1. As recorded at Ecclesiastes 7:20, what truth did King Solomon express?

KING Solomon observed: “There is no righteous man on earth who always does good and never sins.” (Eccl. 7:20) How true! We are all sinners. (1 John 1:8) So we all need forgiveness from God and from fellow humans.

2. How does it feel to be forgiven by a close friend?

² No doubt you remember a time when you offended a close friend. You wanted to correct the matter and repair your relationship, so you offered a heartfelt apology. How did you feel when your friend freely forgave you? Relieved? Yes, and happy too!

3. What will we focus on in this article?

³ We want Jehovah to be our closest Friend, but at one time or another, we will say or do things that offend him. Why can we be certain, though, that Jehovah is eager to forgive? In what way is Jehovah’s forgiveness unique in comparison with the forgiveness that we can extend? And finally, who can gain God’s forgiveness?

JEHOVAH IS READY TO FORGIVE

4. Why can we be certain that Jehovah is ready to forgive?

⁴ God’s Word assures us that Jehovah is ready to forgive. When Jehovah revealed himself to Moses at Mount Sinai, He said through an angelic spokesman: “Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in loyal love and truth, showing loyal love to thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin.” (Ex. 34:6, 7) Jehovah is a warm and merciful God who is always ready to forgive repentant sinners.​—Neh. 9:17; Ps. 86:15.

5. According to Psalm 103:13, 14, what does Jehovah’s intimate knowledge of people move him to do?

⁵ As our Creator, Jehovah knows everything about us. Just think! He knows every detail about every person on this earth. (Ps. 139:15-17) So he can see all the imperfections that we inherited from our parents. Even more, he is aware of all the experiences that have molded and shaped our personality. What does this intimate knowledge of humankind move Jehovah to do? It moves him to act mercifully toward us.​—Ps. 78:39; read Psalm 103:13, 14.

6. How has Jehovah proved that he is eager to forgive?

⁶ Jehovah has proved that he is eager to forgive. He understands that because of the actions of the first man, Adam, we all came under the curse of sin and death. (Rom. 5:12) There was no way for us to free ourselves or any other person from that curse. (Ps. 49:7-9) However, our loving God showed compassion and arranged for us to be set free. What did he do? As John 3:16 reveals, Jehovah sent his only-begotten Son to die in our behalf. (Matt. 20:28; Rom. 5:19) Jesus took our place​—suffering the penalty of death—​to set free any who exercise faith in him. (Heb. 2:9) How painful it must have been for Jehovah to see his beloved Son die an agonizing and humiliating death! Surely, Jehovah would not have allowed his Son to die if He did not want to forgive us.

7. What are some Bible examples of individuals whom Jehovah freely forgave?

⁷ The Bible is filled with examples of individuals whom Jehovah freely forgave. (Eph. 4:32) Who comes to your mind? Perhaps you think of King Manasseh. That wicked man sinned against Jehovah in terrible ways. He took the lead in false worship. He killed his own children, offering them as sacrifices to pagan gods. He even went so far as to place a carved image of a false god in Jehovah’s sacred temple. Of him, the Bible says: “He did on a grand scale what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes, to offend him.” (2 Chron. 33:2-7) Yet, when Manasseh showed heartfelt repentance, Jehovah freely forgave him. God even restored him to his position as king. (2 Chron. 33:12, 13) Perhaps you also think of King David, who committed serious sins against Jehovah, including adultery and murder. Yet, when David sincerely repented and acknowledged his error, Jehovah forgave him as well. (2 Sam. 12:9, 10, 13, 14) Yes, we can be certain that Jehovah is eager to forgive. And, as we will see, his ability to forgive is unique when it is compared with that of humans.

JEHOVAH’S UNIQUE ABILITY TO FORGIVE

8. How does Jehovah’s unique position as Judge affect his ability to forgive?

⁸ Jehovah is “the Judge of all the earth.” (Gen. 18:25) A good judge needs to have a deep understanding of the law. That certainly is true of Jehovah because in addition to being our Judge, he is also our Lawgiver. (Isa. 33:22) No one besides Jehovah has such a deep and strong sense of right and wrong. What else does a good judge need? He needs to be able to consider all the relevant facts in a case before he renders judgment. In this respect, Jehovah is uniquely qualified as Judge.

