What God promises
Open the treasure chest
The Bible is a treasure chest full of God’s promises.
But too many Christians only know a few promises. We’ve got a treasure chest full of gold coins, but we only use three or four.
God wants us to open the treasure chest — plunge in both hands — and pull out all that we need.
So — what has God promised?
Here are five categories I find helpful –
Forgiveness: God promises that through faith alone in Christ alone He completely forgives us, totally justifies us, passionately loves us, eternally secures us, and unstoppably transforms us.
We have sinned against God and face His just wrath. We can’t make ourselves good enough to make up for our sin. But there’s good news.
God promises that because Jesus died for our sins, when we trust Him everything changes –
- God forgives all our sins — so we will never face any condemnation (1Jo 1:9; Rom 8:1).
- God covers our remaining sin with Jesus’ righteousness — and responds to us as if we were perfectly righteous (2Cor 5:21).
- God commits to never stop loving and doing us good — forever (Jer 32:40).
- God begins an unstoppable renovation project which will end up conquering all our sin (Phil 1:6).
- God guarantees that He will certainly raise us from the dead and bring us to heaven (Jude 1:24-25; John 11:25-26).
All this happens by faith alone in Christ alone (Eph 2:8-9).
Heart-satisfaction — God promises to satisfy our hearts fully in Himself.
We all long for joy and satisfaction — and there’s nothing wrong with that. God gave us this longing so it could be completely satisfied in knowing, beholding, and worshiping Him.
God gives us other good gifts — food and friends and sunsets. But our hearts will only be satisfied fully and lastingly in God Himself.
You can see this in Psalm 16:11; Psalm 36:7-9; Psalm 63:1-2; Psalm 73:25-26; John 6:35; Philippians 3:8; 1 Peter 1:8.
Obedience — God promises to give us the obedience which brings us even more joy in Him.
God doesn’t need our obedience. But we do — because through obeying we receive even more joy in God. Not because our obedience earns anything from God. But because our obedience shows we are trusting Jesus — and it’s through trusting Jesus that we receive everything from God.
Picture a pipeline coming down from heaven — the pipeline of God’s presence. Obedience is how we stay under that pipeline — so we can continue having our hearts fully satisfied in knowing God.
But what if I’m not strong enough to obey? None of us is. But God promises that when we turn to trust Jesus, He will change our hearts so we want to obey and are able to obey (John 15:5; Gal 5:6; 1Jo 5:4; Heb 11:8).
Here’s some verses showing the connection between obedience and heart-satisfaction God — Mat 5:8; Mat 25:23; John 14:23; Rom 8:13; Heb 12:14; Rev 21:6-7.
Trials — God promises to use every trial to bring us even more heart-satisfaction in Him.
Sometimes God does this by delivering us from the trial: the deliverance shows me more of God than I would have seen otherwise — which increases my heart-satisfaction in Him (John 9:1-2).
At other times God does this by meeting me in the trial: the trial shows me how unreliable everything else is — so I rely all the more on God. As a result I experience Him more deeply than I would have otherwise — which increases my heart-satisfaction in Him.
You can see this in 2Cor 4:16-18; 2Cor 12:9-10; 1Pe 1:6-7; 1Pet 4:14.
Everything Else — God promises to give us everything else we need to gain heart-satisfaction in Him now and forever.
God does not promise to give everything we want. But He does promise to give everything we need to be fully satisfied in Him.
When we trust Jesus, and pray, God promises to give us everything we need, including comfort in trials (2Cor 1:3-4), strength to obey (Phil 4:13), money (Mat 6:33), faith (Mark 9:24), wisdom (James 1:5), and grace (2Cor 9:8).
As we trust Him, and pray, He will always give us everything we need (Phil 4:19; Psa 34:9-10; Psa 84:11).
What this means for you
Imagine looking ahead to a future in which the God of the universe is passionately committed to doing everything necessary to bring you the infinite joy of knowing Him now and forever.
That’s your future — through trusting Jesus Christ.
When we see this, when we trust all that God promises to be to us in Christ, we will be transformed.
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(Picture used with permission of istockphoto — copyright Amanda Rohde.)
Hey Steve,
When it comes to forgiveness, I believe we are called to forgive as we have been forgiven, to say that, our sins are forgiven when we repent. No repentance, no forgiveness on God’s part towards us.
