Grace Baptist Church of Arlington

I’ve recently been reading Chris Brauns’ book, Unpacking Forgiveness.  There are several reasons that I picked up a copy, not least of which is my desire to better understand forgiveness.  After all, the forgiveness of my sins in Christ is a central piece of my hope of a reconciled relationship with God.  In the book, Brauns does an excellent job “unpacking” the forgiveness we experience from God.

Brauns also helpfully lays out a course or path for biblical forgiveness in his book.  On several occasions Brauns points out that forgiveness takes place where there is sin and repentance.  He further points out that forgiveness is a commitment not to dwell upon the offense, to use the offense against another, to bring up the offense with others, or to allow the offense to hinder the relationship.  In this way he echoes the great work of Ken Sande in The Peacemaker.  Brauns also makes clear that forgiveness has a goal – reconciliation.  Many of us (including myself) easily forget that forgiveness has a goal.  Often our focus is our own relief; we don’t like being in conflict, and while that is arguably a good motivation, reconciliation should also be thrown into the mix of godly motivations to pursue forgiveness.  Finally, Brauns is careful to make the important caveat that while forgiveness is “a commitment by the offended to pardon graciously the repentant from moral liability and to be reconciled to that person,” it does not mean that “all consequences of sin are necessarily eliminated.”[1]

If you want to better know and understand forgiveness as described in the Scriptures, then I’d encourage you to pick up a copy of Unpacking Forgiveness.  Read and better understand your forgiveness, and how you’re called to forgive as God has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).

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