Chapter 1: Abundant Forgiveness
已更新：9月15日
Bible Reading
Colossians 2:3
Psalms 32:2
Isaiah 55:7-8
Hebrews 8:12
Luke 23:34, 43
Matthew 18:21-22, 26-28
Introduction
Psalm 103:7 says, “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” Hebrews 8:11 also records, “For all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.” These two passages speak of three levels of knowing God: Knowing God’s acts, His ways and Himself. In the lifelong experience of a Christian, God’s leading moves us forward step by step. First, He lets us know His acts; then He brings us further to know His ways; finally, He leads us to know His very person. And the most precious of all is knowing God Himself.
This is just like a child gradually growing up under the care of his parents. In infancy, he only senses the parents’ love through feeding and nurturing—this is the parents’ acts. But when he becomes a child, he learns that when he lies, fights, or does wrong, his parents discipline him—this is understanding the parents’ ways. When he grows into adulthood, he knows his parents even more deeply. Without a word spoken, just by a glance or a gesture, he understands their thoughts and intentions, because he has come to know their very person and comprehend their nature.
Likewise, as a Christian slowly matures, his knowledge of God must broaden and deepen. We come to realize profoundly that God is truly infinitely rich, immeasurably abundant, a God whom we can never fully know in one lifetime, nor exhaust in all our experiences. Speaking of God’s abundance, Paul says that he was commissioned to preach to the Gentiles “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” His lifelong calling was to proclaim Christ’s unsearchable riches—meaning that the God we believe in is an abundant God, and His riches are unsearchable. Though His riches are unsearchable, we may still, through the Bible, catch a faint glimpse of them—only a tiny fraction.
Now we will attempt to explore these riches from ten aspects:
Abundant forgiveness
Abundant grace
Abundant lovingkindness
Abundant mercy
Abundant life
Abundant Word
Abundant power
Abundant wisdom
Abundant salvation
Abundant provision
Because God is far too abundant—beyond measure—we must first confess that what we touch is only the most superficial outer layer.
Abundant Forgiveness
Isaiah 55:7 says, “Let him return to our God...for He will abundantly pardon.” The phrase “abundantly pardon” in the original text means rich, overflowing forgiveness. When we truly return to God, His forgiveness of our sins is never reluctant, never forced, never unwilling. His forgiveness is abundant—wide in scope, universal in quality, and overflowing in measure. This is why it is called “abundant.” Because God Himself is infinitely abundant, within Him there is a rich fountain, a rich power, and rich reserves that continually overflow. Even in the matter of forgiveness alone, He desires to show that His pardon is exceedingly abundant.
Concerning God’s abundant forgiveness, Scripture gives several descriptions.
Forgives All Iniquities
Isaiah 55:7 speaks of God who “abundantly pardons.” This means that no matter who you are, no matter what sins you have committed—whether many or few, great or small, light or heavy, past or present—He forgives. This is why His forgiveness is truly great. Sometimes during national celebrations, a president may issue a special pardon: those sentenced under three years may be released, those with five‑year sentences may reduced to two, while political offenders may be excluded. But God’s forgiveness is not divided by category, nor distinguished by severity. As long as you sincerely confess your sins before Him, He forgives all your sins. How broad and universal this abundant pardon is! Truly, it is an abundant forgiveness.
Psalms 103:2-3 says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases," Here we are told that because God forgives all our iniquities, He also brings healing to all our diseases.
1 John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.Colossians 2:13” Then verse 9 continues, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Here the apostle John testifies that the power of the precious blood can forgive all sins and cleanse all unrighteousness.
Colossians 2:13 says, “He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” Here the apostle Paul testifies that God’s forgiveness includes all trespasses—whether offenses against God or offenses against people. Every trespass is forgiven by Him. Our trespasses may be more numerous than the hairs on our head, yet He forgives all of them. Oh, how abundant God’s forgiveness is—broad, and perfect.
