Stephen the Martyr’s Heroic Forgiveness of His Executioners. “And Stephen told them, ‘Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!’ As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ He fell to his knees, shouting, ‘Lord, don’t charge them with …

The Gut-Punch Prelude to Forgiveness. “Forgive each other, just as God has forgiven you in Christ.” (Eph. 4:32) Splagchnizomai  (splawnk – NITZ – oh – mi). Don’t let that strange, practically unpronounceable Greek word put you off. It turns out to be one of the most meaningful ideas in the gospels, and it describes Jesus to a …

The Unforgivable Sin? “One can say something against the Son of Man and be forgiven; but whoever keeps on speaking against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, neither in this world or in the world to come.” (Matthew 12:32). “Yes! I tell you that people will be forgiven for every sin they commit and every …

Healthy Brains through Forgiveness and Harmony with One Another. Forgiveness in the Newer Testament. There are two main Greek words for forgiveness in Scripture: “Charizonai” = (from the root word charis, which means grace; used 23 times in NT for forgive); to freely offer the favor of forgiveness to those who don’t deserve it; to graciously pardon an …

The Big IF of Forgiveness. “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15). The Big IF. Sometimes our eyes just skip over small words in Scripture when we are reading in a hurry. In other words, if …

The Jewish Roots of Forgiveness in the Hebrew Bible. “Who is a God like you, who pardons (“nasa”) sin and forgives (“waober”) the rebellious acts of his special people? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will trample our sins underfoot and hurl …

Tashlich: A “Casting Off” Experience for Families that Celebrates God’s Forgiveness. “Who is a God like you, who pardons (“nasa”) sin and forgives (“waober”) the rebellious crimes of His precious people? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will trample our sins underfoot …

Redeemer God in the Business of Debt Forgiveness. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord Yahweh, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14). Redeemer – Hebrew, Go’el – Kinsman Redeemer. To buy back; to restore; to recover by purchase; to perform the obligation of the next of …

Forgiveness in the Flesh: Christ on the Cross. “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, …

The Prison of Unforgiveness. “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hate. It is the power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.” (Corrie Ten Boom, imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp for harboring Jews during WWII). There are many ways we can contrast the virtues …

Sweet Forgiveness in the New Covenant. “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ…  the fragrance of life.” (2 Cor. 2:14-16). Sweet Forgiveness and the Fragrance of Christ. There is a …