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Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds

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I don't think that there are many issues that come up more often than forgiveness. I sense this every time I speak about it. I can sense that I'm talking about an issue that is real for every person who is present.

Learning how to forgive isn't easy. Hurts often run deep; some situations that demand forgiveness are almost unspeakable. How does one forgive when the offense is so great, and the wound is so deep? To make things even more complicated, people who teach about forgiveness often offer conflicting answers. Not only is forgiveness difficult, but it's also frequently misunderstood.

Given these difficulties, I suspect I'll be using Unpacking Forgiveness quite a bit in the coming years. It's written by a pastor - Chris Brauns - and it reminds me what good pastoral practice should look like:

* It's biblical - I've heard a lot of opinions about forgiveness. Brauns, thankfully, is driven by Scripture rather than his own views. It's hard to find anything in the book that isn't grounded in Scripture.

* It's clear - There's a lot of fuzzy thinking about forgiveness. I know; there was some fuzziness in my thinking when I began this book. For instance, many of us fall into a therapeutic model of forgiveness, which makes forgiveness about our emotions rather than a relationship. Brauns does a good job of untangling the issues and clearly communicating which approaches are right, and why it matters.

* It's practical - This is not some abstract treatise. Anyone struggling with the forgiveness can pick up this book and immediately benefit. It answers practical questions about when (and when not to) confront, how to go about forgiving, how to respond to the unrepentant, how to conquer bitterness, and more.

* It's sensitive - Brauns sometimes has hard things to say, and when he does, you can feel him wince. He's committed to telling the truth, even though he knows it's sometimes not what we want to hear. You get the sense that he cares.

* It's gospel-based - Brauns takes us to the gospel. Human forgiveness is ultimately related to divine forgiveness, and rooted in God's grace.

Bruans helps us understand that while we should always offer forgiveness and show love, forgiveness cannot take place until it is accepted by the other party. Forgiveness is more than an emotion; it is a transaction between two parties. This helps us avoid some of the problems that come from automatic, therapeutic models of forgiveness.

In short, forgiveness is one of the most important, practical topics out there, and Unpacking Forgiveness is the clearest, most biblical and practical thing I've read. It untangles an important issue, and I hope it is widely read and applied.

You do not need to live long in this world before you will accumulate a nearly endless list of people to whom you owe forgiveness. Even young children quickly begin to sin against others and have to ask forgiveness (just as my two-year old had to seek forgiveness from her sister yesterday for tearing a page from her new Bible). And though Christians speak often of forgiveness extended to them by God, they speak far less often of forgiveness offered to others. In Unpacking Forgiveness, Chris Brauns provides "biblical answers for complex questions and deep wounds." And really it is only God's word that can unpack forgiveness, offering hope for true and lasting healing.

Brauns offers teaching on forgiveness that counters much of the mainstream of Evangelical thought. Nowhere is this shown more clearly than in his discussion about the conditional nature of forgiveness. Where we are accustomed to Christians "forgiving" any and everyone, perhaps standing outside the scene of a school shooting with signs saying, "We forgive you," Brauns shows that this is not true forgiveness in a biblical sense. He distinguishes between a kind of therapeutic forgiveness that may make us feel better, and a genuine forgiveness that actually brings about reconciliation.

The book is packed with illustrations, many of which are heartbreaking. You will read some stories that have been widely reported in the media (such as the story of the Willis family whose six children were killed in a van accident caused by a manufacturing defect) and others that will be new to you. But through each of the stories you will see remarkable examples of Christians both extending and receiving forgiveness.

Brauns roots the human pattern of forgiveness in the divine model given to us by God. He offers the key principle that God expects believers to forgive others in the way that he forgave them. How, then, does God forgive? Brauns defines God's forgiveness in this way: "A commitment by the one true God to pardon graciously those who repent and believe so that they are reconciled to him, although this commitment does not eliminate all consequences." We see that God's forgiveness is gracious but not free; it is conditional (meaning that only those who repent and believe are forgiven); it lays the groundwork for reconciliation; and it does not eliminate all consequences. And this model of forgiveness, exemplified so clearly and so amazingly in the cross, is the pattern we are to imitate. Human forgiveness, then, is "a commitment by the offended to pardon graciously the repentant from moral liability and so to be reconciled to that person, although not all consequences are necessarily eliminated."

