Some Questions On Forgiveness Answered
"It is just as much your duty to believe that God will fulfill his word, and forgive your sins, as it is your duty to confess your sins."
2 Peter 3:9 "Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
"God is willing to be to them a God of love, of peace, a reconciled God. The Lord God, through Christ, holds out His hand all the day long in invitation to the needy. He will receive all. He welcomes all. He rejects none. It is His glory to pardon the chief of sinners. He will take the prey from the mighty. He will deliver the captive. He will pluck the brand from the burning. He will lower the golden chain of His mercy to the greatest depths of human wretchedness and guilt and lift up the debased soul contaminated with sin." {Lt22-1892.19}
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
"When you have asked Jesus, in contrition of soul, for his forgiveness, believe that he has forgiven you. Do not doubt his divine mercy, or refuse the comfort of his infinite love. {ST February 15, 1892, par. 5} If your child had disobeyed you, and committed wrong against you, and that child should come with a breaking heart to ask your forgiveness, you know what you would do. You know how quickly you would draw your child to your heart, and assure him that your love was unchanged, and his transgressions forgiven. Are you more merciful than your merciful Heavenly Father, who “so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”? You should go to God as children go to their parents. Ask your Heavenly Father to forgive your errors, and pray that, through the grace of Christ, you may be able to overcome every defect of your character." {ST February 15, 1892, par. 6}
"Having confessed your sins, believe that the word of God cannot fail, but that he is faithful that hath promised. It is just as much your duty to believe that God will fulfill his word, and forgive your sins, as it is your duty to confess your sins. You must exercise faith in God as in one who will do exactly as he has promised to do in his word, and pardon all your transgressions." {ST January 3, 1895, par. 7}
"Many things that do not now appear in a correct light, will be made plain in the day of the Lord. But the question of forgiveness needs not to be interpreted. There is never a time when it is right for you or me to say, "I will not forgive my brother; I will not walk in fellowship with him." He who does this places himself in opposition to the teachings of Christ. If your brother does you an injustice ignorantly, and then holds out the hand of fellowship, saying, "If I have erred and have done you an injury, forgive me," and you draw away from him, refusing to forgive, you walk away from the great Counselor, and need yourself to repent and be forgiven. {RH, April 8, 1902 par. 1} If he does you an injury knowingly, and afterward repents, saying, "Forgive me," it is not for you to turn away, refusing to forgive because you may think that he does not feel humble enough, and does not mean what he says. You have no right to judge him, for you cannot read the heart. {RH, April 8, 1902 par. 2} If a brother errs, forgive him if he asks you. If he is not humble enough to ask, forgive him in your heart, and express your forgiveness in word and action. Then the weight of his sin will not in any degree rest on you. "Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." "If he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him." And we are not only to forgive seven times, but seventy times seven. Just as often as God forgives us, we are to forgive one another. {RH, April 8, 1902 par. 3} One man is never to say to another, "When I see that you have reformed, then I will forgive you." This is not God's plan. This is in accordance with the promptings of human nature. By showing that you do not desire fellowship with your brother, you not only hurt his soul and your own, but you also wound and bruise the heart of Christ. {RH, April 8, 1902 par. 4} While hatred is cherished, there is not an iota of love in the heart; therefore when a man has an offering to present to God, he is to clear away all hatred, that his path may not be blocked. If he humbles his heart before God, confessing his mistake in giving way to the passion which opened the door for Satan to enter and take control of the mind, God will forgive his sin and accept his offering. {RH, April 8, 1902 par. 5} Christ sees that little heed is paid to his instruction. His people come to him in prayer, asking favors of him, while at the same time they are cherishing hatred against their brethren, not only thinking, but speaking evil of them. God cannot bless them; for they refuse to put out of the way that which causes discord and variance. They would not appreciate the blessing of God should he give it to them as they desire. {RH, April 8, 1902 par. 6}
In the prayer that Christ taught his disciples was the request, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. But few realize the true import of this prayer. If those who are unforgiving did comprehend the depth of its meaning, they would not dare to repeat it, and ask God to deal with them as they deal with their fellow-mortals. And yet this spirit of hardness and lack of forgiveness exists, even among brethren, to a fearful extent. Brother is exacting with brother.— Vol. 3, p. 92. {GW92 95.1}
After completing the Lord's Prayer, Jesus added: "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." He who is unforgiving cuts off the very channel through which alone he can receive mercy from God. We should not think that unless those who have injured us confess the wrong we are justified in withholding from them our forgiveness. It is their part, no doubt, to humble their hearts by repentance and confession; but we are to have a spirit of compassion toward those who have trespassed against us, whether or not they confess their faults. However sorely they may have wounded us, we are not to cherish our grievances and sympathize with ourselves over our injuries; but as we hope to be pardoned for our offenses against God we are to pardon all who have done evil to us. {MB 113.3} But forgiveness has a broader meaning than many suppose. When God gives the promise that He "will abundantly pardon," He adds, as if the meaning of that promise exceeded all that we could comprehend: "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:7-9.. David had the true conception of forgiveness when he prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10. And again he says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12. {MB 114.1}
We need to examine our hearts as a preparation for coming before God in prayer, that we may know what manner of spirit we are of. If we do not forgive those who have trespassed against us, our prayers for forgiveness will not be heard. "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." When as sinners we approach the mercy-seat, we cannot express the sentiment of this petition without forgiveness in our hearts for all who have done us an injury. Upon this petition Jesus makes a comment: "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." {ST, August 21, 1884 par. 7}
Many things that do not appear in a correct light will be made plain in the day of the Lord; but the question of forgiveness needs not to be interpreted. If a brother errs, forgive him if he asks you. If he is not humble enough to ask, forgive him in your heart, and express your forgiveness in words and actions. Then the weight of his sin will not in any degree rest on you. {SW, January 1, 1907 par. 1} If thy brother "trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him." And we are not only to forgive seven times, but until seventy times seven. Just as often as God forgives us, we are to forgive one another -- "considering thyself," Paul cautions, "lest thou also be tempted." {SW, January 1, 1907 par. 2} There is never a time when it is right for you or me to say, "I will not forgive my brother; I will not walk in harmony with him." He who does this places himself in opposition to the teachings of Christ. If your brother does you an injustice ignorantly, and then holds out the hand of fellowship, saying, "If I have erred and have done you an injury, forgive me," and you draw away from him, refusing to forgive, you turn away from the great Counselor, and need yourself to repent and be forgiven. {SW, January 1, 1907 par. 3} If your brother injures you knowingly, and afterward repents, saying, "Forgive me," it is not for you to refuse to forgive because you do not think that he feels humble enough, and does not mean what he says. You have no right to judge him, for you cannot read the heart. {SW, January 1, 1907 par. 4}
Parents should teach their children to be patient under injuries. Teach them that wonderful precept in the Lord's prayer, that we are to forgive others as we would be forgiven. He who possesses the Spirit of Christ will never be weary of forgiving.{RH, May 7, 1895 par. 10}
“If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Wonderful terms! but how little are they understood or heeded. {BLJ 12.2} One of the most common sins, and one that is attended with most pernicious results, is the indulgence of an unforgiving spirit. How many will cherish animosity or revenge and then bow before God and ask to be forgiven as they forgive. Surely they can have no true sense of the import of this prayer or they would not dare to take it upon their lips. We are dependent upon the pardoning mercy of God every day and every hour; how then can we cherish bitterness and malice toward our fellow sinners! If, in all their daily relations, Christians would carry out the principles of this prayer, what a blessed change would be wrought in the church and in the world! This would be the most convincing testimony that could be given to the reality of Bible religion. . . . {BLJ 12.3} We are admonished by the apostle: “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” Paul would have us distinguish between the pure, unselfish love which is prompted by the spirit of Christ, and the unmeaning, deceitful pretense with which the world abounds. This base counterfeit has misled many souls. It would blot out the distinction between right and wrong, by agreeing with the transgressors instead of faithfully showing them their errors. Such a course never springs from real friendship. The spirit by which it is prompted dwells only in the carnal heart. {BLJ 12.4}
Some of you seem to be earnestly seeking forgiveness of sins, for freedom in God. Do you deserve the pardon that you are seeking?--No, you do not; nevertheless. God is willing to grant it freely. And dare you withhold from your brethren the forgiveness and affection of which you do not think them worthy? Would you have God deal thus with you? Deal with your brethren as you wish God to deal with you. If we expect our prayers for forgiveness to be heard, we must offer them in a forgiving spirit. We must forgive others in the same manner, and to the same extent, that we ourselves hope to be forgiven. The hard-heartedness that professed Christians manifest toward one another is not Christlike, but savors of the satanic. We must every one of us open our hearts wide to the love of Jesus, and encourage pity and affection for our brethren. {BTS, August 1, 1912 par. 4} ... Many are filled with self-importance, and esteem themselves above their brethren. Such should let self die; let the carnal mind be crucified. If you have enmity, suspicion, envy, and jealousy in your hearts, you have a work to do. Confess your sins; come into harmony with your brethren. Speak well of them. Throw out no unfavorable hints, no suggestions that will awaken distrust in the minds of others. Guard their reputation as sacredly as you would have them guard yours; love them as you would be loved of Jesus. Work for their interest, instead of seeking to tear them down, that you may build up self on their ruins. Satan is an accuser of the brethren, and he loves to have you help him. But disappoint him; do not let him triumph over you. {BTS, August 1, 1912 par. 6} Some pride themselves on being outspoken, blunt, and rough, and they call this frankness; but it is not rightly named. It is selfishness of the deepest dye. These persons may have virtues; they may be liberal and have kind impulses; but their discourteous manners render them almost insupportable. They criticise, they wound, they say disagreeable things. Does the character they are cultivating represent Jesus? Will it fit them for the society of heaven? We shall do well to examine ourselves, to see what manner of spirit we are cherishing. Let us learn to speak gently, quietly, even under circumstances the most trying. Let us control not only our words, but our thoughts and imagination. Let us be kind, courteous, in our words and deportment. There is a great neglect in this respect. We do not adorn the doctrine we profess. We are not what we might be, not what God would have us to be. Those who hope to be the companions of holy angels, should possess refined manners. If the principles of the Christian religion are carried out in the daily life, there will be a kind thoughtfulness for others, for this was characteristic of Christ. Then, although a man may be poor, he will have true dignity; for he is God's nobleman. {BTS, August 1, 1912 par. 7}
I have been shown that there has come into the hearts of the professed people of God, an unsympathetic, cold, loveless spirit; and many, having left their first love, are ignorant of their true standing before God. They cannot see that they are drawing away from Christ, instead of being laborers together with God. It is the absence of the love of Jesus in the heart that makes the church weak, and this absence is always evinced by a lack of love for brethren. If its members loved God supremely, they would love their brethren; but Satan has been sowing his tares. This cold, critical spirit has been taking up a larger and still larger place in all our religious associations, until the characteristics of Satan himself are plainly revealed. There is a separating of the soul from Christ, its first love. The Lord Jesus understands the situation of the church. He reads every heart. He is the heart-searching God, and he alone, with absolute certainty, knoweth them that are his. {RH, December 9, 1890 par. 14}
Unless otherwise stated, quotations come from the writings of Mrs. E. G. White.