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“If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
-John 20:23, NIV
If refusing to forgive someone is always a sin, how do you make sense of these words attributed to Jesus?
God does not give us permission to sin. Sinning is always wrong. This verse comes across as a verse empowering the Disciples–and us by extension–on the matter of forgiveness.
The context is the Resurrected Jesus meeting with His Disciples. He breathes the Holy Spirit over them. Then he says these words.
Honestly, it is a difficult verse to understand.
However, I do believe it makes the simplistic views of forgiveness problematic.
I have a hard time believing Jesus grants the Disciples this power to NOT forgive if exercising it is always sin. God–after all–does not lead us into sin or tempt us (see James 1).
RADICAL IDEA—What this verse seems to imply to me is sometimes a season exists for unforgiveness.
Why have the power if you are never to use it? Jesus is not going to dangle this power before the Disciples if it has no legitimate use. That is outside of His character.
The application is difficult as we do not have more information from Jesus following the verse as to how to properly handle this power. I suspect it is similar to how the Apostle Paul teaches the I Corinthians to deal with someone in unrepentant sin (see I Corinthians 5).
Cheaters need to feel the heat and consequences of their sins or I doubt they will repent and find salvation for their souls.
Are we doing them a service telling them their sins are forgiven, and they need not fear any consequences for their sins? I think not.
Forgiveness is available readily for those who repent. Too often, forgiveness is taught independent of this last part. I suspect the need for repentance first is the key to exercising the power of granting or not granting forgiveness.
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*A version of this post ran previously.
