Forgiveness is a major theme in the word of God. It is an essential part of the Christian life and is also one of the hardest things to master. Jesus was the ultimate example of forgiveness throughout His life but most notably during His cruxifiction when He said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Since God and man have a different level of forgiveness, we will look at this subject from two perspectives. First we will look at the forgiveness of God and see forgiveness in it's purest form, then we will examine the forgiveness of man. We shall explore deeply the reasons why a Christian is supposed to be forgiving and the benefits of doing so.

Section I -God's Forgiveness (Divine Forgiveness)
First of all before we can see the forgiveness of God, we must first discuss what it is that He is forgiving. The answer to that is simple. Sin. All unrighteousness is an offence to God's law. It is an offense to His commandments of love and His holy word. Because of this, ultimately every sin we commit is against God. David understood this when he committed a sin by fornicating with Uriah's wife, Bethsheba and ultimately had him killed. When Nathan the prophet of the Lord confronted him, David did not say his sin was against Uriah, who's wife he slept with, but against God.

And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die

2 Samuel 12:13

It is the same as two siblings being told by a parent not to fight each other. One day while angry at his brother, the older strikes the younger. The older child has indeed harmed the younger child and has committed what the Bible calls a trespass against him. However the command that He violated was the command of the parent. It was the parent who ordered them not to fight. The two children are not in a position to make decrees since they are equal in authority. Only the parent, who is on a higher level, can issue decrees and also the punishment. Since our trespasses are ultimately against man, but our sins against God, God will be the final judge of our punishments and not man. (The judgment spoken of here is the type of judgment that dictates punishment for sin, it is not to be confused with discernment which Christians are encouraged to make. For more information on Judgment, see section on Judgment / Discernment.)

Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand

Romans 14:4

Only God, the giver of the law, has the authority to forgive those who violate it. Remember, the sin itself is against God alone.
And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. ²¹ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

Luke 5:20-21

When will God forgive us?
Many Christians are familiar with 1 John 1:9 -If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Indeed, like all scripture, this is true. God does indeed forgive us for our sins when we come to Him with honest, open and repentant confession. A simple illustration of this is two siblings throwing rocks into the street as cars pass by. They are unaware that their father, who had warned them several times not to do this, is looking at them through the window. They come inside and He sternly asks, "Boy's is there anything you want to tell me about what you were doing outside?"
"No sir, we were just playing," replies the first.
"Are you sure that's all. You weren't getting into trouble were you?"
"No sir, we've been good," repeats the first as he happily skips to his room.
Still staring at the child that remained the father patiently waits for an answer. With head held low unable to look his father in the eye, the second replies in a soft guilt ridden voice.
"Well, sir. Some of the other kids dared us to throw some rocks in the street and although you told us not to, I did. I don't know why I did it but I'm sorry that I disobeyed you."
The father scolds him for being disobedient and warns him about the dangers of hitting other cars or people. Still, he forgives the child because of his honest and repentant heart but his brother is immediately spanked. His unwillingness to confess his transgression, his lying and unrepentant heart has led to his chastisement. God wants every Christian to be like the second child. God wants us to have such a honest and repentant heart that it leads us to confess our sins. It is amazing what lengths people will go to to deny the sins that God has already seen in the first place.

Forgiving Others
As true as 1 John 1:9 may be, it has lead many you do not know the scripture to thing that confession is all we need to garner God's forgiveness. Again, like all scripture, this scripture does not stand alone. A simple study of God's word makes it clear that there is something else we must do in order to get God's forgiveness.
When asked to teach His disciples how to pray, Jesus gave us what is commonly referred to as the lords prayer. About midway in the prayer is a section on forgiveness.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors

Matthew 6:12

In addition, Jesus closes the prayer with a stern warning on forgiveness. This time, however, He does not use the word debts but trespasses. The point here is to forgive people for what they are supposed to do for us but don't and for what they are not supposed to do to us but do. The warning that goes along with a lack of forgiveness on our part will be a lack of forgiveness by God. So then, in order to be forgiven by God, we not only have to confess our sins to Him, we must also be forgiving of others.

