Unpacking Forgiveness

Is Unconditional Forgiveness Biblical?

I think if you asked most Christians about forgiveness their response would sound something similar to this:

“We are supposed to forgive anyone who offends us unconditionally”

This was my understanding up until I read the book Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Brauns. In it, he challenges the response I mentioned above. He makes the case that without repentance, there is no obligation for forgiveness. In other words, if someone sins against you, and they don’t repent to you, you aren’t obligated to forgive them.

He used an example of a tragic school shooting in which the students in the aftermath of the shooting held a candle-light vigil, holding signs proclaiming forgiveness towards the shooter, though the shooter had zero remorse for what he did. What seemed like a good Christian gesture was actually just virtue signaling.

Now I want to be clear that having a posture of forgiveness is where all Christians should arrive. What I mean by that is that when someone does repent to you, Christians do have a biblical obligation to forgive them. Even Jesus tells us in response to his disciples question, “Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you (forgive them) seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Matt 18:22) In the parable, Jesus tells us of a ruler who was collecting debt from his subjects and had a servant brought before him who owed ten thousand talents. The man cried out to the ruler to have mercy on him, and the ruler did. The rest of the parable tells us how this man then went to collect debts owed to him and he was not as charitable as the ruler.

Notice that the ruler didn’t have compassion on the man, until he begged for patience from the ruler. We do not see in this instance where the ruler unconditionally forgave the debt of his subjects but was willing to have compassion when some form of repentance (begging) had been made.

As Christians, one of the pillars of our faith is that there is no forgiveness of sins without repentance. Now I do understand this is referring forgiveness being given by the creator of the universe, who is not like us in many ways. Much of what God does, if we did, we would be in sin (i.e., jealousy, wrath). However, in this principal we see that until we as sinful humans repent (turn and go the other way, change our minds) we cannot be saved from the wrath of God. Let’s go to the scriptures and see what they say.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, - Acts 3:19

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” -Luke 17:3-4

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. -Proverbs 28:13

See also Ezekiel 18:21-22, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Acts 2:38

Notice that each of the examples listed above have a condition attached to them, for forgiveness. I want to emphasize once again that even though the scriptures seem to require a condition for forgiveness, even Jesus says that we MUST forgive when repentance takes place. This speaks of our hearts posture toward forgiveness and a total willingness to forgive. In fact I would agree with many who may still disagree with me, that if we don’t forgive others, we are in sin.

Now, it wouldn’t be totally fair if I didn’t try to dissect this topic without giving some scripture that could imply that unconditional forgiveness is a Christian concept. Let’s look at those verses.

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. -Luke 23:34

And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. -Acts 7:60

In the two above instances, we see both Jesus and Stephen crying out to God to forgive the men who were killing them. We see no indication that there was a sign of repentance on the part of the murderers. So, we could make a case that these prayers are examples of unconditional forgiveness.

My argument then is, perhaps we mistake God’s divine mercy and common grace as a call to forgive unconditionally. We know that God has mercy on the sinners and the righteous. Some examples of the Doctrine of Common Grace are:

so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. -Matthew 5:45

The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. - Psalm 145:9

These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. -Psalm 104:27-30

These are but a few examples in scripture where we see that God cares for all of His creation, regardless of what they think of Him. We even see in Psalm 104 His love for animals and creatures He has created that rely on Him. Even the sparrows!

The act of forgiveness appears to be contingent on the precursor of repentance. We know certainly that God has not saved the world universally. We know that there are many that will never repent and come to a saving faith in Jesus, and the reason for that is the lack of repentance on their part.

In the case that you and I aren’t in agreement on the conditionality of forgiveness, I think the best practice would be to forgive any person who has offended you, regardless of repentance. This mindset seems to be the result of a heart made new and prepared to forgive. The purpose of this article is not to necessarily change how we view forgiveness or repentance, but instead to challenge ourselves to dive further into the beautiful tapestry of scripture and shore up our doctrinal foundations. Because when we better understand the deeper things of God, we grow stronger in our sanctification.