Regarded as Without Sin
We are people deeply corrupted by sin, yet God looks upon us as though we were without sin. Psalm 32:1–2 says, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” David personally experienced God’s forgiveness. He says that when transgressions are forgiven, sins are covered, and God does not count them as guilt—God regards the person as though he had no sin. Such a person is truly blessed. Paul said of himself that he was the chief of sinners; we are even greater sinners. Yet God counts us as though we were without sin. Oh, how deep, how wide, how magnificent is God’s forgiveness—what a richly abundant forgiveness this is.
Today, in many countries, those who commit major crimes—especially political offenders—are often placed on a government blacklist; even the crimes of ordinary offenders are carefully recorded and kept on file. But God treats repentant sinners in a completely different way: He actually regards us as though we had never sinned. God's forgiveness is truly amazing, transcendent, and abundant!
Once, a young man committed a crime and was arrested by the police. His mother went to the police station weeping, pleading with the officers: she asked them to punish her son if necessary, but begged them not to record his crime on file. Oh, how numerous our sins are on the record. Yet God regards us as though we had no sin. By His own blood, He wipes everything away, leaving not even the slightest trace behind. Oh, how perfect and abundant is the forgiveness of God!
In the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness, they repeatedly rebelled against God. By the time they reached the plains of Moab, King Balak of Moab sent messengers to invite the prophet Balaam to come and curse Israel. Balaam went, and from the mountaintop he looked upon the congregation of Israel. Yet according to the Lord’s instruction, he spoke words that seemed completely contrary to the facts—words of blessing: “He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.” (Numbers 23:21) In reality, before the Israelites arrived at the plains of Moab, they had already rebelled against the Lord more than ten times. They had worshiped the golden calf and provoked the Lord to anger; had Moses not interceded for them, they would have been destroyed. Later, when they reached the border of Canaan and sent twelve spies to scout the land, ten spies brought back an evil report. The people wept bitterly, lost their faith, and even wanted to return to Egypt. The Lord became exceedingly angry and intended to destroy the entire congregation, leaving only Moses and his descendants. Thankfully, Moses interceded, and the Lord turned away His wrath. Clearly, in God’s eyes the Israelites were exceedingly sinful. Yet when they arrived at the plains of Moab, the Lord expressed His heart through the mouth of Balaam, saying: “He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel” This means not a trace of iniquity, not a thread of wickedness—in God’s eyes He regarded them as though they had no sin. This reveals how transcendent, how complete, how abundant God’s forgiveness truly is.
Scarlet Becomes White as Snow
Isaiah 1:18 says, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool." The sins we have committed are like scarlet, It's God’s forgiveness, through the precious blood of Christ Jesus, washes us clean until we become white as snow. And what else is whiter than snow? White as snow speaks of a whiteness that cannot be surpassed—white to the fullest, white to the end, white completely and perfectly.
Some of our brothers and sisters have moved to the United States and Canada. In Canada, half of the year is snowy. Sometimes, even when the weather is beautiful, the whole land is still covered in ice and snow. When the sun shines upon the snow, the reflected whiteness is so intense that one can hardly keep their eyes open; you must wear dark glasses. This shows just how exceedingly white snow truly is. God’s forgiveness turns our sins—sins as scarlet as crimson—into snow‑white. Not even a trace of shadow remains, not even the slightest speck.
God’s Word goes on to say, “Though your sins are red like crimson, they shall be white like wool.” This means that the sins we have committed—though as red and vivid as crimson—will, through God’s forgiveness and the cleansing of the precious blood, become white like wool: pure, clean, and without any adulteration.
No Longer Remembered
Not only so—God’s forgiveness is also a forgiveness that remembers no more. Hebrews 8:12 records: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” This means that God forgives to such an extent that He no longer recalls the sins we have committed, no longer brings them to mind. He does not look at them anymore, does not think about them anymore, does not mention them anymore.
No wonder Micah 7:18-19 says, "Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea." Although we have committed so many sins, God’s forgiveness is abundant. He tramples all our iniquities under His feet—meaning He no longer sees them. And casts all our sins into the depths of the sea, where they disappear without a trace, leaving no mark behind, completely unseen and utterly gone.
Psalms 103:12 says, "As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." East and west are completely opposite directions, and the ends of the two can never be measured. How far apart are east and west? It cannot be calculated—it is an immeasurable, invisible infinity. When the Bible speaks of God’s forgiveness being so abundant, it says that as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our sins from us. This is a forgiveness that our sins are completely unseen—no longer thought about, no longer remembered.
Once, a married couple came to me because they had been fighting. The husband said his wife nagged endlessly, to the point that he could not sleep. Immediately the wife interrupted, saying that a few years earlier, when she was sick, he was the one who kept nagging nonstop, chattering without end…Brothers and sisters, we tend to remember other people’s faults with great clarity—we hold on to them tightly and never forget. But God’s forgiveness is entirely different: He does not think about our sins anymore, does not remember them anymore. He lets them pass completely and utterly wipes them out. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. See how rich, how abundant, how immeasurable God’s forgiveness toward us truly is.
Forgiving Our Enemies
This is something exceedingly difficult for us to do. Ephesians 2:1–5 records that we were once dead in our trespasses and sins, by nature children of wrath. Yet God forgave us and saved us—this is forgiveness extended to enemies. When the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34) The Lord Jesus was crucified without cause by those who were utterly unreasonable, yet He spoke words of grace—words of forgiving His enemies. This reveals yet another facet of the richness of God’s forgiveness.
Dear brothers and sisters, our forgiveness toward others is often limited. Some people are easier for us to forgive, while others are truly difficult. And forgiving an enemy—how hard that is! Do you have an enemy? If someone speaks badly about you behind your back, or openly insults you, you may very likely hold a grudge, remembering it for years. Now imagine this: one day that person’s son succeeds academically or prospers in business and builds a beautiful house—can you genuinely say, “Thank the Lord”? On the contrary, if his son fails in school or his business collapses, you might hear the news and say, “Praise the Lord, he deserved it! God has avenged me!” At such a moment, it becomes clear how unwilling we are to forgive our enemies.
How difficult it is to forgive an enemy! Yet God's forgiveness is so abundant that He forgives even His enemies, and He teaches us, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)
Immediate Forgiveness
Furthermore, how rich God’s forgiveness is! When we confess our sins to Him, He does not delay, reconsider repeatedly, or tell us to wait. Rather, He forgives immediately. When the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross, a criminal was crucified on each side of Him. One of them said to the Lord, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42) He imagined that perhaps many years later—maybe decades, hundreds of years, or even thousands of years later—when the Lord would come in glory and reign in His kingdom, the Lord might then remember him. But the Lord Jesus answered, “Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43) “Today” means now, meaning I forgive you this very moment. I remember you today, no need to wait for the future. This reveals that the Lord’s forgiveness is instant, and His salvation is instant. Thanks to the Lord!
From God’s side, He is waiting—longing—to forgive us. The Gospel of Luke records the story of the prodigal son. When the son squandered his wealth in reckless living and had spent everything, he reached the end of himself. In that desperate condition, he finally came to his senses and returned to his father’s house. The Bible records: “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20) The father saw his son first while he was still a long way off. He ran to him, embraced him, and kissed him. This shows the richness of God’s forgiveness: God is waiting for us to turn back so He may forgive us. He longs to forgive us, and He forgives us immediately.
Dear brothers and sisters, in these days, if you have sinned against the Lord or drifted far from Him, you must recognize that God’s forgiveness is abundant. He is waiting to forgive you, and He desires to forgive you immediately. Do not be afraid. Do not delay. Repent, and believe in the Father’s love. Return to Him quickly and confess your sins before Him. He will forgive you at once and you will experience the peace of being forgiven.