1 John 1:8-9 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
That is a big “if” there in the middle of that verse. I believe it’s correct to say that God’s forgiveness is conditional, even in the verses you quote, they all hang on us turning away from self and turning towards God. We should freely offer forgiveness, but ultimately God is the One who makes the decision to forgive or not, based on repentance.
God is just, either the offense will be punished on judgement day, or it has been satisfied by Christ’s work on the cross for all who believed and repented. Am I called to unconditionally forgive someone who would kill my wife and never show one bit of remorse, I don’t believe God calls us to a higher standard than he holds Himself too.
What do you believe is a biblical stance on forgiveness to someone who shows no remorse for their sin, should we forgive them unconditionally?
Excuse me for interfering, but it I got caught on your question on forgiveness, Paul.
This specific issue was uppermost in my mind for many years, because there was a person who did hurt me deeply and didn’t repent at all. Superficially speaking, as soon as I thought of those past but still painful memories, I felt grief and anger. Knowing that I should forgive, I said, “I forgive, I forgive, I forgive…” at the minimum of twenty times a year. But it didn’t work. Though I didn’t give up trying to forgive, I realized in the end that nothing changed at all. My heart was indurated.
Yet here is the good news.
It is entirely possible that we are hurt or we ourselves hurt another so deeply that no one can help but God alone. Jesus primarily healed my inner wounds before He gave me the will and strength to forgive. By the way, this happened more than a decade after the original experience. Finally being able to forgive means freedom, peace, joy, and an overwhelming love for the other. But all through Christ’s power – nothing on my part.
God bless,
Susanne
That is a powerful story of God’s grace enabling you to forgive. Thank you so much for sharing it, Susanne.
Glad you liked it, Steve.
Blessings,
Susanne
PS
I try to comment in brevity,
This fact, perhaps, you plainly see.
But though I try my very best,
It’s longer now, I’ll drop the rest.
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Colossians 3:13 “…bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
In each case you’ll notice the little word as. We are to forgive as God forgives or in the same manner as He forgives. Thus we must first understand how God forgives if we are to rightly forgive.
Forgiveness is a commitment to restore broken or disrupted relationship. It is a letting go of the anger or hurt that has been caused and is a commitment to restoration. It is a commitment to no longer hold an offense and its moral liability against a person. This can only happen when one person repents and the other extends forgiveness. The ultimate aim of forgiveness is to restore relationship, but a relationship can only be restored when both parties are willing. There cannot be communion when one party is willing and the other is not. To state that there has been full forgiveness in such a case is to make a mockery of the biblical concept of forgiveness. We can only offer forgiveness, as in the same way God offers forgiveness to us, God is not a universalist who chooses to forgive all men for their offense against Him. Nor does He offer forgiveness without expectation or condition. Rather, God forgives only those who turn to Him in repentance and who put their trust in Him.
We affirm that God’s offer of forgiveness is universal, in that He extends it to all of humanity. But the reality of forgiveness is only for those who accept the conditions of faith and repentance.
Unforgiveness is something different, that is we are not willing to offer forgiveness because of bitterness, but only true forgiveness can be experienced when both parties understand that repentance is essential.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your good questions. Here’s some quick thoughts.
Scriptures like Mark 11:25 make me think we are to forgive everyone no matter how they respond.
It is true that God only savingly forgives those who repent. But Jesus says God brings rain on both the righteous and the wicked — and that’s why we should love our enemies and those who persecute us (Mat 5:44-45; Luke 6:35).
So God has two different kinds of responses — if we are unrepentant He loves us in the sense of caring about us and giving us rain (to bring us to repentance), but if we repent then He fully reconciles to us and adopts us.
I think that may be a model for our forgiveness. If an enemy harms me, I don’t hold it against him or wish him ill — I care about him and will seek to do him good. But I won’t be as reconciled to him as I would to someone who repents.
I heard Piper say once that forgiveness looks different if someone has or has not repented.
Those are my thoughts, for what they are worth. May the Lord richly bless you, brother.
Steve
You are both completely right, gentlemen, Steve and Paul.
Only some of my own additional thoughts.
(1) When Stephen was stoned, he forgave though nobody showed a sign of repentance.