Does God forgive and forget?
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Heb 8:12

At first glance it seems obvious that God does indeed forgive and forget. This however is far from true. The bible states things in figurative terms as well as literal terms. We are supposed to try the word by the word and compare scripture with scripture. When a person does this and do not take one scripture and run with it, he will have a good understanding of what the scriptures are saying. Hebrews 8:11-12 is saying much the same thing that I would be saying if someone came to me who owed me something and I told them to just "forget about it." Does this mean the next day or week he will literally forget that he had borrowed something from me? Does it mean that I will? No, it simply means that he is released from his debt and that he doesn't owe me anymore. We both understand what this meant although we both still remember what was owed. This can be proved in several ways.
First, there is simple logic. How can a all knowing God not know something that I know? If I hit you and repented of it and sincerely asked God for forgiveness, He will forgive me. If forgiveness equals forgeting, then as soon as God forgives me, He will no longer know that I hit you. Ironically, both you and I know something that God does not know. I remember I hit you and I bet you remember, but God, the most perfect mind of all has forgot!
Better than logic, there is scripture that proves that God will remember every single word we say and hold us accountable for them on the day of judgment.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Matt 12:36

Not only does God remember our words, he writes down our actions.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Rev 20:12

Glory be to God that if we are saved in Christ Jesus then our slate is wiped clean by His precious blood. This is to say that God will no longer look at imperfect us, He will look at His perfect Son in our stead and we will pass. Those who reject Christ will have to stand on their own merits. This is sad. No one but Christ is perfect and perfect is what God requires.

Section II - Human Forgiveness (Why we should be forgiving)
There are several reasons why we as Christians should be forgiving. I have cataloged some of what I considered to be the best ones below. I will then conclude with the reason that all Christians should consider at the end of this study. Hopefully it will change many people's outlook on forgiveness and give them renewed vigor in seeking it in all they do.

Seven reasons for Christian forgiveness.

1. Forgiveness is a characteristic of a Christian life.
(By loving our enemies, we show that we are God's children.)
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Matt 5:7

2. Jesus, our role model, was forgiving.
(Only through Christ can we be forgiving and be made right with God.)
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Eph 4:32
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. ⁶ He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
1 John 2:6

(No matter what we suffer on earth being in fact sinful, cannot compare to what Jesus forgave during His time on earth being sinless.)
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Luke 23:34

3. We are made in God's likeness so we too have the capacity to forgive. It is up to us to choose to caltivate it.
(We reflect the beauty and glory of our Creator when we forgive.)
The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

Prov 19:11

4. Forgiveness keeps Satan from gaining a foothold in our lives by keeping us in right relationship with God.
(Forgiveness frees the heart and mind of guilt and baggage that hinders our walk with God.)
 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; ¹¹ Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

2 Cor 2:10-11

5. Christ's Body, the Church, cannot function without oneness. Forgiveness is the key to maintaining it.
(Grudges and resentments tarnish the Church's witness and prevent the full benefits of God's gifts.
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Matt 5:23-24
*Notice that when someone has something against us, God still holds the Christian responsible for facilitating the reconciliation. This goes against the thinking that who ever does the wrong should apologize first. No matter who was wrong, God wants the Christian to take the initiative to make it right whether or not the effort is successful.

6. Only by forgiving others can our own prayers for forgiveness be answered.
(God will treat us the same way we treat others)
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Matt 6:14-15

Reason number Seven and Final Thoughts on Forgiveness.
7. It is hypocritical to accept from God what we are not willing to extend to others.
(God considers it evil to accept His great gift of salvation by forgiving our sins, past, present and future and not forgiving others. What God will wipe clean from the time of our birth to the time our death is multiple times more than the amount of offences anyone can give us in life.)

Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ²⁷ Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. ²⁸ But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. ²⁹ And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ³⁰ And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. ³² Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:³³ Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? ³⁴ And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. ³⁵ So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Matthew 18:23-35

In this parable God is the king, we are the forgiven servant and others are the fellow servant. By the information provided, some estimate his debt to be paid in 200,000 years! An average day laborer earned 300 denarii each year. It would take 6,000 denarii to equal one talent or twenty years of work! Being that he owed 10,000 of these, it was ludicrous for him to say that he could work it off. Contrary to popular opinion, his fellow servant owed him no paltry sum. It was four months' wages. The Bible illustrates that although what we do to each other may be significant, it pales in comparison to all our sins against God. In today's money, his debt was in the billions of dollars and he had absolutely no chance of ever repaying it. From God's point of view, it's easy to see why He sees unforgiveness as evil. We are to put on the mind of Christ and see things like God sees them. Why is it so hard for us to forgive what by comparison to God is little when God has forgiven us a lot.

If you are a believer in Christ, you have the best deal around. You get a lifetime of forgiveness from the King of Kings and all you have to do in return is forgive your neighbor.
Who is our neighbor?
Everyone we see.