Date: 10-01-90 (08:37) Theology Number: 121

To: ALL

From: JOHN LIPSCOMB Read: 10-02-90 (18:52)

Subj: FORGIVENESS

GREAT WORDS OF THE SCRIPTURE...

A weekly column of the THEOLOGY CONFERENCE, NewLIFE Network

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"Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through

this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins..."

Acts 13.38

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the

forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace..."

Ephesians 1.7

The English language depicts forgiveness as an accomplishment

occurring in a moment of time, providing consequences to both

forgiver and forgiven that are eternal in scope.

"Forgive - To cease to feel resentment against (an

offender): Pardon (one's enemies). To give up resentment of

or claim to requital for (an insult). To grant relief from

payment of (a debt)." Webster's Ninth New Collegiate

Dictionary, p. 484.

Three key features of forgiveness include:

1. Action, by the person forgiving (whether to person being

forgiven responds of not).

2. Cessation of any resentment, by the person forgiving.

3. Termination of any further claims against the offending

party, by the person forgiving.

The Greek New Testament contains two principle words that are

translated "forgive, forgiveness." These terms are:

APHIEMI, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, # 863. This is the

verb form of APHESIS, Strong's # 859. This term means:

"...primarily, to send forth, send away (APO, from, HIEMI, to

send), denotes besides its other meanings, to remit or forgive..."

Vine, W.E., The Expanded Vine's Expository Dictionary of New

Testament Words, p. 452.

Describing the "forgiveness of sins" as applicable to this

term, Vine states:

"In this latter respect the verb, like its corresponding

noun, firstly signifies the remission of the punishment due to

sinful conduct, the deliverance of the sinner from the penalty

Divinely, and therefore righteously, imposed; secondly, it

involves the complete removal of the cause of offense; such

remission is based upon the vicarious and propitiatory

sacrifice of Christ." Vine, W.E., p. 452.

The second Greek word, translated "forgive" is the term:

"CHARIZOMAI, Strong's # 5483. To bestow a favor unconditionally,

is used of the act of forgiveness, whether Divine, Eph. 4.32; Col.

2.12, 3.13; or human, Luke 7.42-43 (debt); 2 Cor. 2.7, 10,

12.13..." Vine, p. 453.

"The foundational truth respecting the believer in

relation to his sins is the fact that when he was saved all

his trespasses (the past, present, and future)- so far as

condemnation may be concerned- were forgiven. This must be

the meaning of the Apostle's word in Colossians 2.13, 'having

forgiven you all trespasses.' So complete proves this divine

dealing with all sin that it can be said, 'There is therefore

now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus' (Rom.

8.1). The believer is not condemned (John 3.18), and

therefore shall not come into judgment ('condemnation,' John

5.24). It need only be remembered that since Christ has borne

all sin and since the believer's standing is complete in the

risen Christ, he is perfected forever by reason of being in

Christ. As a member in the household and family of God, the

Christian- should he sin- of course is, as any child, subject

to chastisement from the Father, but never to be condemned

with the world (1 Cor. 11.31-32)." Chafer, L.S., Systematic

Theology, Vol. VII, p. 163.

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