The book continues into areas of application, asking when it is appropriate to simply overlook an offense and offering principles on how to actually go about seeking forgiveness and reconciliation. Brauns offers biblical wisdom on what to do if you find that you simply cannot forgive and he provides principles on responding to the unrepentant. He writes about bitterness, about the inability to get over a wrong committed and about those times that Christians simply cannot agree. A useful Appendix includes a grab-bag of questions and answers, and valuable ones at that (How can I be sure that God has forgiven me? How can I forgive myself? Should adultery always be confessed?).

There are few things more unnatural and few things more holy than forgiveness. Living as we do in a fallen world, we are given endless opportunities both to extend and to seek forgiveness. In Unpacking Forgiveness, Chris Brauns eschews the easy answers and looks to the Bible to provide God's wisdom on how and when we are to forgive. Relying on his experience as a pastor and on his deep knowledge of Scripture, he provides what is a logical, well-illustrated book on the subject. With humor at times and appropriate gravitas at others, Brauns leads the reader first to understand and then to apply what the Bible teaches on forgiveness. Because it deals biblically with a subject of universal importance, any reader can benefit from reading Unpacking Forgiveness. I recommend that you do just that. This is an excellent book you will not want to overlook.

What a wonderful reference of Scriptures coupled with powerful and compelling real life stories! Although there are many true life accounts and times when Rev. Brauns shares some of his own struggles, the teaching in this book was not based upon personal experience or opinion. Every point is very clearly backed up with plenty of Scripture references. It is not only for those struggling to forgive, but it is for every person who would examine themselves next to the Scriptures and expose heart problems that may lead to bitterness, pride, and unforgiving attitudes, along with the dire consequences of choosing them.
Rev. Brauns makes the study of forgiveness uplifting and inspiring. By complimenting Piper's books with the same premise (God being most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him), Rev. Brauns gave me hope for the hardest circumstances that could be presented in life. The truth of Scripture so clearly laid out gave me every reason to want change in my life and want it because I know it is what will make me truly happy. The practical applications from personal example gave me a starting line and motivated me. I have taken truth presented in this book and have been able to easily apply the concepts gleaned thanks to this powerful work.
I plan to read through it again as an in depth study.

When I receive books to review I place them in one of three piles. The first stack are books I highly value and the second are works that are trite, silly, and insignificant (a sheer waste of good paper). I take my time as I read through the first, and generally only scan the latter. The third category are books that seem important but are ones that I expect I will have profound disagreements with the content. I also read through these carefully, if for no other reason than to refute them.

When I received a copy of Chris Brauns' Unpacking Forgiveness I immediately placed it into the third category. The key premise of the book is that forgiveness should only be given if the offending party is actually repentant. Frankly, I found this idea morally repugnant and eagerly looked forward to disproving it from scripture.

Three days later, after spending equal amounts of time in the book and in Scripture, Brauns has convinced me that my idea of forgiveness is the one that lacks scriptural support. The author distinguishes biblical forgiveness from therapeutic forgiveness. Popular culture, being exposed to elements of Christian teaching while failing to grasp its deeper tuths, has turned forgiveness into a feeling, instead of the radical commitment to reconciliation as taught in scripture. Therapeutic forgiveness sees it as a private feeling that should be granted unconditionally. In this view, forgiveness is offered out of self-interest--we forgive in order to be freed from hate and bitterness. Scripture however demonstrates that forgiveness is a cooperative event between two individuals conditioned upon repentance. The motivation for forgiveness arises out of our love for the other person and for God.

Simply put, Brauns tells us that forgiveness is inextricably linked to reconciliation. Certainly Christians are to offer forgiveness to all, but forgiveness (and thus reconciliation) can only be granted to those who want to be forgiven.

Unpacking Forgiveness is theologically and biblically rich. Perhaps the greatest compliment a Christian author can receive is to be told his book has faithfully and deeply interacted with the Word of God--and Brauns has done just that. Though the style of writing does indicate Brauns is a fairly new author, the work is well illustrated and practical.

Today's Christian bookstores are littered with material that is written on the subject of forgiveness and conflict resolution. In one sense, they are littered because the books are all over the place. In another sense, they are littered because the ones they have are often garbage.

Having written secular college-level professional leadership and management courses before the Lord called me into the pastorate, I can detect the stench of humanistic conflict resolution theories a mile away. After reading scores of "Christian" conflict resolution books, I am offended at how many of them are grounded in the same humanistic theories. But it doesn't just stop with conflict resolution--it bleeds over into the subject of forgiveness. In so many books today, forgiveness is seen as a psychological or therapeutic act. At best it is seen as cathartic and will enable the forgiver to experience harmony with their personal feelings--regardless of the actions of the one being forgiven. Thankfully, this is not one of those books. The author, Chris Brauns, will never be mistaken for Oprah or Dr. Phil. As a matter of fact, he will never be mistaken for most Christian writers who dare to broach the subject of forgiveness and conflict resolution.

The book is extremely easy to read, but at times it is difficult to swallow. After all, most people today have been malnourished on a steady diet of easy-forgiveism (my phrase, not Brauns')--forgive and forget, just let bygones be bygones, love means never having to say you're sorry, etc. This book contradicts that prevailing notion by presenting a thoroughly biblical treatment of what forgiveness really is. Simply, forgiveness means that we are to forgive others as Christ forgave us--which means that it includes both grace on the part of the forgiver and repentance on the part of the forgiven. It sounds simple enough, but, as the title indicates, unpacking what that means is the difficult part.

Brauns successfully unpacks the meaning, but he doesn't leave it scattered on the floor in one more cluttered brain pile. He unpacks the meaning and readies it to wear with effective application. But be forewarned, if you are dealing with forgiveness issues in your life, this will be a difficult read. Even if you have issued superficial forgiveness primarily designed to make you feel better, you will be convicted. That is the true benefit of this book. While it can be effective as a how-to book, its true value is in pastorally teaching the true meaning of biblical forgiveness and spurring readers to practice it.

Not too long ago, Chris Brauns, the senior pastor at the Congregational Christian Church of Stillman Valley, Illinois, wrote me and asked if he might send a copy of his book, Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds (Crossway, 2008) for possible review on this blog. Since I appreciate much of what I have read on Chris' blog, I agreed to read the book.

In all honesty, the topic of forgiveness is not one that particularly interests me. Most books on the subject tend to be so therapeutic, sentimental, or theologically irresponsible that I have little use for them. We are called to forgive ourselves or (in some cases) to forgive God, actions which do not resemble the biblical teaching of forgiveness.

Two things caused me to give Unpacking Forgiveness a chance. First, I read the book As We Forgive, which chronicles the forgiveness taking place in post-genocide Rwanda. I was deeply moved by the stories of forgiveness in that book. Secondly, I knew from the testimony of others that Chris is a godly man and a biblically-informed thinker. Therefore, I came to realize that Unpacking Forgiveness would not be like the standard evangelical offerings on this subject.

As I began reading Unpacking Forgiveness, I discovered that I needed this book a whole lot more than Chris needed a review. This book radically altered my own understanding of forgiveness. Even though I saw the vaccuous nature of therapeutic forgiveness, I had not yet replaced society's view with biblically robust teaching on the subject. Reading through Chris' book, I found myself wincing at some of his criticisms, saying, "Oh, I've said things like that" or "Yes, I've advised people in that way." Apparently, the therapeutic understanding of forgiveness had infiltrated my thoughts much more than I realized.

Unpacking Forgiveness comes from a pastor, which means its tone is personal, pastoral, and practical. Chris employs good illustrations of forgiveness that not only make his book a more interesting read, but also give pastors a resource from which to draw stories in local church preaching and teaching.

