Don Smith
Introduction
As strange as it may sound, the vast majority of the world does not understand what forgiveness is, nor how to extend it. Most members of the churches of Christ know how the world is proliferated with such ignorance. However, even among brethren there seems to be some misunderstanding of this fundamental principle as it relates to infractions between one another. In this article, we are going to look at some aspects surrounding forgiveness, such as mercy, compassion, and even anger. Finally, we will seek some definitions from the lexicographical authorities of James Strong and W.E. Vine and expound what forgiveness is, scripturally, and how to extend it.
What Forgiveness is Not
Some would equate forgiveness with compassion, as the common idea is that forgiveness is compassionate. Though it is true that it is compassionate to forgive, forgiveness, however, is not just compassion. Compassion is an emotion that is the feeling of desire to help another. Forgiveness can be an act showing the emotion of compassion in a person’s heart. Does this mean that if a person does not extend forgiveness, they are not compassionate? Absolutely not. They may be willing to extend forgiveness but prevented from doing so before certain scriptural conditions are met.
Some may also equate forgiveness with being merciful. Though these terms are related, they are not absolutely interchangeable. To be merciful is to relieve someone of a burden. A person cannot forgive someone and not be merciful; however, a person can be merciful while not being able to extend forgiveness to another. For example, a soldier, having cornered the enemy, may show mercy in letting them go free. Does this mercy, then, mean said enemy has been forgiven of any wrongs? No, it does not, as there is still something they must do on their part. Therefore, forgiveness cannot be equated exclusively with being merciful.
Some believe that releasing oneself from anger towards another is equated to forgiveness. The idea is that if a person does not extend forgiveness to another (though they may be willing), then they are harboring anger towards that person. In contrast to this, reason dictates that to forgive someone is not equated to being angry with that person. The Bible teaches that we must not let the sun go down upon our wrath: “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:26-27).
The word translated anger here denotes an anger to the point of being wroth but stops short of violent emotion. Righteous indignation (being angry at sinful actions) is the type of anger that we are actually commanded to have here. However, we are never to let that anger boil to a point of committing sin in it. An example of righteous anger is found in Christ in Mark 3:5 (also see Psalm 7:11). Comparing this anger to Psalm 4:4, notice the KJV rendering: “Stand in awe, and sin not.” In essence, the idea is to be shocked to a point of intense anger but not to let it control you. To “let not the sun go down upon your wrath” is defined in Psalm 4:4 as “commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.” Reputable commentators are in unison that the idea is to not let righteous anger turn into malice and vengeful wrath, but rather resist such action. This does not mean there is never to be an action to follow righteous anger (John 2:13-17).
To allow righteous indignation to fester and turn into sin, however, is to “give place to the devil”—never let Satan control you. In contrast to this type of anger (righteous anger), all other anger is to be put away immediately, as it is sin upon inception (Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8). Therefore, we are not to hold onto anger, regardless of whether a person meets the conditions of forgiveness or not. Moreover, to let go of anger, as every Christian should, does not automatically render forgiveness to the offending party.
What Forgiveness Is
To get a better understanding of the verb translated forgive, we will see how Strong and Vine define it. Strong’s dictionary defines aphiemi (forgive) as simply “to send forth” (Strong’s, 863). This “sending forth” carries the idea of no longer being bound. If a person requires forgiveness, it is implied, then, that they are bound, or owe a debt. Vine’s dictionary concurs, as it defines aphiemi as “primarily, to send forth, send away… denotes besides its other meanings, to remit or forgive (a) debts…” also, “Human forgiveness is to be strictly analogous to Divine forgiveness e.g., Matt. 6:12. If certain conditions are fulfilled, there is no limitation to Christ’s law of forgiveness…” (Vine’s, Forgive, Forgave, Forgiveness, emph. DES). Apparently, and truly, Christ’s law of forgiveness between persons has conditions to be met before such forgiveness can be extended—just as Divine forgiveness is not unconditional.
Therefore, what does the New Testament teach that those conditions are?
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And 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 (Luke 17:3-4, emph. DES).
It is clear that repentance is an essential requirement before forgiveness can be extended. In fact, repentance is so interlinked with the concept of forgiveness that, without it, any type of attempt to extend forgiveness is a farce. Forgiveness is to relieve someone of the debt they owe. The Bible teaches the only way to do that is if the offending party repents. To attempt to extend forgiveness before repentance is not forgiveness at all; it’s tolerance. It also sends a deceptive message to the offender that they are now in the clear and free from sin without obedience to God’s will. This actually goes beyond God’s teaching on the matter, and no faithful Christian should engage in such. Tell the offending party of their wrong, and if they refuse to repent, go through the necessary scriptural steps (Matt. 18:15-17). Keep the right mindset and intent (love for God, the Word, and the brethren), but never circumvent God’s law on the matter.
Conclusion
There are many things that forgiveness between people is not. It is not compassion exclusively, but it certainly comes from a compassionate heart. Forgiveness is not equated exclusively to mercy, though it certainly falls within the realm of a merciful act. It is not merely the releasing of anger towards another, though anger certainly could not be harbored when properly extending forgiveness. As the Bible teaches, forgiveness is a two-way street that first requires the offending party to repent, then the sober, compassionate heart can extend the merciful act of forgiveness.
