What The Dictionary Says About Forgiveness

When you are writing posts for a blog on forgiveness you always have your eyes roaming for some subject matter! I use a lot of internet free tools and one of them is http://www.thefreedictionary.com/. Today I thought I would look up the word forgiveness and this is what I found...



1. To excuse for a fault or an offense; pardon.

2. To renounce anger or resentment against.

3. To absolve from payment of (a debt, for example).

Now I think those are all pretty good definitions for forgiveness but the one that jazzes me the most is number 3. To absolve from payment! That is the one definition that best captures the Bible's definition of forgiveness. To be sure there are consequences for our sins here on Earth. Drunkeness and immorality can wreck your physical and emotional health and most any sin has some effect at some level. But the ultimate payment, before the throne of God, is absolved or done away with for those who place their faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 8 (KJV)

¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The word "condemnation" κατάκριμα katakrima means "damnatory sentence". There is no damnation for those who simply trust what Christ did on the cross to be sufficient payment for their sins! This is the very thing that makes Christianity unique and superior to all other religions. There is no karma, no uncertainty about the future. Christ saves and forgives us to the uttermost, to the end of the road. Why live another day under a damnatory sentence? Come to Jesus! See the short video in the right sidebar "How To Be Forgiven In Three Minutes".