON Forgiving one another.” – Ephesians 4:32…. you have the Power to Forgive, you have the Motivation – God’s Forgiving you- now you have the opportunity to express and mirror God’s love to others whose need is Forgiveness!
FORGIVENESS EXTENDED is Christ in ACTION! And His people are told to do likewise-“Forgive just as God in Christ has forgiven you.”-Eph 4:32