The book has several key strengths. First, it is church centered. Do not expect self-help instructions. Chris offers biblical teaching about forgiveness within the context of a community of faith:

"Christ's way of unpacking forgiveness is not three easy steps. It is a way of life, following Jesus, learning from him, being involved in his church, hearing his Word preached. Apart from consistent involvement in these disciplines, you are trying to paddle with a stick. And that just won't work." (32)

Another key strength is its appeal to the motivations of the heart. In ways influenced by John Piper, Chris bases our reasons for forgiveness in our desire to reach maximum happiness in Jesus Christ, since finding our happiness and satisfaction in Jesus is what actually brings glory to God.

Unpacking Forgiveness is also God-centered in two ways. First, he defines human forgiveness after having defined God's forgiveness:

"Forgiveness: A commitment by the offended to pardon graciously the repentant from moral liability and to be reconciled to that person, although not all consequences are necessarily eliminated." (55)

The book is also God-centered in that it allows us to see the difference between the inhumanity that we show towards others and our lack of respect for God.

"If we begin to get a glimpse of the vast glory of God, we will realize that many of our conflicts are like two ants arguing about which is taller while standing in front of Mount Everest. We quibble over some infinitesimal difference of opinion while the vastness of Almighty God soars into the heavens." (83)

Chris believes that one reason people are so easily offended is because they do not see their sinful rebellion against a holy God.

Chris' careful biblical distinctions make this book so valuable. For example, Chris argues that biblically speaking, forgiveness is conditional. The offer of forgiveness is unconditional. Christians are to offer forgiveness graciously to everyone. But forgiveness, if it is to be properly understood in its biblical sense, must be received. So true forgiveness must always lead to reconciliation.

"Forgiveness is a figurative handshake. You cannot shake hands alone. For forgiveness to happen, you need to seek out the offending party (or the offended party if you are the offender), extend your hand, and pray that the other party will offer his or hers to you." (127)

It is evident to the reader that Chris desires to be faithful to Scripture and to bring the biblical view of forgiveness to bear on our personal lives and in the lives of our churches. I'm glad I gave Unpacking Forgiveness a chance. I now have a "go-to" book whenever I need to teach on this subject.

If you are anything like me - and I trust that you are, you've picked up some baggage along the way. As we travel down this rugged road called life, the burden of past wounds, injustices, and relational strains can weigh heavy on us. I love how Shannon Popkin, a freelance writer who endorses Braun's book puts it: "Unpacking Forgiveness", "Offers a tender hand of guidance to those who ache to unpack what life has flung at them, and awakens a longing for the happiness that only forgiveness can bring."

For several years now, I have been hitting a brick wall when it comes to the spiritual breakthrough necessary to get beyond - as Popkin's so articulately describes, "what life has flung" at me. What's more, it seemed that any outward attempt to deal with it, in a way that I thought was biblical, only complicated matters and inevitably added more weight to my already heavy load.

Much of what I heard from mainstream Evangelicals on the matter of forgiveness seemed so trite and clichéd. Even the sermons from well-known, and respected preachers all sounded so stale and commonplace. Nothing even remotely came close to addressing the painful, thorny issues of my heart that I so longed unload. Most, if not all, of the counsel that I received, (though sincere and well intended) did nothing to help. In many cases it only served to complicate matters and make them painfully worse.

A few weeks ago I read a familiar passage of scripture that came alive to me in a most peculiar way (Matthew 5:43-48). This was the beginning of my breakthrough that eventually lead me to "Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds", by Chris Brauns. Before I go any further, I'd like to say that it is in scripture alone that we find the answers to all of our questions. I espouse with every fiber in my body the theological doctrine of "Sola Scriptura". It is only by scripture alone that we can truly work through and sort out all of our issues on forgiveness. To that extent, the entire premise of the book, and any underlying principle thereof, is found in the infallible, inerrant, holy word of God - The Bible.

As the author himself explains, "Unpacking Forgiveness" presents "the beauty of God's grace and the necessity of forgiveness. But it will also teach the reader that forgiveness must take place in a way that is consistent with justice. We must move beyond a `feel-good doctrine of automatic forgiveness.' Christians must always have a willingness to forgive or an attitude of forgiveness. But this does not mean that forgiveness always takes place." Does this statement run a little contrary to your understanding on the issue of forgiveness? It did for me.

