Gospel Essentials Unabridged Class Notes

June-July 14, 2002

Forgiveness

Gospel Essentials: Forgiveness

Some questions for initial discussion? 

When is forgiveness first mentioned?

What is forgiveness? What is remission?

Forgive—naw-saw` 5375—to lift; to accept, advance, araise, to bear, to carry, to contain, fetch, forgive, furish, help, hold up, pardon, take.

 Forgive—saw-lack` 5545—to forgive, pardon, spare.

 (Discussion of  differences between remission of sin and forgiveness can be heard by listening to class online)

Is the goal only to be forgiven? To have sins remitted?

Why wasn’t Adam admitted back into the Garden when forgiveness was granted?

How many times were the Jews asked to forgive?  Why?

How many times did Jesus say to forgive?  Why?  To teach us what?

How many times does God forgive his people when they repent?

Why were we asked to forgive?  To learn how God forgives.

Can the day of repentance pass?  What is true repentance?  Can there be insincere repentance?  Can there be true repentance without true forgiveness?

There were times when one transgression was ‘the limit.’   What circumstances?

Is there any sin which is not against God?

Genesis 39:9 (Joseph to Pharaoh’s wife) …There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

I Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man committeth is against the body of Christ, and he who committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

Is there any sin, therefore, which does not require God’s forgiveness?

God’s purpose was to offer what?

Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins;

Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Colossians 1:14 (of Jesus…) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins;

Sin No More

Why this commandment to sin ‘no more?’  Does it mean that we will never be forgiven if the sin appears again?  First answer is trite—because becoming Christian embodies departing from sin.  But what was the eternal principle involved?

The answer lies, it seems, in the carnal nature of mankind.  If we humans don’t change our pattern of sin, we will find ourselves re-emeshed in it, in worse shape than before. Some sins make us like alcoholics who can’t tolerate a little--Cold turkey departure or nothing.

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Are there times when forgiveness is conditional?

Joshua 24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord; for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

Mark 11:28 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

DC 95:7d but if he trespass against thee the fourth time, thou shalt not forgive him but shall bring these testimonies before the Lord, and they shall not be blotted out until he repent and reward thee fourfold in all things wherewith he has trespassed against you;

Isaiah 2:9 And the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth himself not; therefore forgive them not.

Luke 12:11 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, He knoweth our hearts, and he speaketh to our condemnation, and we shall not be forgiven. But he answered them, and said unto them,

Luke 12:12 Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, and repenteth, it shall be forgiven him; but unto him who blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him.

Luke 23:35 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Meaning the soldiers who crucified him,) and they parted his raiment and cast lots.

Alma 19:9 Yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness.

DC 1:5f for I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;

DC 42:6 And now, behold, I speak unto the church. Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come.

DC 42:7e Thou shalt not commit adultery; and he that committeth adultery and repenteth not, shall be cast out; but he that hath committed adultery and repents with all his heart, and forsaketh it, and doeth it no more, thou shalt forgive; but if he doeth it again, he shall not be forgiven, but shall be cast out.

DC 64:2b There are those who have sought occasion against him without cause; nevertheless he has sinned, but verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, forgiveth sins unto those who confess their sins before me, and ask forgiveness, who have not sinned unto death.

Remembering Sin…

Can our God, who is perfect, really ‘forget’ anything?  Can he actually have a memory loss over timer?  Then how is it that some scripture says he will ‘remember our sin no more?’

The Old Testament Hebrew definition for the word ‘remember’ in Jeremiah 31:34 translates to ‘mention.’  In that context, how does this help in understanding these scriptures?:

Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Jeremiah 14:10 Thus saith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.

Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Revelation 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Our problem

We forget the pain of our sin…

Alma 17:10 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree, and racked with all my sins. Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell;

Alma 17:15 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people, concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

Alma 17:17 And now behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains nor more; yea, I was harrowed by by the memory of my sins no more.

Alma 17:65 And now my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto you: trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity;

Consequences of sin

2 Nephi 6:73 O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one.

Ether 1:41 And the Lord said unto him, I will forgive thee and thy brethren of their sins; but thou shalt not sin any more, for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe, ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

Were priesthood ever allowed to speak ‘on God’s behalf’ regarding the remission of sin bestowed on others?

John 20:19-23 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you; as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost;
23 Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained.

Is There a time when forgiveness can’t be offered?

Mark 3:24 But there is a sin which shall not be forgiven. He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness; but is in danger of being cut down out of the world. And they shall inherit eternal damnation.

DC 76:4c (for those who knew God’s power, had the gift of the Holy Ghost….) for they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the Devil and his angels, in eternity, concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come;

DC 83:6h but whoso breaketh this covenant, after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come.

How should we forgive?

DC 64:2d wherefore I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another, for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses, standeth condemned before the Lord, for there remaineth in him the greater sin.

DC 64:2g And this ye shall do that God might be glorified, not because ye forgive not, having not compassion, but that ye may be justified in the eyes of the law, that ye may not offend him who is your Lawgiver.

DC 81:1a Verily I say unto you, my servants, that inasmuch as you have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you;

Real intent, real repentance

Moroni 6:8 And if they repented not, and confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not numbered among the people of Christ; but as oft as they repented, and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven.

Mosiah 11:140 And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses: for verily I say unto you, He that forgiveth not his neighbor's trespasses, when he says that he repents, the same hath brought himself under condemnation.

Matthew 6:16 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, who trespass against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses.

Matthew 5:25 Therefore, if ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, or if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that they brother hath aught against thee,

How are we justified in responding to an enemy’s trespasses?

DC 95:7a And again, verily I say unto you, If, after thine enemy has come upon thee the first time, he repent and come unto thee praying thy forgiveness thou shalt forgive him, and shall hold it no more as a testimony against thine enemy,

DC 95:7d but if he trespass against thee the fourth time, thou shalt not forgive him but shall bring these testimonies before the Lord, and they shall not be blotted out until he repent and reward thee fourfold in all things wherewith he has trespassed against you;

What Does God offer those who are ‘Called By His Name?’

Daniel 9:9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

II Chronicles 7:14 If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Daniel 9:19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God; for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

Mosiah 11:139 Yea, and as often as my people repent, will I forgive them their trespasses against me.