9. What information does Jehovah have available when deciding whether to forgive?

⁹ Unlike human judges, Jehovah always has a perfect grasp of all the facts of any case that comes before him. (Gen. 18:20, 21; Ps. 90:8) He is not limited by what humans see or hear. He completely understands how a person’s actions are influenced by his genetic makeup, upbringing, and environment as well as by his emotional and mental condition. Jehovah also reads the heart. He fully perceives the motivations, intentions, and desires of each person. Nothing can be hidden from Jehovah. (Heb. 4:13) Thus, Jehovah’s forgiveness is always based on his complete knowledge of a situation.

10. Why can we say that Jehovah’s judgments are always just and fair? (Deuteronomy 32:4)

¹⁰ Jehovah’s judgments are always just and fair. He is completely impartial. His forgiveness is never determined by someone’s appearance, wealth, prominence, or abilities. (1 Sam. 16:7; Jas. 2:1-4) No one can pressure or bribe Jehovah. (2 Chron. 19:7) His decisions are never colored by frustration or sentiment. (Ex. 34:7) Without a doubt, Jehovah’s understanding and his penetrating insight make him the most qualified Judge.​—Read Deuteronomy 32:4.

11. What is unique about Jehovah’s forgiveness?

¹¹ The writers of the Hebrew Scriptures recognized that Jehovah’s forgiveness is unique. In some cases, they used a Hebrew word that one reference work says “is reserved especially to mark the pardon extended to the sinner by God, and is never used to denote that inferior kind and measure of forgiveness which is exercised by one man towards another.” Only Jehovah has the power to pardon a repentant sinner completely. What results when Jehovah forgives us?

12-13. (a) What does a person enjoy when he is pardoned by Jehovah? (b) How long do the benefits of Jehovah’s forgiveness last?

¹² When we accept the fact that Jehovah has forgiven us, we enjoy “seasons of refreshing,” including peace of mind and a clean conscience. Such forgiveness cannot come from men but must come from “Jehovah himself.” (Acts 3:19) When Jehovah forgives us, he restores his relationship with us so completely that it is as though we had never sinned.

¹³ Once Jehovah forgives us, he will never accuse us or punish us again for that sin. (Isa. 43:25; Jer. 31:34) Jehovah puts our sins “as far off as the sunrise is from the sunset.”b (Ps. 103:12) When we reflect on how great Jehovah’s forgiveness is, we are filled with gratitude and awe. (Ps. 130:4) But who can experience this forgiveness from Jehovah?

WHOM WILL JEHOVAH FORGIVE?

14. What have we learned so far about Jehovah’s decision to forgive?

¹⁴ As we have seen, Jehovah’s decision to forgive is not based on whether the sin was great or small. Also, we have learned that Jehovah uses his knowledge as our Creator, Lawgiver, and Judge when deciding whether he will extend forgiveness. What factors does Jehovah consider?

15. According to Luke 12:47, 48, what is one factor that Jehovah considers?

¹⁵ One factor that Jehovah considers is whether the sinner knew that what he was doing was wrong. Jesus made this clear, as recorded at Luke 12:47, 48. (Read.) A person who willfully schemes to do something wicked and knows full well that he is doing something that is offensive to Jehovah sins in a serious way. Such a person is in danger of not being forgiven. (Mark 3:29; John 9:41) We must admit, however, that sometimes we are aware that what we did was wrong. Is there any hope for us in that case? Yes! And this brings us to another factor that Jehovah considers.

16. What is repentance, and why is it essential if we are to be forgiven by Jehovah?

¹⁶ Another factor that Jehovah considers is whether the sinner is sincerely repentant. What does it mean to repent? To repent means “to change one’s mind, attitude, or purpose.” It includes the idea that a person feels regret and deep sadness about the bad things he has done or about not doing the right things he should have done. A repentant person is grieved not only by the wrongs he has committed but also by the poor spiritual condition that led to those wrongs. Recall that Kings Manasseh and David both committed serious sins; yet, Jehovah forgave them because they were sincerely repentant. (1 Ki. 14:8) Yes, Jehovah must see evidence of repentance in order to forgive. But it is not enough for us to feel sorry about a sinful course or a sin that we have committed. We must be ready to take action.c That brings us to another factor that Jehovah considers.

