Now we will explain these five kinds of forgiveness separately.
Eternal forgiveness is related to man’s eternal salvation. Even though this forgiveness is eternal, it is nevertheless given to the sinners in this age. What is the basis for this forgiveness? Hebrews 9:22 says, “And without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Matthew 26:28 says, “For this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” This verse tells us that eternal forgiveness is based on the blood of the Lord Jesus. No matter how big and gross a sin is, it can be forgiven by the blood of the Lord Jesus. But this forgiveness is not without a price, and God cannot forgive freely because “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” God’s forgiveness of our sins does not mean that God is lenient toward them or will let them go. God still condemns sin as sin. God is only able to forgive us because our sins were judged in Christ. The Lord Jesus has died, shedding His precious blood and paying the price. God’s way of forgiveness is most righteous. We have a Savior who has already died for us. Therefore, God has no choice but to forgive us.
The reason that our sins can be forgiven is because the Lamb of God has taken away our sins, and the blood of His Son Jesus has cleansed us of all our sins. Our forgiveness is based on the blood of the Lord Jesus, and we obtain this forgiveness through faith (Acts 10:43; 13:39). Do not think that we were forgiven because we repented for our past sins and resolved not to commit any sins in the future. The Word of God says that our sins are forgiven because of the blood of the Lord Jesus. If we believe in the blood of the Lord Jesus, we will see that our sins have been laid upon Him and that we are forgiven.
Is the forgiveness of our sins something for the present or the future? Let us read 1 John 2:12: “I write to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you because of His name.” Pay attention to the three words “have been forgiven.” They are not “will be forgiven,” but “have been forgiven”; not “expected to be forgiven” or “waiting to be forgiven,” but “have been forgiven.” Hallelujah! As soon as we believe in the Lord Jesus, our sins are already forgiven. The Word of God says, “Little children...your sins have been forgiven you because of His name.” When God says we are forgiven, we are forgiven. God does not lie.
John 20:23 says, “Whosever sins you forgive, they are forgiven them; and whosever sins you retain, they are retained.” Is not the mention of forgiveness in this verse strange? Does this mean that the apostles have the authority to forgive sins on earth? If we do not understand the meaning of this verse, we will not be able to refute the pope’s authority. The authority of our forgiveness as related to salvation is in God’s hand. If you go to Peter and he does not forgive you, does this mean that you are not saved? No, salvation and the forgiveness of sins depend absolutely on receiving the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. Then what does forgiveness in this verse mean? It refers to a declaration which the church makes under the direction of the Holy Spirit and is based on the church’s understanding of a person’s forgiveness before God. We must notice that it says, “Whosever sins you forgive,” not “Whom you forgive.” “You” is plural not singular; it is corporate not private; it is not by an individual but by the church. “Whosever sins you forgive” means that the church declares that the sins of a certain man have been forgiven and he is saved. Someone may come to the church declaring, “I have heard the gospel and believed. Please receive me that I may be baptized and break bread the same way as the other disciples.” In order to receive him, the brothers have to know whether his sins have been forgiven. If the brothers know that his sins have been forgiven before God and that he is a child of God, they can declare that he has been forgiven and saved, and receive him. If the brothers are not clear from within, they cannot make such a testimony for such a one; therefore, they cannot receive him. The forgiveness of the church is based on the forgiveness of God. The church merely declares what God has already done. Through the church, God announces the condition of a man before Him.
We must pay attention to verse 22 since verse 23 follows it. Only after verse 22 can we have verse 23. Verse 22 says, “And when He had said this, He breathed into them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit.” Based upon the power and instruction of the Holy Spirit, the church determines whether one’s sins have been forgiven. It is not based on individual feeling. If a person is saved, and the church is not sure and asks him to wait for a little, this will not affect his forgiveness before God. For example, after Paul was saved and came to Jerusalem, he desired to join himself to the disciples. But they were all afraid of him and did not believe that he had believed in the Lord and become a disciple. Only after Barnabas testified for him was Paul able to be with the disciples coming in and going out in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-28). Therefore, the church cannot forgive or retain one’s sins directly; it only declares that one’s sins are forgiven or not forgiven before God, deciding if he may have fellowship and communion among the disciples.
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