The author

The author, Jay E. Adams, is a widely published author in the areas of biblical counseling, preaching, and other biblical topics.  He received a B.D. from Reformed Episcopal Theological Seminary, an S.T.M. from Temple University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri.  He has served the Lord as pastor, seminary professor, author, and biblical counselor for decades.  He has written more than 50 books.

 

From Forgiven to Forgiving is one of the finest books on the topic.  I do not agree with everything Adams says in the book, but most of what is said could not be said any better. 

 

 

Some of the many good points

Let me begin by highlighting some of the best points made regarding forgiveness.

 

1. Chapter 4, “Forgiveness after Forgiveness,” discusses the biblical teaching whereby Christians must seek forgiveness from God on a daily basis although they have been forgiven by God for all of their sins at the time of their salvation.  Adams shows the biblical precedent for this from The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6) and other passages (Mark 11:25, and others).  He then explains the necessity for judicial forgiveness (granted by God to a man at his salvation) and parental forgiveness (granted by God the Father to His children). 

 

2. In chapter 6, “Other Errors Concerning Forgiveness,” Adams shows that the Bible commands that we forgive, but not that we forget.  Adams explains that granting forgiveness is promising to “not remember.”  To forgive is to promise to another that you will not deliberately bring up the other person’s sin to yourself, to the one forgiven, or to others to use it against him. 

 

3. In chapter 6, Adams explains how foolish is it for a person to speak of the need to “forgive God.”  This wrong idea is all too common in the writing of Christian psychologists.  God never needs to be forgiven.  He never does anything wrong.  He is always good.  He only gives “perfect gifts.”  Men are to give thanks in everything. 

 

4. In chapter 6, Adams explains how foolish it is for a person to speak of the need to “forgive self.”  This is another foolish, man-exalting idea found in much Christian psychology.  As Adams explains it goes right along with the idea that men need high self-esteem.  Biblically, all men do think highly of themselves.  Jesus assumes this when he tells men to love their neighbor as themselves.  A person who has been told by a psychologist that he needs to “forgive himself” is most likely pitying himself and dwelling on his past failures.  The person must acknowledge his sinfulness before God for his wrong-doing, ask God for forgiveness, ask forgiveness from those he has sinned against, make restitution where appropriate, ask God for help in growth in godliness.  (More could be said, but in a nutshell this is what needs to happen.)

 

5. In chapter 10, “For Whose Sake?” Adams uses Scripture to correct the wrong notion that a person should forgive others so that he (the forgiver) will experience relief.  Adams explains that a person should forgiven another for God’s pleasure and for the benefit of the one who has sinned.

 

 

A couple points on which I differ

The issues about which I differ are issue on which there is disagreement among respectable Bible teachers.  Let me list a couple of the issues.

 

1. I believe forgiveness should be offered unconditionally.  Adams says forgiveness is granted upon the condition of the other person’s repentance (Adams does say there is no need to wait for the fruits of repentance to be seen).  I believe Mark 11:25 is sufficient to show that forgiveness can be granted before one has the opportunity to speak with the person who has sinned.  Mark 11:25 says, “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.”

 

2. I believe there are no sins which can be “covered” by love in the sense that they are ignored.  Let me explain.  Adams says forgiveness is offered when the one who has sinned asks for forgiveness.  So, if you want to forgive a person who has sinned against you, you must go to the person to address his sin.  You must urge him to repent of his sin and ask God and you for forgiveness.  When you he asks you for forgiveness, then and only then can you grant forgiveness.  Adams anticipates that many will be discouraged by the fact that they will have to address every sin they see in others in order to forgive them.  So, Adams uses 1 Peter 4:8 to show that some sins can be overlooked.  That is, some sins do not have to be addressed by another and then forgiven (by the person), they can instead by covered by love.

1 Peter 4:8
8Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

While there are other good Bible teachers that teach this same idea, it does not accord with Scripture.  A person who loves another will not ignore the person’s sin.  He will help the person to confess his sin so he can be right with God and others.  When God loves a person, He does not overlook the sin without dealing with it.  When He loves a person, He “covers” the sin only after it is properly dealt with.

 

Love covers a multitude of sins in the sense that… (1) You help a person to deal biblically with his sin and then cover it by forgiving him (Proverbs 10:12); (2) You cover the sin by avoiding gossip about the sin (Proverbs 17:9); and (3) You have patience and self-control in response to the person’s sin.  You are “slow to anger” (Proverbs 19:11).  I refer you to Appendix Nine in The Exemplary Husband by Stuart Scott, pp.361-363.

 

 

Conclusion

From Forgiven to Forgiving is a great book.  You will read it and reap much.  Right before or right after you read it, I recommend reading The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness by John MacArthur (MacArthur differs from Adams when he says forgiveness should be granted unconditionally, but he takes the same position as Adams that love covers a multitude of sins when a man overlooks them).