Forgiveness

Miroslav Volf shares some great thoughts on forgiveness in his new book, Free Of Charge. He begins by letting us know that forgiveness is a special kind of gift. He goes on to say,

"For Christians, forgiving, always takes place in a triangle, involving the wrongdoer, the wronged person, and God.

Take God away, and the foundations of forgiveness become unsteady and may even crumble.

The world is sinful. That’s why God doesn’t affirm it indiscriminately. God loves the world. That’s why God doesn’t punish it in justice.

What does God do with this double bind? God forgives."

What about you?

1 Corinthians 3:3
For you are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your own desires? You are acting like people who don't belong to the Lord.

Romans 4:7
"Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight."

Psalm 32:1-2
Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

Isaiah 38:17
Yes, it was good for me to suffer this anguish, for you have rescued me from death and have forgiven all my sins.

Psalm 103:12
He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west.

Isaiah 43:25
"I--yes, I alone--am the one who blots out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again."

Jeremiah 31:34
And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, `You should know the LORD.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me," says the LORD. "And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins."

Hebrews 8:12; 10:17
"And I will forgive their wrongdoings,and I will never again remember their sins."
Then God adds,"I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds."