First Page
134
Last Page
141
Abstract
“I can never forgive him!” Angry tears rolled down her face as she spat out the words. “He lied about me in court, turned my children against me, and refuses to protect them from physical and sexual abuse! How can I forget these terrible things and excuse his behavior?” I listened as she vented her anger and frustration. Then, after the emotion was spent, I asked if I could share what I have learned about forgiveness, what it is and what it isn’t. Eventually through many tears and prayers, this woman was set free from the bitterness of her situation. She experienced God in a new way through the healing power of pardon.
In fact, Christianity is distinguished from all other religions by its teaching on forgiveness. No other religion has a loving, creator God who died a cruel death so that forgiveness of sin can occur. No other religion instructs its followers to extend that same forgiveness to others.
Webster’s New World Dictionary defines “forgive” as (1) to give up resentment against or the desire to punish; stop being angry with (2) to give up all claim to punish or exact penalty for an offense (3) to cancel or remit (a debt). This article will discuss these three aspects of forgiveness and three main fallacies circulating about forgiveness.
Recommended Citation
Payne, Susan
(2024)
"The Healing Power of Forgiveness,"
Journal of Adventist Mission Studies:
Vol. 20:
No.
2, 134-141.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32597/1553-9881.1575
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/jams/vol20/iss2/9
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.32597/1553-9881.1575