There are different kinds of forgiveness in the Bible. If we confuse them with one another, we will be perplexed and unable to understand the truth concerning forgiveness in the Bible.
The first kind of forgiveness is God’s eternal forgiveness. This forgiveness concerns the eternal salvation of man. Although this forgiveness is eternal, it is granted to sinners in this age. The Bible refers mainly to this kind of forgiveness.
1. “Through His blood” (Eph. 1:7; see also Heb. 9:22; Matt. 26:28).
God’s eternal forgiveness is given to sinners because of the blood that Christ shed on the cross. The blood of Christ enables the sinner to receive God’s eternal forgiveness and obtain eternal salvation.
2. “By faith” (Acts 26:18; see also 10:43).
God’s eternal forgiveness to sinners is not only because of the blood of Christ but also because of the sinner’s believing. Once a sinner believes in what Christ’s blood has accomplished for him according to what God has said, he receives God’s eternal forgiveness in this age, which causes him to be eternally saved, never to perish.
The second kind of forgiveness is the forgiveness through which God restores fellowship with the believer. Such forgiveness concerns only the matter of fellowship between a believer and God, not his eternal salvation. Since it is related to the fellowship between a believer and God, this forgiveness is given to a believer in this age.
1. “By the blood of Jesus” (1 John 1:7).
The forgiveness through which God restores fellowship with a believer is also granted because of the Lord’s blood. The Lord’s blood not only enables one to obtain God’s eternal forgiveness at the time he believes but also enables him to continuously receive the forgiveness that restores his fellowship with God after believing.
2. “If we confess” (1 John 1:9).
A sinner obtains God’s eternal forgiveness by believing. A believer obtains God’s fellowship-restoring forgiveness by confessing. Once a sinner obtains God’s eternal forgiveness through believing, he is saved and has a spiritual fellowship of life with God. As a result, he feels light and happy within. But when he sins, he feels painful and weighed down because his fellowship with God is broken. Although sinning does not cause him to perish eternally and cannot sever his life relationship with God, it causes pain and heaviness within because his fellowship with God has been broken. To relieve his inner pain, remove the heaviness on his heart, and restore his fellowship with God, the believer must confess his sins before God in order to obtain God’s forgiveness. This matter is particularly spoken of in 1 John 1.
The third kind of forgiveness is God’s disciplinary forgiveness. This forgiveness concerns God’s way of disciplining His children in this age and is exercised in this age.
1. Through chastisement in this age (James 5:14-15; 2 Sam. 12:9-15; cf. Gal. 6:7-8; 2 Sam. 22:26-27; 1 Pet. 5:5-6).
Some sins committed by God’s children are concluded without any painful consequences after they are confessed and forgiven. However, some sins result in painful discipline even after they are confessed to God and forgiven. David is the clearest example of forgiveness accompanied by discipline. Although he was a man according to God’s heart and was loved by God, he committed a gross sin; that is, David murdered Uriah and took his wife. Although he was rebuked by God, confessed his sin to God, and was forgiven by God, discipline still followed forgiveness. God forgave the sin yet raised up an environment that dealt with him severely. David killed one, and God caused four members of his family to die, even as David himself once spoke, saying, “Restore...fourfold” (2 Sam. 12:6). He committed adultery with Uriah’s wife, and God allowed fornication in his household. He murdered Uriah, and God permitted his sons to rebel against him and seek his life. “Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7).
A person’s sins not only create a sinful record before God but also cause him to suffer the consequences of sin. The sins that a person commits might be forgiven by God, but he might not be spared from the sufferings that result from them. If a child continually goes against his mother’s wishes and steals candy, his stealing may be pardoned by his mother, but this will not eliminate the cavities in his teeth caused by the sweets. Although the sins committed by God’s children are forgiven by God, discipline often follows, whether it is sickness, family tragedies, business setbacks, or loss of material possessions. When believers encounter the discipline that follows forgiveness, they should follow the example of David to prostrate and humble themselves “under the mighty hand of God” that “in due time” God may deliver them from suffering His discipline (1 Pet. 5:6).