What Christ Meant When He Said If We Don't Forgive Someone, They Aren't Forgiven

In John 20:19-23, Jesus gives instructions to His disciples saying, “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (20:23).

This doesn't mean that any human being can give or withhold God’s forgiveness—only God can do that. It means the church has a duty to tell people that they can't claim to be a believer and continue living a sinful lifestyle.

These instructions are similar to Christ's instructions about formal church discipline in Matthew 18:15-18 and 1 Corinthians 5.(1) 

Christians sin, but Christians cannot live a sinful lifestyle because “no one born of God will continue to sin” (1 John 3:9).

“No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.” 1 John 3:6

“Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.” 1 John 2:4

Titus 1:16 and 1 John 1:6 explain that people who claim to have fellowship with Christ cannot continue to walk in darkness.

A professing Christian who is living a sinful lifestyle needs to be warned that if they don't repent, they are not forgiven and not saved. 

If we fail to warn them, we aren't walking in love (Ephesians 5:1-20).

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(1) Matthew 18:18 echoes the command in John 20:23 saying, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

For more on this important subject, see 4 Things That Happen When We Fail to Repent and Have Christians Forgotten How Much God Hates Sin?

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 Bible Love Notes