And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:60)
In this particular case, a renewed relationship between Stephen and his murderers would have been a sheer impossibility.
(2) Stephen perfectly mirrored Jesus on the cross, who was crying out, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
He loved us sinners first so that we can love Him again. Although everybody left Jesus alone when He was dying, this didn’t keep Him from loving – indeed, that is God’s love for sinners.
It’s absolutely true that we love and forgive the more, the more He first forgave us. This was my very experience which urged me to forgive every person who ever hurt me in my life. That’s so liberating…
To mention a biblical example for this, I’d like to compare it with the prostitute and the Pharisee. The latter only looked at outer sinfulness, and therefore she appeared to him being worse than he. But God knows our very heart – the Pharisee was actually worse than she was because of his “not yet confessed” sins of the heart. The prostitute only was able to kiss Jesus’ feet and do him good for she knew all about her sinfulness plus Jesus’ love for her.
Grace changes everything…
Steve,
Here’s a hypothetical question, are we called to forgive unconditionally if our spouse was to cheat on us and wanted to return without repenting or showing any sign of sorrow or remorse then we should take them back? Or how about in the case of physical abuse, would you say a wife should unconditionally forgive her husband if he beats her, no conditions on him returning to their home? To me that would be an unbiblical understanding of forgiveness, my point is there are conditions for true forgiveness to be achieved.
Another good question, Paul.
I think forgiveness has to do with getting rid of unrighteous anger, desire for revenge, and a passion to harm the other person. We are called to do this towards everyone, including our enemies.
But forgiveness does not answer the question of how I should now relate to this person. That will depend on what the person has done, and whether the person has repented.
So if someone steals my car, I believe I am called to forgive Him completely (Mark 11:25). That would mean I no longer want to get back at him, I no longer desire his harm, and I desire his well-being.
But I believe it is possible to forgive him — and at the same time press charges against him.
So forgiveness would *not* mean allowing a cheating unrepentant spouse to return, or having a wife allow an abusive husband to return.
But it would mean so feeling the treasure of forgiveness I have received in Christ, that I can let go of anger and desire for revenge.
Forgiveness focuses on my heart desire towards the other person — not on how I will relate to the person. My forgiveness (heart desire for their well-being) does not depend on their repentance — but how I relate to them does depend on their repentance.
I hope I’m making sense. Let me know what you think.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness as ‘to grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offense or debt’. Working with this definition an unconditional forgiveness would mean we are to surrender our rights to demand punishment or restitution. If you go back to my first post and read it carefully I make the claim that Christians are not called to forgive unconditionally, because God doesn’t forgive unconditionally. We must offer forgiveness, thus we let go of resentment and anger, but we are not commanded to forgive unconditionally, and this has been my point from the beginning of this exchange. Most Christians think that they are called to forgive unconditionally because this is what they have been taught by well meaning people, but if we look at how God forgives, there is no doubt that are certain conditions to His forgiveness.
I think I’m starting to see what you are saying, Paul. If “forgiveness” means not just a heart-change but also relating to this person as if nothing had ever happened — then that would surely require repentance and time to verify that repentance.
I just found something helpful in Ken Sande’s book “Peacemaker.” He says that forgiveness means different things depending on the offense. If the offense is minor, then we can overlook it and forgive even if the offender doesn’t repent.
If the offense is too serious to overlook, then we can start with an unconditional step of having an attitude of forgiveness. We seek to maintain a loving and merciful attitude toward the person — and are ready to pursue complete reconciliation if he repents (and if he doesn’t — then we don’t).
When Jesus commands us to forgive everyone for everything (Mark 11:25) — I think He’s just talking about that unconditional step of having an attitude of forgiveness toward everyone and anyone who harms us. He’s not talking about unconditional reconciliation, which would require repentance.
Thanks for the interaction, brother. Should we make this a topic at our Friday morning group?
Steve,
I would like to get the other fellows ideas about forgiveness, I believe it’s worth exploring. I believe it’s possible to offer forgiveness without being resentful, even though the other party may not repent. But I believe it’s a biblical principal that there be conditions to true forgiveness, we see it in how God forgives us, He loves us but there are conditions to experience that love. If someone causes us great harm to say we unconditionally forgive them without going to them to seek reconciliation we may be harming that person spiritually.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Mt 5:38-39)
“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:46-48)
Admittedly, this is not a “law” we can fulfill by ourselves, but it should be our very goal to love our enemies. However, this will happen only when we have become one spirit with Christ (1 Cor 6:17). Then the following will be possible, too.
