Repentance, Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Senior 2 · Religion and Ethics
Repentance, Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Lesson 2 of 5
20 min
Forgiveness is at the heart of Christianity. Christians believe that God forgives everyone who sincerely repents, and that people who have been forgiven by God must forgive others. Every time Christians pray the Lord's Prayer, they ask for both.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
After King David did a great wrong, he prayed: "Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10). Christians see this psalm as a model prayer of repentance.
Christians believe that God's forgiveness comes through Jesus Christ, who died "for our sins" (1 Corinthians 15:3).
Jesus told a story. A younger son took his share of his father's property, went to a far country and wasted it all. When a famine came, he was reduced to feeding pigs and was hungry. He came to his senses and decided:
"I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”" (Luke 15:18–19)
But the father did not wait for an apology:
"But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him." (Luke 15:20)
The father gave him the best robe, a ring and sandals, and held a feast: "for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found." (Luke 15:24). The elder brother was angry and refused to join the celebration.
What the parable teaches:
Zacchaeus was a rich tax collector who had cheated people. After meeting Jesus he said:
"Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much." (Luke 19:8)
Jesus answered: "Today, salvation has come to this house" (Luke 19:9). True repentance includes restitution: repairing the harm done.
In the Lord's Prayer Jesus taught: "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors." (Matthew 6:12). He added: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." (Matthew 6:14). Trespasses means wrongs.
When Peter asked whether he should forgive a brother seven times, Jesus answered: "I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:22), meaning without limit.
On the cross, Jesus prayed for the people who were killing him: "Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34). Paul summed up the teaching: "be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)
Question: What does the parable of the lost son teach Christians about repentance and forgiveness? (4 marks)
Model answer: About repentance: the son recognised his wrong, returned home and confessed, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight" (Luke 15:18), so repentance means turning back and admitting one's sin honestly (2 marks). About forgiveness: the father ran to meet him, embraced him and restored his dignity with a robe and a ring (Luke 15:20–22), showing that God forgives generously; the elder brother's anger warns Christians not to resent those whom God forgives (2 marks).
Tip
Memory hook. Four Bible stories on forgiveness: the Son who returned (Luke 15), Zacchaeus who repaid (Luke 19), Peter's question, seventy times seven (Matthew 18), and the Cross, "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23). Remember S-Z-P-C.
What does 1 John 1:9 promise to those who confess their sins?
Answer: that God, who is faithful and righteous, will forgive their sins and cleanse them from all unrighteousness.
In the parable of the lost son, what did the father give his son when he returned?
Answer: the best robe, a ring, sandals, and a feast with the fattened calf.
How did Zacchaeus show that his repentance was real?
Answer: he gave half of his goods to the poor and promised to repay four times as much to anyone he had cheated.
What did Jesus mean by "seventy times seven"?
Answer: that Christians should forgive without limit, not keep count.
Name one difference between how Catholics and many Protestants confess their sins.
Answer: Catholics may confess to a priest in the sacrament of Reconciliation and receive absolution; many Protestants confess directly to God in personal prayer and in worship.
Remember
Sources and credits
