Forgiveness
by Web Hulon
Matt 6:12
Matt 6:14-15
We all know that there is more to dealing with sin than just "accepting forgiveness." The following passages will help us to understand "how" we are forgiven by YHWH and lay a foundation for our forgiveness of one another.
The proof of our repentance is that we now walk in Torah, or keep the Instruction of YHWH.
So we see that there is more to being forgiven by YHWH than just saying some words to Him; more even than believing on Yahshua. We must repent. It is by repentance that we receive forgiveness and an inheritance. If we could be forgiven without repenting, or turning to Torah, there would be no profit in our forgiveness. Likewise, there is more to forgiving one another than popular teaching, or misteaching, would have you believe.
Prov 9:8
Prov 17:10
Prov 3:11-12
James 5:19-20
Prov 13:24
Lev 19:17
First I will answer how we do not rebuke. We do not rebuke in self-righteousness or haughtiness, with an "I'm better than you" attitude.
To properly rebuke is to humbly TEACH with Scripture. This is how we raise the value of our brethren and how we show that we truly do value them. Not by back stabbing, name calling or temper tantrums. To rebuke is to teach.
The next step in forgiveness is up to the one who has sinned against us, "if he repents." The word translated as "repent" is the Greek word metanoeo (met-an-o-eh'-o). It means "to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider." It is now up to the brother to receive your teaching. If he now thinks differently, he has began to repent, but there is more that must be done.
We learned that repentance includes works. Notice that Luke 17:4 says "returns to you saying...". These are the next two steps the brother must "return to you". This is the Greek word epistrepho. It means, "to revert". The Hebrew equivalent is shuv, which means to turn away. The brother must physically turn from his sin, doing the right thing and repairing any harm he may have caused.
The accompanying step to turning is "saying".
Now comes forgiveness. The Greek word translated as "forgive" is apo. It means, "separation, departing, fleeing." To forgive is to separate yourself from someone, showing that when a brother sins against you, you somehow become connected to that person. The Hebrew word for forgiveness is nasa. It means, "to lift", so by forgiving you lift the sin from the sinner. The brother becomes dependent upon you because you now hold what he needs, your forgiveness.
The prison door locks behind the sinner, you have the key. If you love him, you must teach him that he must not walk through that door again before letting him out of the cell. You must rebuke him, receive his confession and repentance and then, and only then, release him. If any step is ignored, the process will not work and although you and the brother may believe that he is released, he really is not.
This forgiveness process is the only way that we may turn sin into profit. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that the profit of forgiveness may abound? Certainly not! But when there is sin, and there will be, we must turn the tables on it. We must use these situations as times to teach and be taught and establish our unity. Forgiveness is a serious responsibility to the Israelite, and it must be handled properly.
Finally, what if rebuke doesn't bear fruit and the person refuses to repent. First and foremost DO NOT ALLOW BITTERNESS TO SET IN! You still have a responsibility to that brother. PRAY! See things out, even as far as:
Col 3:12-14
This passage shows us just how serious an issue our forgiving one another is to YHWH. The Scriptures have much to say concerning forgiveness. We enjoy the atonement of our many sins through the blood of Yahshua. But forgiveness is not a cut and dried issue. How do we forgive? What does "forgive" really mean?
12 Therefore, as the elect of YHWH, set apart and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Mashiach forgave you, so you also must do.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.I Jn 1:6-10
First we must not pretend that we do not sin, we do. Next, we must confess particular sins.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yahshua Mashiach His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.Acts 26:17-20
Next we must repent. The above passage defines repenting as "turning to YHWH, and doing works befitting repentance." We know that "works", in a Hebraic context, are the Commandments, the Torah.
17 'I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
18 'to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to Elohim, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'
19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 "but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to YHWH, and do works befitting repentance. Matt 18:21-22
Yahshua said to forgive your brother 70 times 7, or 490 times. This sounds as if we are to quickly and automatically forgive, but we must remember that there are steps to forgiveness and that even if you want to, you cannot TRULY forgive someone without the process taking place. This passage gives us a bit more detail on Yahshua's instructions for forgiveness:
21 Then Kefa came to Him and said, "Master, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Yahshua said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.Luke 17:3-5
Step one is to rebuke him. The word translated as "rebuke" is epitimao. It means, "to rebuke, to forbid, to find guilty, to raise the price of, to value." It is interesting that by bringing rebuke we raise the price of our brother and show that we value him. Most of us hate to have to rebuke, but let's consider what Scripture has to say about rebuke:
3 "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents (metanoeo), forgive him.
4 "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you (makes it right, epistrepho), saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive (apo = let go) him."
5 And the apostles said to YHWH, "Increase our faith."Ps 141:5
And last but certainly not least:
Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.
Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
Rebuke is more effective for a wise man than a hundred blows on a fool.
11 My son, do not despise the chastening of YHWH, nor detest His correction;
12 For whom YHWH loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.
19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly. Prov 27:5
In these passages rebuke is seen as loving your brother and the lack of rebuke is identified as sin. So, how do we rebuke?
Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed.
`You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. 1 John 1:9
Remember that part of our dealing with sin is to admit that we have sinned. Confession and physically making it right are repentance.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.John 20:22-23
This shows that you have a hold over someone who sins against you. The question is "what will you do with it"?
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."1 Cor 5:4-5
This is our responsibility. This is why we must pray to YHWH as the students of Messiah did after receiving this instruction, "increase our faith".
4 In the name of our Master Yahshua HaMashiach, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Master Yahshua HaMashiach,
5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Master Yahshua.