“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Rom 12:17-18)
“To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom 12:20-21)
It’s not easy to forgive if your spouse has been cheated on you, or if you have been physically or sexually abused, or even gang raped. But, Paul – it is possible because of Christ’s supernatural love and power alone.
Blessings to you,
Susanne
Susanne,
My contention is unconditional forgiveness is not want the Bible teaches us. If your daughter was being molested by a family member, an unconditional forgiveness would mean you would allow that person to be welcomed into your house unconditionally, even if they showed no remorse for their crime. The offer of forgiveness could be extended, but there would be conditions to that forgiveness before it could lead to a total reconciliation. Without both parties coming to an agreement, the forgiveness is not real, in the sense that the division stills remains.
Peace,
Paul
Paul, I think (emphasis on think) you may be getting hung up on the terms “unconditional forgiveness” and “total reconciliation”.
The forgiveness described in Steve’s blog entry is referring to God’s total forgiveness of our sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection. On this I think we agree.
The “unconditional forgiveness” you are describing is what I believe we are called to as Christians. Paraphrasing Steve and Susanne, it involves releasing your right to hold offense of someone else’s sin committed against us. Ultimately this act is divine in nature and frees us to love and heal, both spiritually, emotionally and if need be, physically.
“Total reconciliation” is something different, I believe. You can have “unconditional forgiveness” and not “total reconciliation” and still live abiding in the Spirit. Especially in your example above, you can genuinely and completely forgive and not be expected to host your daughter’s offender regardless of whether or not they have repented.
My two cents.
Hi Joe! Thanks for stopping by — and for your comments. Your distinction between unconditional forgiveness and total reconciliation is quite helpful.
Would we say that “unconditional forgiveness” desires just penalties or waits upon the vengeance of God I don’t believe so, because many of the Psalms declare this boldly. If someone brutally murdered my family and showed no remorse I should pray for them asking God to change their heart, but I could still desire that a just penalty would be administered, and that the individual would receive a just punishment. We are told in scripture to offer forgiveness to those who cause us harm, but no where does it say to “unconditionally forgive” to forsake the carrying out of a just punishment.
Good Lord, Paul! Why are all these tragic things happening to your family?
I would say that “unconditional forgiveness” involves a heart that releases the murderer/abuser/cheater to God. If they repent, if they don’t… Blessed be the name of the Lord. [The internal fight of faith at that point (I would think) would be to ask for the Spirit's help to not have my heart grow hardened by anger or bitterness.]
You can do all of the above, showing “unconditional forgiveness” (or really, just… forgiveness) and still desire for justice because either:
a) you don’t want to be abused anymore
b) you don’t want anyone else to be murdered
c)you don’t want your child (or anyone else’s child) harmed
d) all of the above
All of the above desires for justice show love and concern for the victim(s), and can still show forgiveness (unconditional, Spirit-filled, Biblical,etc..)toward the offender.
Again, you can show “unconditional forgiveness” and still not have “total reconciliation”. Because the former should not be dependent on the latter. Rather forgiveness is dependent on receiving a precious gift from the Father.
Joe,
The Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness as ‘to grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offense or debt’. Working with this definition an unconditional forgiveness would mean we are to surrender our rights to demand punishment or restitution.
So your argument that we can still administer “unconditional forgiveness” and want justice doesn’t work with this definition my friend.
How about Paul who prayed that God would deliver a stiff penalty to those who hindered the gospel this doesn’t look like “unconditional forgiveness” especially in view of Galatians 5:12.
Peace,
Paul
Feb 9, 5:26
From Miriam Webster’s Dictionary:
FORGIVE
1 a: to give up resentment of or claim to requital for
b : to grant relief from payment of
2: to cease to feel resentment against (an offender) : pardon
JUSTICE
1:the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments
b: the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action (2) : conformity to this principle or ideal
LOVE
unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) : brotherly concern for others
As Christians, don’t all 3 of these work together in our lives as we
a: are sinned against
b: seek to cease the causes of evil in the world (slavery, abuse, genocide, hunger, etc…)
c: reflect the heart of Jesus’ love to our fellow man?
