Recently I was involved in a conversation with a friend who was asking me several questions on Bible topics, almost as though he had a list prepared ahead of time. It was a fun conversation in many ways since the guy seemed genuinely interested. We came to his last point, and this time his demeanor changed, almost as though he wasn’t sure he really wanted to bring the subject up at all. Reluctantly he asked, “Just how far is this forgiveness stuff supposed to go? Am I really expected to forgive people?”

I answered him the way I have been answering this question for decades: “That depends: How much do you want God to forgive you?”

Funny thing: I’ve never made anyone happy with that answer.

“So, I am really supposed to just forgive everyone, huh? Where does it say that?”

My friend was asking me some very fair and reasonable questions in this exchange, possibly some of the most common questions I have been asked over the decades I’ve been teaching. To be perfectly honest, they are questions I’ve asked… and have resisted learning and accepting the answers to.

My original answer to the Lord on the forgiveness question was something like: “OK, fine, Lord, I’ll forgive them. But just to be clear, do I retaliate first, or after I forgive them?”

Please understand, I was quite serious. At least some of the wrongs I have endured are like this, even if most of those things weren’t really that serious… right?

If you’ve ever been asked these kinds of questions, or if you have done the asking, as I have, this study is for you! We will consider all the Greek words used in this context, their specific meanings, and the key places where they are used. We’ll discuss some of the misunderstandings on the subject and take an objective and even purely practical look at the subject. I’m quite confident that you’ll find, by the time we’re done, the answers to the forgiveness questions are very clear in Scripture.

We’ll be starting our exciting adventure of discovery in earnest next time; see you then!