A child of God does not lose his status as a child after he has sinned. However, he may lose his fellowship with God through his sin. There is a forgiveness, however, which we call forgiveness in fellowship. We call it forgiveness in fellowship because only when one turns back to God and confesses his sins can his fellowship with God be restored. Otherwise, he has no way to fellowship with God. He may not even be able to pray to God or say amen when others pray. He will suffer very much within himself.
What should one do? Take the earlier example of the little girl who stole from her mother. She must go to her mother and say, “I have stolen the biscuits you have prepared. I have eaten the fruit you placed on the table. I should not have done this.” She has to stand on the ground of her mother and acknowledge her sin as sin. She must give sin the proper name. She must say, “Please forgive my sins!” In the same way, we must come to God and say, “I have sinned. I have sinned against You in this matter. Please forgive me!” If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Such a forgiveness has nothing to do with eternal forgiveness. It has to do with our fellowship with God. This is why we call it forgiveness in fellowship.
There is another kind of forgiveness in the Bible which we call governmental forgiveness. We can understand this kind of forgiveness from the following verses: Matthew 6:14-15; 9:2, 5-6; 18:21-35; James 5:15. We call the forgiveness that is spoken of in all these verses governmental forgiveness.
Some may ask, “What is God’s governmental forgiveness?” I have often thought that if a person were made aware of God’s government immediately upon becoming a Christian, he would spare himself many troubles and problems.
Let me once again use the illustration of the little girl. Before such an incident as described above occurred, her mother would have left the doors of the rooms in the house open whenever she left the house. She would have left the door to the kitchen open and the kitchen cabinet doors unlocked. Even though there may have been considerable food in the cabinets, she would have left the door open. On that particular day, when she comes back to the house, she may discover that her daughter has stolen food from the cabinets. Since the mother has found out, the daughter has no choice but to confess her sins and ask for forgiveness. The mother forgives her and kisses her. She says, “I forgive you,” and the matter is over with and the fellowship restored. But from that time on, she begins to lock the doors whenever she leaves the house. She has changed her way! Fellowship is one thing, while government is another thing.
What is government? Government is the way of doing things. In our words, God’s government is His way of doing things; it is His administration. The mother forgives her child’s sin. She says, “Since you have eaten the food already, I will not pursue the matter any further.” She forgives her daughter, and the fellowship is restored. When the daughter sees her mother, she can be as happy and intimate as before. But the next time the mother leaves the house, the cabinets and the door to the kitchen will be locked. In other words, the way of handling things will be different. Fellowship can be restored, but the way of doing things cannot be easily restored. The mother is afraid that her child will do the same thing again. She will no longer grant her daughter the kind of freedom she had before. She will put on some kind of restrictions. The way is changed. Please bear in mind that God treats us according to the same principle. Forgiveness in fellowship is easy. Fellowship is easily restored for those who confess with a true heart. Once they confess that they have sinned against God, God will recover the fellowship between Him and them. But God’s way of dealing with these ones may immediately become different. God’s discipline may be exercised upon them. He may no longer allow them to be as free or loose.
One day the disciplining hand of God may be lifted. At that time we will have governmental forgiveness. After a period of time, the mother may feel that her child can once again be trusted. She then leaves the kitchen door open once more. This is called governmental forgiveness.
Forgiveness of fellowship is one thing, while governmental forgiveness is another. A father may tell his sons to go outside to play at four o’clock and to come back for dinner at six o’clock. Suppose one day the children go out and fight with other children. When they come home, they confess their sin to their father. The father forgives them and lets them out again the next day, but they get into a fight with other children again. What should the father do? They may confess their sins day after day and the father may forgive them day after day, but the father will wonder whether his way of government is wrong. He may wonder if it is wrong to let them out every day. He may say, “Starting from tomorrow, you will stay at home and not go out because you have been fighting outside.” The father’s hand has come in. When we sin against God, God will forgive us when we confess our sins to Him. However, we cannot stop Him from using other methods to discipline us. God will forgive us, and our fellowship with Him can be restored, but He may change His way with us. A man must realize that God’s governmental hand is not easily removed. It is not easy for God to take away His governmental hand. God will remove His governmental hand only when He has full assurance that His children are doing the right things. When the father sees his children continuing to make trouble, he will tell them to stay at home and withhold their freedom. He will shut them up for days, weeks, or even months, until he is satisfied that they will no longer cause trouble, quarreling or fighting with people. At that time the father may say to his children, “You have behaved well during the past two months. You may go out for ten minutes tomorrow.” The governmental hand is lifted. Have you seen this? We call these ten minutes a governmental forgiveness. The governmental way has changed. The father still has to observe how the children behave among others during those ten minutes. If the children do not engage in a fight, the father may allow them to go out again for half an hour the next day. After some time, he may extend the time to an hour. Perhaps after one or two months, they may play from four o’clock to six o’clock again. When that day comes, we can say that governmental forgiveness has been fully exercised in the children! Brothers, what does governmental forgiveness mean? Governmental forgiveness is absolutely different from eternal forgiveness, instrumental forgiveness, and forgiveness in fellowship. Governmental forgiveness is related to the way God manages, rules over, and deals with us.