In modern times, there is a cult of self-sufficiency, arrogance and vanity, which is closely related to human pride. Pride is promoted as a virtue because nowadays it is associated with confidence, resilience and independence. This irrevocably changes human relations, and there is the substitution of the standards and norms of communication in society. This creates a whole range of complicated situations: people argue, get offended, and since each one only sees his own truth, conflicts remain unresolved.
Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Pride
There are the following interesting words in the book The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis: "Ye see it easily enough in a spoiled child that would sooner miss its play and its supper than say it was sorry and be friends. Ye call it the Sulks. But in adult life it has a hundred fine names--Achilles' wrath and Coriolanus' grandeur, Revenge and Injured Merit and Self-Respect and Tragic Greatness and Proper Pride." And it is this self-respect, or dignity, that prevents people from apologizing.
Even if a person apologizes or forgives, the following problem arises: what is the meaning of the concept of "forgiveness" here? In the modern world, forgiveness is often perceived superficially, as a formality or a strategic tool to avoid conflict, without addressing the underlying causes of disagreement. Sometimes forgiveness becomes a manipulative tool when somebody demands forgiveness without admitting his guilt, or when forgiveness is utilized to maintain the appearance of peace without solving the problem. And to understand what forgiveness really is, let's turn to the Holy Scriptures.
In the Bible forgiveness is associated with several aspects. Firstly, forgiveness is liberation from sin, a kind of purification from spiritual pollution. For example, as the holy Psalmist David says, Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin (Ps. 50:4). Or: Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me (Ps. 50:12).
In the Bible, the ability to forgive--that is, to cleanse from sins--is attributed to God Himself. Therefore, by forgiving, we overcome our sinful nature and imitate God. The culmination of this forgiveness was Christ’s words on the Cross: while experiencing the most intense agony, He cried out to God the Father to forgive His persecutors, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Lk. 23:34). And every time we commit sins for which the Lord Jesus Christ became incarnate and suffered in order to free us from the bondage to sin, we crucify God. But He still asks the Father to forgive us as the only Intercessor between God and us (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5). And we receive forgiveness in the sacrament of confession. Thus, forgiveness as a deliverance from sin and addiction to it is possible provided that we believe in the redemptive feat of Jesus Christ.
Here is an interesting observation about the Old Testament sacrifices. All those sacrifices could not rid people of guilt. The Jews slaughtered animals and sacrificed them as a sign that any sin leads to death, and, having sinned, they deserved to die. However, animals were sacrificed only as a sign of atonement. But after the coming of Christ such sacrifices lost their power, since Christ offered Himself as a sinless sacrifice to atone for our sins, therefore repentance, true forgiveness, and liberation from sin are possible only in Christianity.
According to the Holy Scriptures, the true forgiveness of sins lies in the fact that Christ His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree (1 Pet. 2:24); or, as the Apostle Paul says, God nailed them to the Cross (cf. Col. 2:14). This means that through Christ’s sacrifice, we are freed not only from the guilt of sins, but also from their power over us. Forgiveness is not just the removal of guilt, but also liberation from the bondage to sin, from the dependence that enslaves us.
Also sinfulness in the Bible is often associated with physical ailments and illnesses, which is why we find passages in the Scriptures where the forgiveness of sins is considered not only as spiritual liberation, but also as healing of the body. For example, the story of the healing of a paralytic in Capernaum, when he was lowered down through an opening in the roof of the house because of the large number of people in it. Christ said to him, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee (Mk. 2:5). And then, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house (Mk. 2:11).
Thus, while forgiving sins, Jesus Christ at the same time healed people from their diseases, thereby showing that sin and one's physical condition are closely related, and God's forgiveness sets people free from the consequences of sin, including illness and suffering.
Rembrandt van Rijn. Christ Healing the Sick
Secondly, the perception of forgiveness as the restoration of relations. First and foremost, a person’s relationship with God Himself is restored. The Old Testament is replete of examples of how God, despite the sins of His people, forgives them and restores the broken covenant relationship. For example, the Book of Isaiah says, Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Is. 1:18). This forgiveness not only cleanses, but also brings people back to a state of intimacy with God.
However, forgiveness as a means of restoring relationships is not limited only to our bond with God. It also concerns relationships between people. Sin not only separates a person from God, but also destroys unity in human society, fostering hostility, distrust and alienation. Through the forgiveness offered in Christ, people are empowered to rebuild broken ties, learn to forgive each other and live in peace and unity. As the Apostle Paul says, For He [Christ] is our peace, Who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (Eph. 2:14).
So, forgiveness is not only personal liberation from guilt and the consequences of sin, but also the restoration of integrity in relationships, both vertical--between man and God, and horizontal--between human beings.
Thirdly, forgiveness is an act of mercy and love on the part of the forgiver. In the paradigm of the relations between God and man, forgiveness is not deserved and cannot be attained through human efforts. It is a gift that God grants by His grace. In the New Testament, this idea is revealed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Who through His death and Resurrection granted forgiveness to all mankind. As the Apostle Paul writes, In Whom [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7).
In the paradigm of human relations, it requires the same love and sacrifice. For example, the story of the Righteous Patriarch Joseph and his brothers, who, driven by jealousy, sold him into slavery to a caravan of merchants traveling to Egypt. Many years later, when Joseph, having become the governor of Egypt, was reunited with his brothers, he could have taken revenge for the suffering inflicted on him. However, Joseph chooses the path of forgiveness, saying: Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good (Gen. 50:20). His forgiveness was an act of mercy based on the understanding that God works even through human errors and evil to bring about ultimate good.
This story shows that true forgiveness requires not only refusal from revenge, but also the ability to see God's will (that leads to healing and restoration) in difficult circumstances. Not only did Joseph forgive his brothers, but he also took care of them, providing them with everything they needed. And his forgiveness became an act of love that restored a broken relationship and created the foundation for a new relationship.
Anton Robert Leinweber. Joseph Forgives His Brothers
Fourthly, forgiveness involves humility, repentance, and the willingness to reform on the part of a person who asks forgiveness. In the Biblical tradition, forgiveness is closely related to repentance--that is, a sincere awareness of your guilt and a desire to correct your past wrongdoings. It is well illustrated by the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk. 15:11-32), where the younger son, who has squandered his inheritance on reckless living, returns to his father repentant and says: Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son (Lk. 15:21). Seeing his sincere repentance, the father not only forgives him, but also arranges a feast on the occasion of his return. The parable emphasizes that forgiveness is not just a formality, but a process that requires the active participation of both sides. Humility, recognition of his wrongdoing and a willingness to change are required of a person who asks forgiveness, otherwise forgiveness loses its depth and turns into empty words.
Thus, forgiveness in the Biblical sense is not just an act of reconciliation, but a deep spiritual process that engages both the person offering forgiveness and the one seeking it. The proper understanding of forgiveness is connected with the redemptive feat of Jesus Christ, which allows a person to eradicate sin and break free from its aftermath in the act of forgiveness.
In today's world, where pride and self-sufficiency often obscure true values, turning to the Biblical understanding of forgiveness can be the key to overcoming conflicts and restoring genuine human relationships. Forgiveness is not a manifestation of weakness, but, rather, of courage and strength. It reminds us that only through love, mercy, and humility can we root out resentment and find true peace and harmony with God and each other alike.