Infinite Forgiveness
From the infinite forgiveness God grants to man, we also see how exceedingly abundant His forgiveness is. Matthew 18:21–22 records: "Then Peter came to Him and said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” The Lord’s forgiveness does not stop at seven times, but extends to seventy times seven. The number seven represents completeness within time; multiplying it by seventy expresses forgiveness that is unlimited, boundless, and without end.
Dear brothers and sisters, suppose someone speaks ill of you behind your back. Later he comes to ask for your forgiveness, and you forgive him. But the next day he comes again and says, “I spoke badly of you once more; please forgive me again,” and you forgive him again. After a few days he comes yet again and says, “I spoke badly of you behind your back; please forgive me once more.” At that moment you might say, “Why do you keep speaking evil of me behind my back?” A few days later, the same thing happens again—he has spoken ill of you and comes seeking forgiveness. What would your attitude be then? You might begin to doubt whether his repentance is sincere. You see, our forgiveness toward others is often limited. But God’s abundant forgiveness is truly unlimited.
To make us recognize God's infinite forgiveness, Jesus continue to say, "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down [a]at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him." (Matthew 18:23-34) The king’s cancellation of the servant’s debt of ten million talents shows God’s unlimited forgiveness toward us; but the servant’s refusal to release his fellow servant from a debt of ten denarii reveals how base and narrow our forgiveness often is. May the Lord have mercy on us, and cause us to see that since God has forgiven us without limit, we also ought to forgive—generously and spaciously—all who have sinned against us.
Eternal Forgiveness
Thank the Lord! God’s forgiveness is an eternal forgiveness. This reveals yet another characteristic of His abundant forgiveness. On the night the Lord Jesus was betrayed, He took the cup and said, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt. 26:28). The word covenant means something that never changes; it speaks of God’s everlasting forgiveness.
Dear brothers and sisters, the Lord’s forgiveness toward us is forever and ever. It is not for merely a few decades, a few centuries, or even a few millennia, but for generation after generation—unchanging through all eternity. How immeasurable, how boundless, how inexhaustible this forgiveness is! From God’s abundant forgiveness alone, we can already see how exceedingly abundant our God truly is.
The Attitude We Ought to Have
Lastly, we must speak about how to receive and experience God’s abundant forgiveness—that is, the attitude we ought to have toward His abundant forgiveness. Our purpose in helping everyone recognize God’s rich forgiveness is absolutely not to encourage people to sin, nor to lead anyone to become a person who does not fear God. Rather, we want everyone to see that since God’s forgiveness is so rich, we should not be content with our present condition, remaining poor and weak Christians. Instead, we should richly experience God and become rich Christians. Since God has such abundant forgiveness, how then should we take hold of it and experience it?
Accept the Salvation of Christ
Ephesians 1:7 says: "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins," This shows us that God's forgiveness of our sin is based on the redemption accomplished by Christ through shedding of His blood on the cross. Therefore, we must come before the Lord and receive the redemption of Christ.
Confess our sins
Because God is light (1 John 1:5), when we turn to the Lord and receive Him, we are enlightened and begin to see our sins, our defilement, and our shortcomings. Naturally, we will then confess our sins to God. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When we fulfill confession, God fulfills forgiveness. If we do not confess, we cannot experience God’s abundant forgiveness. Therefore, if we humbly acknowledge our sins, God will surely cause us to experience His abundant forgiveness.
Forsake our Sins
Proverbs 28:13 says, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” This verse tells us that we must not only confess our sins, but also forsake them—and then we will receive mercy.
A person who truly repents, turns to God, and receives Christ’s redemption is certainly one who acknowledges his sins. And one who acknowledges his sins is also one who forsakes them. Therefore the Lord says, “Bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8). This means that a person who truly repents is one who turns to God and receives the Savior. He not only confesses his sins before God, but also bears fruit—forsaking sin and living a holy life.
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