How would you describe the difference between “grace” and “forgiveness”?
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How would you describe the difference between “grace” and “forgiveness”?
Grace is forgiveness without consequences. For example, a man commits adultery on his wife. The wife forgives but the man may still be required to be accountable for his actions until trust is rebuilt. If his wife gives grace, it is as if there was no offense at all, and she offers her trust.
the best response I could possible hope for thank you!
Thank You May God continue to increase you
Really needed to read this.
Forgiveness means canceling of the debt. If you cancel the debt, what are you still holding against them? That’s why repentance must come before forgiveness. If the husband cheats on the wife, there’s no need to forgive him until he stops, confesses, and repent. Then forgiveness can happen, which leads to reconciliation of the relationship.
He can be forgiven before he stops. Isn’t that what Jesus did for us…while we were yet sinners …
Jesus paid the price for our sins… while we were yet sinners… however forgiveness only comes after repentance. Acts 2:37-38
That was beautifully written honestly… I’ve been looking at different definitions and things to really let it sink in. I actually have been in a situation and it’s happening over and over again; and I did forgive and I did have Grace and it’s happened again at what point do I extend forgiveness and grace what point do I actually leave because it’s repeated deceit and idolatry. It’s killing me I am so broken hearted… Thank you, K
Forgiveness Is what it seems to be. Being Forgiven or giving forgiveness. Grace on the other hand is different than many know Grace In the Strongs Greek Dictionary is the word “Charis” … 2 words describing grace are “favor” and “gift”. The way God shows me Is that Grace goes past just forgiveness To giving the forgiven The Gift of Eternal Life ……..Beyond forgiveness beyond Removing sins and the sin nature. To God giving us His very best gift that is His very own Life ! the Life of Christ Jesus!! Oh Let us rejoice Glory to His Name!!
Forgiveness is for sinners. Grace is for saints.
Grace is all encompassing. Forgiveness is specific.
The simple answer is that grace is an all encompassing term while forgiveness is specific. But I think that the ability to forgive others comes from God’s grace. He set the ultimate example for all believers through Jesus’s death and resurrection. Grace is God’s nature and the nature of all who love Him. It is expressed through things like forgiveness, kindness, mercy, and gentleness.
Your answer lines up with my belief of grace Which is we experience grace when we believe what God already knows about us. As our relationship with Him grows our truths grow. I am loved, I am a good person, I am content, I love others, I put their needs in front of mine, need Him in all decisions, I work and perform for Him. These are just some of our truths and as they grow in strength through Him is when Grace abounds. Fear is diminished and love grows. The Holy spirit is talking with you all day and night. Grace is Gods nature and we were made in his image but then Sin happened and that journey to be one with God became very difficult. I believe it is when we believe the things He already believes in us is when we experience grace.
Good morning, I just wanted to let you know that your explanation was/is very helpful for me. God bless you. Nicholas
Ditto !
Grace is unmerritted favor. You’ve done nothing to deserve it.
Let’s say someone hurts me deeply. 1. If the person asks me for forgiveness, I am compelled by Jesus’s teaching me to grant that person forgiveness. That is the main point of Mt 18:21-35. The unmerciful servant is punished because he refused to grant forgiveness when he was asked by the debtor. Forgiveness ALWAYS supposes genuine conviction, contrition and repentance (change of heart, attitude) from the offender and the offended, a definite erasure of the specific offence from the tab of the offender. 2. If the person refuses to acknowledge what he did or to ask for forgiveness, I, the offended party, can decide to extend grace and release them for their moral debt towards me. NOTHING in the Bible forces us to extend grace to an offender. Very often, in Christian circles, people are almost bullied into showing grace and this is called “forgiveness”. This is something heinous to do to the victims of offences. If you don’t see my point, well think about all the abused Christian wives who have to go through beatings and humiliations every day because the pastor didn’t have the guts to hold the husband accountable, denounce and resist his evil actions. Nope! Instead, they tell the wife that she must “forgive” without no repentance from the offender and go back to her marriage. That person is being forced to extend grace. Forgiveness is always specific when grace can be specific or encompassing, depending on the offended’s inclination.
I agree with you 100% Anna. Thank you for sharing your insight with us *hug*.
Insightful👍
Grace and forgiveness are defined differently. The Word of God is about reconcilation from Genesis to Revelation. Forgiveness is specific, and it is for the individual who wronged or been wronged. Grace is gift in Greek and favor in the Hebrew. Grace look like favor for man not by the words but their heart. Grace was Christ dying on the cross for us all no matter who would receive this gift, and it was ultimate forberrance of all our sins. All we are required is to be humble and receive the gift and live out our faith in our works. We do our work out of the love and heart towards God. At times I think Grace is not for us mankind, but for God. I hear in many circles people insisting those they wronged to give them grace. Grace has been a go to thing when people when they wrong others. It is abusive and manipultive. Grace is not just something to throw like a bandaide because at some point trust will be all broken and will lose everything. No one will trust or assoicate with you that would healthy – people willing to manipultate you back may be. For biggest and hardest steps mankind has is reconcilation and knowing what it is. Forgiveness and grace can be apart of it. Reconcilation can mean forgiving the person with God and reconcilating with Him regarding the wronger. In His time, giving the other person time to reconcilation with them. Reconcilation is the person that wrong listen to the hurt and pain caused, but also the one wronged to listen to all the sin done that is unseen. Yet many times people state this is holding a grudge. Yet reconcilation, forgiveness and grudges are not the same thing. Reconcilation strives on meding and healing a broken relationship. Grudges burn bridges of relationships. The wronger can use mixing the two up for manuplating the one they wrong from ever keeping them accountable or another person outside the situation (such as a pastor). It all comes down to is Grace really for us mankind to offer or is it designated for God our Heavenly Father and context that Grace is Jesus Christ and what he did for us all and not something we could ever completely do for anyone. It comes down to true forgiveness is about reconcilation without drawn into grudges of anger by our pain. Forgiveness comes from the heart and only can be seen truely from God, Himself. We can see the outer actions and fruits but not the heart of those desire forgiveness. Yet is forgiveness really for the one being wronged not the wronger. Reconcilation is for wronger and one that was wronged. Forgiveness does not always mean trust is handed out freely. Trust is something that is given out as evidence fruit. We can trust the Word of God because of the evidence of its fruit through Christ Jesus life and prophetic words throughout the Bible. Likewise, forgiveness does not just give the wronger free access to the one they wronged life again, not right way. In some case, the wrong could be sign the person was given their association and access to personal details of their life prematurally and they need more time or never should have been given access. Trust is not tag time with forgiveness. As it is written, Faith is shown through the fruits of our labor. Therefore, God does not give us full trust unless we have shown we are willing and ready to receive His gift of Grace of Jesus, and live our life taking steps in the direction.
Forgiveness is something we ask G-d and others for after making repentance for a sin. Forgiveness is also something we receive from G-d after our earnest request for forgiveness, as stated above. Grace is a manifestation of G-d’s love which we receive every moment of our life; some recognize it not; others do and return to Him and thank Him!
There is no such thing as grace … Paul a.k.a. Saul made it up. Matthew 6: 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. God keeps a record of our sins in a ledger (debts and debtors … get it ?). We are expected to forgive in order to be forgiven. Matthew 6: 14&15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. However, forgiveness is conditional on the offender repenting. Without repentance, the offender remains on the wrong side of God. Matthew 18: 15-17 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
I have been searching for what Grace is and to understand it. These conversations have been a blessing to me and gave calmed my soul. I dont even know how thus got to me but by God. Thank you