Part 3 - Consider Forgiveness Under The Law

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called The Forgiveness of Sins.

At this point, it may be beneficial to contrast forgiveness of iniquities as it was under “the law of Moses” given to Israel (only).

IF My people (Israel), 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 (of Israel)(2 Chron. 7:14).

This is an oft quoted verse used by sincere preachers wishing to see our beloved but degraded country restored to moral and spiritual greatness. There is some wise counsel here for believers of all ages. Spirit-led humility, prayer, seeking God’s face and turning from sin should produce a tremendous revival in the Church today, but we must look closely at the words.

Take a closer look at the verse and note that ... My people (Israel) which are called by My name” refers to Israel under the lawNOT the Church under grace. The land to be healed is not America but Palestine. Now note the conditional nature of this forgiveness. “If My people shall…then I will forgive.” This “if-then” condition for forgiveness, so characteristic of the ‘covenant of the law,’ brings us all the way back to Exodus 19:5. “Now therefore, if ye (Israel) will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant (Law), then ye (Israel) shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.”

This Law system of ‘conditional forgiveness and blessing’ is stated repeatedly throughout the Old Testament books of Exodus-Malachi. E.g., If Israel obeyed God’s covenant (the law), God would bless them. If they disobeyed, God would curse them (cf. Deut. 28).

Thankfully, this is NOT how God today deals with the members of “the body of Christ” under Paul’s “gospel of the grace of God.” Paul wrote that we have already been totally forgiven and “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3, 7). The blessing includes the total forgiveness of sins.

In relation to the 2 Chronicles 7:14 passage (above), we must recognize the difference between interpretation and application. Since all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable, there are truths in this verse which can speak to us today, but only as we apply them in light of Paul’s “Revelation of The Mystery” (Rom. 16:25; Col. 1:25-27). 2 Chronicles 7:14 as it stands with its conditional blessings belongs by hermeneutic interpretation to Israel… under “the law.”

While some have come to acknowledge the difference between the Mosaic and Pauline systems of blessing (including forgiveness), even fewer have seen that conditional forgiveness is carried into certain writings of the New Testament; consider Jesus’ words of ‘conditional forgiveness’ in the following verses.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:12, 14-15).

“And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses” (Matt. 18:34-35).

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: (so) that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26).

Forgive (first) and ye shall (only then) be forgiven (Luke 6:37c).

“If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and (only) if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, ‘I repent;’ thou shalt forgive him” (Luke 17:3,4).

Note that which Jesus of Nazareth spoke, as recorded in the so-called ‘four gospels’ and seen above, which ‘gospels’ in fact are NOT THE NEW TESTAMENT because Jesus had not yet died. The writer of Hebrews tells us that a ‘testament is only in force AFTER the death of the testator.’ (Paraphrased, cf. Heb. 9:16-17).

Note carefully that the Jesus’ offer of forgiveness in the above examples are extended by the heavenly Father to men only when their forgiveness is first extended to others. Likewise the other party is forgiven only if he repents.

Jesus’ procedural order is:

(1) Offense is committed

(2) Confrontation and rebuke

(3) Repentance by the offender

(4) Forgiveness extended by victim

(5) God’s forgiveness extended.

This teaching shows forgiveness in relation to the millennial phase of the ‘kingdom of God’ on earth according to ‘Prophecy.’ This is not so for the body of Christ today. (cf. Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21; Rev. 5:10).

Now by contrast, Paul’s writings reveal that the believer “in Christ” today is living under a position of perpetual forgiveness from which he is then free to forgive others in like manner.

“Forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32).

“Forgiving one another…even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Col. 3:13).

The phrases as God for Christ’s sake” and as Christ forgave you” describes forgiveness on the basis of salvation by grace (the free gift) through placing our faith in Christ death, burial, and resurrection... to be our Savior. Well then, there is no other condition or requirement for our forgiveness than to place our faith in Christ.

This is the teaching of forgiveness in relation to the heavenly phase of the kingdom of God according to Paul’s “Revelation of the Mystery (God’s secret gospel) that was revealed to him by the ascended Lord for the members of “the church which is body of Christ” today (Rom. 16:25; 1Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:4; 2 Tim. 4:18).

  • Under law, forgiveness is conditional based upon a like spirit in us... one must forgive first.
  • BUT under grace today we are forgiven for Christ’s sake, and exhorted to forgive others because we have already been freely forgiven!!!

For this great grace truth, all believers today can say ‘Thank you Lord!!!’