Question: .

Could you please explain John 20:23, where Jesus has just breathed the Holy Spirit on his disciples and has told them, if they forgive anyone's sins they will be forgiven and if they don't forgive anyone's sins they won't be? I thought Jesus taught them to forgive sins seventy times seven. And in Matthew 6:14-15 it says if you don't forgive sins, God won't forgive yours. Thanks!

- Wayne

Answer:

Dear Wayne,

You are correct in stating that the Bible teaches forgiveness without limits. The Bible reveals God to be rich in grace, who forgives unconditionally. Thus, does this passage contradict the overwhelming testimony of the Bible?

No it doesn't. Here's why. There are two passages that some refer to as "binding and loosing" passages in the New Testament - Matthew 16:19 and John 20:23. In the case of Matthew, the subject of the context is church discipline. Matthew is speaking of the future of the body of Christ, and the role that Peter, and all the disciples (later apostles) would play. The context continues into Matthew 18 - where the passage about 70 times 7 occurs, as well as the passage about a brother sinning against another. All church discipline, administration, etc.

In John the context is the mission of the church, its proclamation and preaching. While withholding the forgiveness of sins is stated, it is stated as one possible consequence of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Preaching either helps to bring people to repentance, which will mean the forgiveness of their sins, or it leaves people unresponsive to the message of the gospel - which is the forgiveness of sins. So, by virtue of the fact that some do not respond to the preaching of the gospel, their sins are not forgiven. This action is not on the part of a preacher, minister, priest, etc. pronouncing a person unforgiven, but is as a result of the individual not accepting the gift of God which is so freely given.

Hope this helps.

In Christ,

Greg Albrecht