QUESTION FORTY-EIGHT

CONCERNING DIFFERENT KINDS OF FORGIVENESS

How many kinds of forgiveness from God are there according to the Bible? How do we explain these different kinds of forgiveness?

ANSWER

We have to remember one thing: the consequences of sin determine the kind of forgiveness involved. There are at least five consequences of sin:

1. (1) Eternal perdition.
2. (2) Separation from the people of God. In the Old Testament, if an Israelite committed sin, he was cut off from the people of Israel. In the New Testament we also have these words: “Remove the evil man from among yourselves” (1 Cor. 5:13).
3. (3) Fellowship with God is hindered.
4. (4) If sin is not put away, God will chasten and discipline.
5. (5) If sin is not forsaken, the Lord may deal with it when He comes to reign in the millennium, and the position of this person in the kingdom may be affected by such sin.

The fourth consequence is chastisement in this age; whereas the fifth consequence is chastisement in the coming age. The Bible makes statements like, “Will not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the one to come” (Matt. 12:32). “Age” in this verse refers not to the world but to the ages. This gives us an indication that while certain sins are forgiven in this age, other sins will be forgiven in the coming age.

Since sins have five possible consequences, there must also be five kinds of forgiveness. If there were only three kinds of forgiveness, what would happen to the other two consequences of sin? If there were only four kinds of forgiveness, what would happen to the other remaining consequence of sin? Many wrongly teach that there is only one kind of judgment. The result of such a teaching is much confusion. If we are not clear regarding these five kinds of forgiveness, we will not know what to do many times.

What are the five kinds of forgiveness? First, we will mention them briefly; afterwards, we will talk about them one by one.

1. (1) God’s eternal forgiveness. (Relating to the problem of eternal salvation.)
2. (2) The forgiveness through God’s people. (Relating to the problem of the fellowship between God’s children. This kind of forgiveness can be regarded as God’s forgiveness through a person or through the forgiveness of the church.)
3. (3) The forgiveness to restore fellowship. (Relating to the problem of fellowshipping with God.)
4. (4) The forgiveness of God’s discipline. (Relating to the way God disciplines His children.)
5. (5) The forgiveness in the kingdom. (Relating to the forgiveness of the millennium.)