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INTERPERSONAL FORGIVENESS AS A GOSPEL STANDARD

by Douwe J. Steensma in Vol. 5 No. 2 / Oct 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35285/ucc5.2.2019.art1



Should a Christian forgive seventy-seven times? Must the sinner first repent before he can be granted forgiveness? Is forgiveness possible if the sinner does not accept the gift of forgiveness? This article focuses on the gift of forgiveness one person offers another from the point of view of forgiveness as a theological, social, and ethical norm. Starting with the reality of people’s low expectation of forgiveness, the essay moves on to evaluate the nature, origin, and limits of forgiveness in light of the gospel imperative to forgive, the disposition to forgive, and the sinner’s acknowledgment of guilt. The last section of the essay presents the essence of the gospel regarding the social and ethical norm of forgiveness.

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Other Articles in
Vol. 5 No. 2 / Oct 2019

Editorial: Christ’s Fourfold Declaration of Authority by Eric Kayayan
Interpersonal Forgiveness as a Gospel Standard by Douwe J. Steensma
Islam and Women by Christine Schirrmacher
Healing the Wounds of Trauma and Abuse by Diane Langberg
Women, Sex, and a Question of Double Standards by Kathleen Nielson
“How Firm a Foundation” and the Westminster Confession of Faith by K. Scott Oliphint
Beza’s Pastoral Calling: Combat, Encouragement, and Duty by Ottavio Palombaro
The Value of Marshall’s Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by T. Michael Christ
On Earth: Relational Anthropocentricism in Creation Care by Alessandro Piccirillo
The Relevance of Calvin’s View of Work and Calling to Christians in Newly Industrialized Countries by Matthew Ebenezer
Corruption, Bribery, African Concepts of God, and the Gospel by PHILLIPUS J. (FLIP) BUYS
Reformed Business Ethics—A New Approach to How Organizations Can Flourish by Christopher Steed
Interview with Christopher Yuan by Peter A. Lillback
Alan Jacobs. The Year of our Lord 1943: Christian Humanism in an Age of Crisis by William Edgar
Elizabeth Agnew Cochran. Protestant Virtue and Stoic Ethics by David Hunsicker
Frances Luttikuizen. Underground Protestantism in Sixteenth Century Spain: A Much Ignored Side of Spanish History by Daniel Vogel
Herman Bavinck. Reformed Ethics: Created, Fallen, and Converted Humanity by Cory C. Brock
John Murray’s Principles of Conduct—Some Personal Reflections by Sinclair Ferguson