Joe,
Does God “unconditionally forgive” unrepentant evil people? Do you think He would ask us to do something that He wouldn’t do Himself, to hold us to a higher standard than he holds Himself to? God does offer forgiveness to everyone but there are conditions to receive it right? God has given us a brain to reason with, not every offense rises to the same level of evil. If someone treats us rudely we can certainly forgive unconditionally, without regard to justice. But there are acts of evil that require justice to be administered that we should not “unconditionally forgive.”
Peace,
Paul
Good questions! I think we are arguing the same point. Kind of… Can we both agree that the phrase “unconditional forgiveness” does not appear in the Bible? The charge to forgive as God forgives us does not mean unconditional. But I think it does mean be quick to forgive. Would you agree?
Does God “unconditionally forgive” unrepentant evil people?
I’m going to answer NO.
Do you think He would ask us to do something that He wouldn’t do Himself, to hold us to a higher standard than he holds Himself to?
Respectfully, I’m not sure this question is helpful to the discussion, but I’ll go with NO. That said, His standards are very,very high. Can you have higher standards than perfection?
God does offer forgiveness to everyone but there are conditions to receive it right?
A qualified YES. (deserves a much longer answer than can be given here, but faith is Jesus is involved…)
But see… God is very, very quick to forgive, correct? Would NOT forgiving a brother/enemy/abuser/murderer also help us be quick to forgive if they do repent some day? Would NOT forgiving bring more of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
I’m enjoying this discussion Paul. Thanks for your responses.
Joe
Joe,
Forgiveness can be offered with conditions, such as seeking justice for the wrong that has been committed us through the legal process. Also asking God that those responsible for a crime be caught and brought to justice and that they would receive a just punishment for their crime. The conditional Forgiveness would be me trusting God to bring about justice in this matter, and that the person would be held accountable for the crimes committed. I could ask for all these things with no malice in my heart for the person, knowing God is in control of all things, and that ultimate justice will come at some point in time.
Peace,
Paul
Yes, exactly!
I found this article saying pretty much the same thing:
http://marshill.com/2012/02/15/9-things-forgiveness-is-not
Joe,
We can forgive others in the sense that we wish them no harm, but they may have to suffer the consequence for their behavior, especially if a crime has been committed. As I think about this subject even more, true forgiveness of a sin can only be executed by God Himself. So I think all we can really do is to let go of the offense after doing our part to uphold justice, and trust God to avenge the wrong done to us. I can’t actually “forgive” another’s sin, even if they come to me and ask for forgiveness, I must direct them to the One who can truly forgive.
Thank you very much for your clarifying response, Paul!
Now I realize that we are both talking about a horse of another color. What I meant by unconditional forgiveness was that I forgave anything happened in the past, be it abuse or rape or whatever. But I would be crazy to hug my former molesters if they hadn’t repented yet. Though I forgave unconditionally, I have to protect myself because I love myself, too. And concerning my daughter – ha (!), you can be sure that no pedophile will come too close to her because I keep on keeping a jealous watch on her (Argus-eyed).
Greetings,
Susanne
Steve,
Here’s the verses we should look at and discuss, I think they will shed some light on biblical forgiveness.
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” Matt. 18:15-17
These verses sum up what biblical forgiveness should look like. If someone causes us harm we should go to them, plead our case to them with the desire to resolve the dispute so that true forgiveness may take place. But if they refuse, we should take along another, if they still will not listen then take the matter to the church. We have offered forgiveness, we have made an attempt to resolve the matter, our heart is in the right place, but the other party remains unrepentant, are we to believe that from the example Jesus shows us in Matthew that forgiveness is unconditional?
The very next parable in this chapter that Jesus tells about the unforgiving servant is very interesting look at forgiveness because the servant falls on his knees, (humbles himself) pleads for patience admitting he owes the debt (confession) and desires to pay back the debt (accountability). After seeing these actions the King then forgives him of his debt. The forgiveness was not unconditional there was an important dialogue, how would the story have been told if the servant would have said to the king “I’m not going to pay you back ever, because you have much and I have nothing, I deserve to be released from paying you anything.” Do we think the outcome would have been the same?