Forgiveness means letting go of anger and hurt for things others have done wrong. It is mainly an act of God, freeing people from being judged for their bad actions. Only God can forgive sin because only God is perfect (Mark 2:7; Luke 5:21). In Christianity, forgiveness is also an act extended toward one’s neighbor. Forgiveness is a sign of one’s experience and acknowledgment of God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness is central to the Christian faith, with its unique emphasis on grace.
While forgiveness appears in various forms across religions, the Christian understanding of forgiveness is distinctive. In some religions such as animism, people do not think about having a close relationship with God. In the religion Hinduism, everyone must face the results of their actions in many lives. The religion Buddhism also does not know about a forgiving God. Islam includes a strong emphasis on God’s mercy, and Allah is seen as deeply compassionate and willing to forgive; however, it does not portray God as a “Father” in the way Christianity does. In Judaism, forgiveness is deeply connected to repentance and atonement, but the New Testament adds new dimensions to the understanding of forgiveness, building on the Old Testament’s teachings.
Expressions of Forgiveness in the Old Testament
The idea of forgiveness is explained in different ways. One example is the scapegoat, which was sent into the wilderness to carry away the sins of the Israelites. The high priest confessed their sins while placing his hands on the animal’s head (Leviticus 16:21). In this way, the scapegoat symbolically "carried away" their sins. Another example is God’s mercy, which is central to the forgiveness of sins (Leviticus 4:20; 1 Kings 8:30, 34; Psalms 86:5; 103:3).
The Hebrew word kapar is commonly used for forgiveness. It means “to cover up,” as the sacrifice was given to cover the person's faults (Exodus 29:36; Deuteronomy 21:8; Jeremiah 18:23; Ezekiel 43:20; 45:20). Related words to salah always refer to God forgiving (Numbers 30:5, 8, 12; Psalms 86:5; 130:4; Daniel 9:9). God lets go of the wrong. He removes it. Another word, maha, means to “wipe away” (Psalm 51:1, 7; Isaiah 43:25; 44:22).
The Old Testament says God is a forgiving God (Exodus 34:6–7; Nehemiah 9:17; Daniel 9:9). But he is also fair and punishes wrong actions. Sometimes God does not forgive when people do not meet certain conditions, or when certain serious actions are done (Deuteronomy 29:20; 2 Kings 24:4; Jeremiah 5:7).
Forgiveness is part of God's nature. However, God's forgiveness shows his just nature. God forgives when people truly turn away from their wrongs and seek his forgiveness. The Old Testament uses strong images to show how much God forgives:
Sin is thrown “into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).
It is removed “As far as the east is from the west” (Psalms 103:12).
It is hidden behind God’s back (Isaiah 38:17).
God remembers it no more (Jeremiah 31:34).
The stain of sin is made white (Isaiah 1:18).
Sin, which feels heavy like a weight, is forever lifted and removed.
In the Old Testament, forgiveness means being free from past wrongs. The wrong actions still happened, but they no longer control the person. Forgiveness brings freedom.
Forgiveness in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the idea that God forgives without us earning it is stronger because God forgave our sins when Christ died for us. Each person owes a debt they cannot pay back (Matthew 18:23–35). We all do wrong things and cannot save ourselves (Mark 10:26–27).
This shows that Christ himself gives forgiveness. Only he can forgive sins (2:5–10). His death saves us (Matthew 26:28; Mark 10:45). His blood is the basis of a new covenant (or agreement) with God (1 Corinthians 11:25). Through him, we can experience forgiveness (Hebrews 9:15, 22). So forgiveness is always part of teaching about Jesus Christ (Acts 13:38; Ephesians 1:7; Colossian 1:14; 1 John 2:12).
The New Testament has other special ideas about forgiveness. Paul uses the Greek word charizomai, meaning “to forgive,” to explain God’s gracious pardon (2 Corinthians 2:7; 12:13; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 2:13; 3:13). Sin is seen as a debt. The Greek word aphiemi refers to canceling that debt (Matthew 6:12; compare Luke 11:4).
The New Testament speaks of some limits to forgiveness. One is a type of sin that cannot be forgiven (Matthew 12:31–32; Mark 3:28–30; Luke 12:10). Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit means attributing to Satan what is actually the work of the Holy Spirit, as shown through Jesus Christ. Christ speaks about people who, like the Pharisees, cannot tell the difference between Satan's acts and Christ's good deeds.
In Hebrews 6:1–8, the author warns about another serious danger. The author writes about people who learn about God's truth and then turn away from it. The author says it is impossible to bring these people back to God. These are people who have experienced God's kindness but then reject it. Similarly, Hebrews 10:26–29 talks about people who know God's truth but choose to keep sinning anyway. The author warns that there is no way to be forgiven for these people. Instead, they can only expect God's judgment. The author explains that when people reject God's kindness and treat Jesus's death with disrespect, there are serious consequences.
The New Testament teaches that to receive forgiveness, you must be sorry (2 Corinthians 7:10). It also teaches you to forgive others (Matthew 6:14–15). If you receive forgiveness but do not forgive others, it shows that repentance is not complete. In his stories, Jesus often says that being ready to forgive others shows true sorrow for your own wrongs (Matthew 18:23–35; Luke 6:37).
So Christ taught us that forgiving is something we must do without limits. We must forgive completely, even 70 times 7 (Matthew 18:21–22). By saying "70 times 7," Jesus was not giving an exact number (490) of times to forgive. Instead, he was teaching that we should forgive others without counting or limiting how many times we do it.
Forgiveness is part of how believers relate to each other. Since we all need God’s forgiveness, we all must forgive each other. “Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).