Forgiveness, Divine

Forgiveness in relation to Scripture (lack thereof causes dysfunction in the relationship with Christ)

What does scripture tell us about forgiveness?

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:32)

“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Mat. 6:14)

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” (Col. 3:12-13)

“Forgive & you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37b)

“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’ ” (Mat. 18:21-22)

“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” (Mark 11:25)

“How blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven…” (Psalm 32:1)

“But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” (Mat. 6:15)

“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” (Prov. 17:9, NLT)

*NASB unless otherwise noted

Forgiveness in relation to the body (lack thereof causes dysfunction within the body)

Chronic unforgiveness (anger) within the body places the body in a constant state of flight or fight or freeze (constantly feeling stuck.) The constant strain and stress on the body increases ones odds of having a heart attack, sleep problems (too much or too little), higher cholesterol, and higher levels of anxiety and depression (Johns Hopkins, 2021) to name a few. Everett Worthington Jr. states that unforgiveness is a, “stress reaction” (Worthington, p. 29, 2006.)

Biologically speaking, the body responds to stress by the amygdala sending “distress” signals to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus (the command center) then signals the autonomic nervous system (ANS controls the involuntary body functions such as respiration, heart rate, blood pressure etc.) to trigger the fight or flight (and or freeze) by giving it a burst of adrenaline (energy) via the adrenal glands. The heart takes in more blood (beating faster), the lungs take in more oxygen (in preparation of fighting or fleeing as well as permitting the brain to take in more oxygen to increase alertness), epinephrine then triggers the release of glucose to supply nutrients to all parts of the body. This response is comparable to slamming down hard on the accelerator, which when needed (say to move your vehicle quickly out of the way from oncoming traffic) is excellent, however, continual pressing on the accelerator at breaking speeds will result in a)a quick depletion of gas or b)an accident. Hard acceleration both in a vehicle and within the brain, is simply not meant to be continual. (Harvard Medical School, 2021.)

unForgiveness in relation to others (lack thereof causes dysfunction in relationships)

In addition to the relationship that is strained per the transgression, the relationships of all others around one, will then too become strained.

Here is why- people simply cannot compartmentalize all of their emotions. The emotions will bleed into simple encounters with others whom a person is close to (relationally or proximally.) When a person feels wronged they have a tendency to ruminate or plant revenge, and rarely are those thoughts not expressed to someone, verbally. The onslaught of the same old stories and same old complaints place stress on other relationships. The attitude developed from lack of forgiveness usually presents to others as bitterness which is a natural people repellant. Even if one does not verbally express disdain or unforgiveness, those emotions will overflow into daily living; making unforgiving people some of the most angry, complaining, less agreeable people in which to “do” life with. My pastor relayed a story just this morning regarding two different elderly women, one whom was the sweetest most Godly woman he has known. The other, similar age, also grew up in church and in the Word regularly, the most bitter, irritable (see MEAN) person to be around. I hypothesize the difference between the two: the first had not only embraced forgiveness but had learned how to extend it, as fully as humanly possible. The second, while having accepted that forgiveness, had not yet learned to extend the Grace in which she herself had received.

“To err is human, to forgive, divine.” -Alexander Pope’s poem: An Essay on Criticism. (1711)