17. What is conversion, and why is it vital if we are to avoid repeating past sins? (Isaiah 55:7)

¹⁷ Conversion is another important factor that Jehovah considers. Conversion means “a turning around.” In other words, a person must change course by leaving his bad way and pursuing the way of Jehovah. (Read Isaiah 55:7.) The individual must transform his mind so that he is guided by the thinking of Jehovah. (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:23) He must be determined to leave behind his former bad ways of thinking and acting. (Col. 3:7-10) Of course, it is our faith in the sacrifice of Christ that provides the real basis for Jehovah to forgive us and cleanse us from sin. Jehovah will extend the value of that sacrifice to us when he sees that we are making a sincere effort to change our course of conduct.​—1 John 1:7.

HAVE CONFIDENCE IN JEHOVAH’S FORGIVENESS

18. What have we considered about Jehovah’s forgiveness?

¹⁸ Let us briefly review some of the key points we have discussed. Jehovah is truly the greatest Forgiver in the universe. On what basis can we say that? First, he is always ready to forgive. Second, he knows us through and through. He is perfectly familiar with our makeup, and he is in the ideal position to determine whether we are truly repentant. And third, when Jehovah forgives us, he wipes the slate clean, so to speak. This allows us to have a clean conscience and enjoy his favor.

19. Although we are imperfect and will continue to sin, why can we be joyful?

¹⁹ Of course, as long as we are imperfect, we will continue to sin. However, we can gain comfort from the words found in Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2, page 771: “Since Jehovah mercifully considers the fleshly weakness of his servants, they need not be in a constant state of remorse due to their errors resulting from inherent imperfection. (Ps 103:8-14; 130:3) If they are conscientiously walking in God’s ways, they may be joyful. (Php 4:4-6; 1Jo 3:19-22).” What an encouraging thought!

20. What will we consider in the next article?

²⁰ We are grateful that Jehovah is ready to pardon us when we are truly sorry for the sins we have committed. How, though, can we imitate Jehovah’s forgiveness? In what ways is our forgiveness similar to Jehovah’s forgiveness, but in what ways is it different? Why is understanding that distinction important? The next article will answer those questions.

1. What assurance does Jehovah give to repentant sinners?

ALTHOUGH Jehovah is our Creator, Lawgiver, and Judge, he is also our loving heavenly Father. (Ps. 100:3; Isa. 33:22) When we sin against him and are sincerely repentant, he is not only able but also eager to forgive us. (Ps. 86:5) Through the prophet Isaiah, Jehovah gave this warm assurance: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be made as white as snow.”​—Isa. 1:18.

2. If we are to enjoy peace with others, what must we do?

² Because we are imperfect, we all say and do things that offend others. (Jas. 3:2) That does not mean, however, that we cannot enjoy close relationships with them. We can if we learn to be forgiving. (Prov. 17:9; 19:11; Matt. 18:21, 22) When we hurt one another in small ways, Jehovah wants us to forgive. (Col. 3:13) We have good reason to do so. After all, Jehovah freely forgives us “in a large way.”​—Isa. 55:7.

3. What will we consider in this article?

³ In this article, we will consider how imperfect humans can imitate Jehovah’s forgiveness. Which sins must we bring to the attention of the elders? Why does Jehovah encourage us to forgive others? And what can we learn from some of our fellow believers who have suffered greatly because of the sins of others?

WHEN A CHRISTIAN COMMITS A SERIOUS SIN

4. (a) When a servant of Jehovah commits a serious sin, what must he do? (b) What is the role of the elders when they meet with a wrongdoer?

⁴ Serious sins must be brought to the attention of the elders. Examples of such sins are found at 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10. Serious sins are gross violations of God’s law. If a Christian commits such a sin, he must approach Jehovah God in prayer, and he must go to the elders of the congregation. (Ps. 32:5; Jas. 5:14) What role do the elders play? Only Jehovah has the authority to forgive sins fully, which he makes possible on the basis of the ransom sacrifice.b Jehovah, however, has entrusted the elders with the responsibility of determining from the Scriptures whether the sinner can remain in the congregation. (1 Cor. 5:12) Among other things, they will endeavor to answer the following questions: Was the sin intentional? Did the person scheme to do what was wrong? Did he practice the sin over an extended period of time? Most important, is there evidence that he is sincerely repentant? Are there indications that Jehovah has forgiven him?​—Acts 3:19.