Providing a biblical definition of forgiveness is Brauns's first order of duty. He starts the process by explaining a key principle: "God expects believers to forgive others in the way that he forgave them." Ephesians 4:23 states, "Be kind to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you."

Brauns establishes 5 principles to come up with a definition of forgiveness. I am taking this verbatim from his book as summarized on page 51.

1. God's forgiveness is gracious. He offers forgiveness freely. This is not because forgiveness is free in terms of cost. It is a very expensive gift that can be offered freely because, motivated by love, God sent his one and only Son to pray the price for it.
2. God's forgiveness is a commitment. When God forgives us, he makes a commitment that we are pardoned from our sin and that it is no longer counted against us.
3. God's forgiveness is conditional. Only those who repent and have saving faith are forgiven.
4. God's forgiveness lays the groundwork for and begins the process of reconciliation. When God forgives us, our relationship with him is restored.
5. Not all consequences are immediately eliminated. God disciplines his children as a father disciplines his children (Proverbs 3:12)

With these aspects of forgiveness laid out in detail, human forgiveness can be defined like this: "Forgiveness is a commitment by the offended to pardon graciously the repentant from moral liability and to be reconciled to that person, although not all consequences are necessarily eliminated."

Understood in this light, true biblical forgiveness can only be extended if there is repentance. True biblical forgiveness is conditional. Sadly, this truth, although scriptural, has evaded most mainline Evangelical teachers. Brauns states that, "Contrary to the conventional understanding, I believe that the notion of automatic forgiveness itself fosters bitterness. We are created with a standard of justice on our hearts. When we forgive someone who is not repentant, we are acting in a way that is unjust. Deep down we are saying that forgiveness must sometimes happen at the expense of justice." Brauns identifies this as "therapeutic forgiveness" or "cheap grace", and it is dangerous. Among some of its negative consequences are "a reluctance to identify and name evil". He cites Dietrich Bonhoeffer who argued that it was because of this biblically incorrect application of scripture that Germany did so little to stand up against the evil of Nazism. Evil, he argues, if not identified and named, will soon flourish.

This is the first book that I have ever read that addresses all of the real-life issues involved in forgiveness in a practical and realistic way. Brauns discusses when it is appropriate to overlook an offense. Conversely he discusses when and how we should take action and pursue forgiveness and restoration. He dedicates two chapters on how the Christian should respond to the unrepentant offender. He tackles the issue of bitterness and how we can avoid it. He talks realistically about those times when Christians come to what he calls an "impasse, a hopelessly complicated knot" that despite all efforts, reconciliation is seemingly impossible. Brauns also deals with questions such as adultery and confession, restitution, forgiving people after they have died, and what do to when someone you have offended will not forgive you.

On a personal level, since reading this book, I have made spiritual and emotional progress in an area that quite frankly, has dogged me for years. If you have been struggling to reconcile the Word of God with your own experience in the area of unforgiveness and feel like you've been hitting your head on a brick wall, then this book is for you.

Jeremiah 23:29 says that the word of God is, "like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces." I pray that the Word of God would be to you as it was to me in this book - a hammer that cracks, splits, and shatters every proud rock obstructing your progress in God.

This excellent and very Biblical book on forgiveness would make an excellent resource to be used for small group study. There are study questions and a quiz at the beginning. The topic is one that everyone has encountered the need to consider on a personal level.

While there are clearly some helpful insights in Chris Brauns' Unpacking Forgiveness, I'd like to highlight two major issues with his work in this review.

I. Concerning Chris Brauns' treatment of Ephesians 4:32 (p.44): Would the original recipients of this letter have understood Eph. 4:32 the way he has explained it? Asked another way, if Paul had ended Ephesians with 4:32, what would these saints have been thinking about?

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Eph. 4:32).

The question is, What would have come to mind as they read Paul's words here, based upon all that he had said up to that point in the letter? What words might be on the mental list that popped up as they heard Paul's admonition to forgive? Gracious certainly, perhaps reconciliation, but as for conditional, I think that would be quite a stretch based on the context of the letter as a whole.