5. What blessings come from the work of the elders?

⁵ When the elders meet with the wrongdoer, their goal is to reach the same decision on earth that has already been reached in heaven. (Matt. 18:18) How does this arrangement benefit the congregation? It ensures that unrepentant wrongdoers who might harm Jehovah’s precious sheep are removed. (1 Cor. 5:6, 7, 11-13; Titus 3:10, 11) It may also help a sinner to repent and benefit from Jehovah’s forgiveness. (Luke 5:32) The elders pray in behalf of a repentant one and ask Jehovah to help him recover spiritually.​—Jas. 5:15.

6. If a person is disfellowshipped, is forgiveness still possible? Explain.

⁶ Suppose that a person is not repentant when the elders meet with him. In that case, he will be disfellowshipped from the congregation. If he has violated the law of the land, the elders will not shield him from the consequences. Jehovah allows governmental authorities to judge and punish anyone who violates the law​—whether he is repentant or not. (Rom. 13:4) Yet, if the person later comes to his senses and sincerely repents and turns around, Jehovah is willing to pardon him. (Luke 15:17-24) That is true even if his sins were very serious.​—2 Chron. 33:9, 12, 13; 1 Tim. 1:15.

7. In what sense can we forgive someone who has sinned against us?

⁷ What a relief it is to know that we do not need to decide if Jehovah will pardon a sinner! Still, there is something that we do need to decide. What is it? In some cases, an individual has sinned against us​—even seriously—​but then he may apologize and ask for our forgiveness. In other cases, the person may not. Even so, we can choose to forgive the person in the sense that we can decide to let go of any resentment and anger that we feel toward him. Realistically, this may take time and effort, especially if we have been deeply hurt. The Watchtower of September 15, 1994, says: “When you do forgive a sinner, this does not mean that you are condoning the sin. For the Christian, forgiveness means trustfully leaving the matter in Jehovah’s hands. He is the righteous Judge of all the universe, and he will carry out justice at the right time.” Why does Jehovah encourage us to forgive and to leave justice where it belongs​—in his hands?

WHY JEHOVAH ENCOURAGES US TO FORGIVE

8. How does being forgiving show appreciation for Jehovah’s mercy?

⁸ Being forgiving shows appreciation. In one parable, Jesus compared Jehovah to a master who canceled an enormous debt that one of his slaves could not repay. Yet, the forgiven slave failed to act mercifully toward a slave who owed him a much smaller amount of money. (Matt. 18:23-35) What was Jesus teaching us? If we truly appreciate Jehovah’s great mercy toward us, we will be moved to forgive others. (Ps. 103:9) The Watchtower expressed it this way years ago: “No matter how many times we forgive our fellow creatures, it could never equal the extent of God’s forgiveness and mercy to us through Christ.”

9. To whom does Jehovah show mercy? (Matthew 6:14, 15)

⁹ Forgivers will be forgiven. Jehovah shows mercy to those who are merciful. (Matt. 5:7; Jas. 2:13) Jesus made that clear when he taught his disciples how to pray. (Read Matthew 6:14, 15.) Earlier, Jehovah made the same point in connection with his servant Job. That faithful man had been deeply hurt by the cutting remarks of three men named Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Jehovah instructed Job to pray in their behalf. After Job did so, Jehovah blessed him.​—Job 42:8-10.

10. Why is harboring resentment damaging? (Ephesians 4:31, 32)

¹⁰ Harboring resentment is damaging. Jehovah wants us to enjoy the relief that comes from unburdening ourselves of resentment. (Read Ephesians 4:31, 32.) He urges us to “let go of anger and abandon rage.” (Ps. 37:8) There is wisdom in following that advice. Harboring resentment can be harmful to our physical and mental health. (Prov. 14:30) Our harboring such resentment will not affect the offender any more than our drinking poison would harm the one who offended us. Rather, when we forgive others, we are giving ourselves a gift. (Prov. 11:17) We find peace of mind and heart, and we are able to move ahead in our service to Jehovah.

11. What does the Bible say about seeking revenge? (Romans 12:19-21)

¹¹ Vengeance belongs to Jehovah. Jehovah has not authorized us to seek revenge when someone sins against us. (Read Romans 12:19-21.) With our limited and imperfect viewpoint, we are simply not in a position to judge matters correctly, as God can. (Heb. 4:13) And, at times, we allow our emotions to interfere with our good judgment. Jehovah inspired James to write: “Man’s anger does not bring about God’s righteousness.” (Jas. 1:20) We can be certain that Jehovah will do the right thing and make sure that perfect justice will be carried out.