The emphasis of Ephesians so far had been the glory and riches of the grace of God. Paul presses home God's electing love and grace over and over, along with all that He has accomplished on behalf of the Church for His glory. But he nowhere mentions any condition met on their part to secure the riches of their salvation and forgiveness in Christ. So when these saints read the words "as God in Christ has forgiven you," I think the grace and mercy of God would naturally have been the song resonating in their hearts and minds. To connect Eph. 4:32 to conditional forgiveness would be completely unexpected and unnatural---perhaps even shocking. Rather than making a connection to conditional forgiveness, it would seem more natural to connect this verse to character of God revealed in chapters 1:3-8 or 2:1-9, etc. At face value and in the larger context of Ephesians, this verse even seems to contradict any concept of conditional forgiveness among believers.

II. Concerning the doctrine of conditional forgiveness set forth by Chris Brauns:

"God expects believers to forgive others in the way that He forgave them" (p.44, 52).

"We should define forgiveness between ourselves and other people the way God defined it in forgiving us" (p.44, my emphasis in both quotes).

If I understand his basic argument, it looks like this:
1. God expects believers to forgive others in the way that He forgave them (p44),
2. God forgives only those who repent (p.57),
3. Therefore, believers should forgive only those who repent.

Brauns even goes so far as to say that it is wrong to forgive those who are not repentant (p.22). In other words, it would be sinful for a believer to forgive a person if certain criteria are not met. Stated yet another way, we as believers have the right---in fact, the moral obligation---to withhold forgiveness from a person who is not repentant for a sin committed against us.

Here's where I believe he goes wrong. In his first premise, Brauns makes a direct parallel between the way God relates to people and the way Christians must relate to people. He doesn't differentiate between the vertical plane and the horizontal plane concerning the dynamics of forgiveness, regardless of how forgiveness is defined. Because God has the right and moral obligation (based upon his holiness and justice) to require repentance from the offending party, we have the same right and are morally obligated to live by it.

But is that true? Do we as forgiven sinners, recipients of unfathomable mercies, indeed have the same rights and prerogatives as God? Is that what Paul means when he says "as God in Christ forgave you"? Yet Chris Brauns builds his entire argument for conditional forgiveness on Ephesians 4:32 (with the parallel Colossians passage) and Matthew 6:12b, focusing ultimately on the word "as" (p.44). I don't believe this to be a sound interpretation of these verses. Nor do I think that this limited amount of scriptural data is sufficient to support the doctrine of conditional forgiveness in light of the much weightier theme of mercy that runs throughout the OT and NT.

He says that even though the requirement of repentance for forgiveness isn't explicitly stated in these verses, it is "implicit" and "certainly assumed." But can we safely extract a doctrine from a text when its key component is "implicit" and "certainly assumed" (p.146)?

The parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18 is a classic example of our obligation to positively forgive others, regardless of their being repentant or not. (Brauns discusses this passage in ch. 10.) The main point of the story is our moral obligation to show mercy to other people in light of the immeasurable mercy God has shown us. As difficult as it may be in some cases, the one who lays hold of God's mercy and forgiveness forfeits any and all "rights" to ever withhold mercy and forgiveness from another human being. According to Jesus, it is an act of arrogance and hypocrisy that will bring about severe chastisement (Matt.18:35).

In Luke 17:1-10 Jesus also deals with forgiveness, but only seems to address the obligation of forgiveness. He closes in verse ten with an exhortation for the disciples to keep a realistic self-image, if you will---"when you have done all that you were commanded, say, `We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'" In this passage, Jesus simply doesn't speak to the issue of forgiving someone who is not repentant. By contrast, Matthew 18:15-17 has the unrepentant person in view, but even there Jesus gives no directive to withhold forgiveness---only to relate to this person as an unbeliever (Matt.18:17).

The "Lord's Prayer" in Matthew 6 is another case in point. The prayer has no reference to conditions for forgiving our debtors. However, Chris Brauns says the requirements are not explicit but implicit (p.146). Implicit? How so? At face value Jesus' words seem to state the opposite of conditional forgiveness. The assumption is that the disciple comes to God having already forgiven his offenders their "debts," realizing the fact that he himself owes God far more than his fellow men owe him. In context Jesus is grounding the way we appeal to God in God's own good and generous disposition toward His children. On the grounds of that goodness, God seems to expect His children to absolutely forgive those who have sinned against them. Likewise, Mark 11:25 makes no mention of the offender meeting a requirement in order to be forgiven. The emphasis again is on the disciple's obligation to forgive based on His relationship with the Father.

How can one come away from these passages with the conclusion that believers should only forgive those who are repentant (p.146)? Contrary to Brauns on page 146, the emphasis of Matthew 6 is not "to forgive as God forgives." It is simply to forgive because you need greater mercy from God than others need from you. We call Him "Father," and therefore because of the gracious relationship we have with God, we forgive others. No conditions. Only gospel-motivated forgiveness.

Again, can we safely derive any doctrine from a text based on crucial ingredients that are "implicit" and "certainly assumed" (p.146)?

Some final thoughts:

Repentance and faith are essential to the Gospel. God requires repentance, but we are not God. Even the repentance that God requires must ultimately come to us from Him as an act of sovereign grace and electing love. God not only requires repentance for forgiveness but He secures the repentance needed for that forgiveness. That's the "sovereign" aspect of sovereign grace. Otherwise, we would never repent, no matter how terrible the prospect of hell and eternal wrath.

God does not deal with us according to what our sins deserve, nor repay us for our iniquities (Ps.103:10). It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not (Lam. 3:22, KJV). Christ died for the ungodly...while we were still sinners, Christ died for us...while we were enemies we were reconciled to God (Romans 5:6-10). How then can I begin to impose terms of forgiveness upon another person?

How could I teach this doctrine to my wife and children? In fact, I could teach them the doctrines of original sin, unconditional election, and the Trinity with much more confidence and scriptural authority than conditional forgiveness.

In my opinion, Unpacking Forgiveness has sought to redefine forgiveness in a way that has radical and far reaching implications for believers. These implications will affect us everyday because everyday we sin and are sinned against in some form or another. To arm a person (a forgiven sinner) with the right and moral obligation of conditional forgiveness in this fallen world is to set the stage for serious relational and spiritual damage in his or her life.

Finally, what would a believer's life look like if he or she put this teaching into practice on a daily basis? How would the gospel be adorned? How would the mercies of Christ be magnified? How would love and godliness be promoted? How would others be affected?

Comparing Brauns' theology of conditional forgiveness (the idea that believers should only forgive those who are repentant) with the plain reading of Scripture itself, I just can't get the two to square.

Forgiving those who have hurt us is one of the biggest hurdles for anyone - including Christians. Chris Brauns book will touch some tender buttons, especially for those who have been seriously hurt or abused by others, whether through words, or physically.



Brauns takes us through a scriptural journey of forgiveness, its biblical definition, how we are to forgive and how we are to cope with those who hurt us and are yet unrepentant.



Braun's key definition of forgiveness is a commitment by the offended to pardon graciously the repentant from moral liability and to be reconciled to that person, although not all consequences are necessarily eliminated.

We are to forgive as God forgave us. One of the points that Brauns makes early on is that forgiveness is dependant upon repentance - you cannot forgive until the one who has done something against has repent. God's forgiveness is dependant on those who repent.


I understand Braun's point and agree with it. However, I would have liked him to have unpacked more the connection between forgiveness and loving your enemy. By definition, an enemy has not repented - but Jesus calls us to love our enemy - to pray for them and to do good to them. Can we do such things WITHOUT having forgiven our enemy first, even in our own heart?


One thing Braun's does make clear - Christians should respond in two ways to unrepentant offenders - #1 - resolve not to take revenge; #2 - proactively love.


Also, Braun makes an interesting claim on pg 145. He argues that forgiveness is dependent upon repentance. But what about Jesus on the cross - Father forgive them says Jesus. He writes:


Jesus did not forgive them. If you think carefully about this passage, you will see this is the case. Jesus prayed that those who crucified him would be forgiven in the future - he did not thank God that they were already forgiven. If they had already been forgiven, such a prayer would have been superfluous.

Mmmmm. Not sure about that. I need to give that some thought.

However, overall this is a very useful book.