12. How can we show confidence in Jehovah’s justice?

¹² Forgiveness shows our confidence in Jehovah’s justice. By leaving matters in Jehovah’s hands, we show that we are confident that Jehovah will undo all the harm that has been caused by sin. In his promised new world, painful emotional wounds “will not be called to mind, nor will they come up into the heart” ever again. (Isa. 65:17) But when we have been deeply hurt, is it really possible to let go of the anger and resentment we might have in our heart? Consider how some have been able to do so.

BLESSINGS OF FORGIVENESS

13-14. What did you learn about forgiveness from the experience of Tony and José?

¹³ Many of our Christian brothers and sisters decided to forgive even when they were deeply hurt by the actions of others. What blessings have they experienced from doing so?

¹⁴ Long before he learned the truth, Tony,c who lives in the Philippines, found out that one of his older brothers had been murdered by a man named José. At the time, Tony was a very aggressive and violent person, and he wanted revenge. José was arrested and imprisoned for his crime. Later, when José was released from prison, Tony vowed that he would hunt him down and kill him. He purchased a gun for that purpose. Meanwhile, Tony began to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. He says, “As I was studying, I learned that I needed to change my ways, and that included letting go of my anger.” In time, Tony got baptized and was eventually appointed as a congregation elder. Imagine his surprise when he learned that José had also become a baptized servant of Jehovah! When the two met, they warmly embraced each other, and Tony told José that he had forgiven him. Tony says that this act of forgiveness brought him such great joy that it was difficult for him even to describe that wonderful feeling. Yes, Jehovah blessed Tony’s willingness to forgive.

15-16. What did you learn about forgiveness from the experience of Peter and Sue?

¹⁵ In 1985, Peter and Sue were attending a meeting at the Kingdom Hall when suddenly there was a massive explosion. A man had planted a bomb inside the Kingdom Hall! Sue suffered serious injuries that permanently damaged her sight and hearing. She also lost her sense of smell.d Peter and Sue often asked themselves, ‘What kind of person would do such an evil thing?’ Many years later, the perpetrator, who was not a servant of Jehovah, was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. When asked if they had forgiven this man, Peter and Sue said: “Jehovah teaches us that harboring anger and resentment can harm us physically, emotionally, and mentally. So very early on, we asked Jehovah to help us put aside anger and resentment and get on with our life.”

¹⁶ Has it been easy for them to extend forgiveness? Not always. They continue: “Every now and then when the effects of Sue’s injuries impact our life, anger wells up. But we do not dwell on the matter, so these feelings quickly fade. In fact, we can say from our heart that if the bomber becomes our brother one day, we will welcome him. This experience has taught us that Bible principles are really liberating; they set us free in more ways than we can imagine! We also take comfort in knowing that Jehovah will soon undo all the damage.”

17. What did you learn about forgiveness from the experience of Myra?

¹⁷ Myra learned the truth when she was already married and had two small children. Her husband did not accept the truth. In time, he committed adultery and abandoned the family. Myra says: “When my husband left me and our two children, I felt the emotions that many do after being betrayed by a loved one​—shock, disbelief, grief, regret, self-blame, and anger.” Although the marriage ended, the pain of betrayal remained. Myra continues: “Those feelings kept me in turmoil for months, and I realized that they were affecting my relationship with Jehovah and with others.” Myra now says that she has let go of her anger and does not harbor any ill will toward her former husband. She hopes that one day he will draw close to Jehovah. Myra is able to focus on the future. As a single mother, she raised her two children to be servants of Jehovah. Today Myra has the joy of serving Jehovah along with her children and their families.

JEHOVAH’S PERFECT JUSTICE

18. What confidence can we have in Jehovah as the Supreme Judge?

¹⁸ What a relief it is to know that we do not have the burden of deciding how individuals should be judged! As the Supreme Judge, Jehovah will care for this important work. (Rom. 14:10-12) We can have complete confidence that he will always judge in harmony with his perfect standards of right and wrong. (Gen. 18:25; 1 Ki. 8:32) He will never do anything unrighteous!

19. What will Jehovah’s perfect justice accomplish?

¹⁹ We long for the time when Jehovah will completely undo all the bad effects of human imperfection and sin. At that time, all our physical and emotional wounds will be permanently healed. (Ps. 72:12-14; Rev. 21:3, 4) They will never come to mind again. While we wait for that wonderful time to arrive, how thankful we are that Jehovah has empowered us with the ability to imitate him by being forgiving.