Forgiveness

“Doesn’t everyone know what forgiveness is? Why, when someone has wronged me, I expect him to come and apologize. Then I tell him, ‘That’s OK.’ That’s forgiveness isn’t it?” (Adams, Jay. “What Is Forgiveness?”)

“How may I, a sinner, draw near to God in whom there is no sin, and look upon His face in peace? This is the great question which, at some time or other, every one of us has asked. This is one of the awful problems which man in all ages has been attempting to solve.” (Bonar, Horatius. “How Shall A Man Be Right With God?”)

“Blessed are they whose iniquity is forgiven. This exclamation springs from the fervent affection of the Psalmist's heart as well as from serious consideration. Since almost the whole world turning away their thoughts from God's judgment, bring upon themselves a fatal forgetfulness, and intoxicate themselves with deceitful pleasures; David, as if he had been stricken with the fear of God's wrath, that he might betake himself to Divine mercy, awakens others also to the same exercise, by declaring distinctly and loudly that those only are blessed to whom God is reconciled, so as to acknowledge those for his children whom he might justly treat as his enemies.” (Calvin, Jean. “Blessed Are They Whose Iniquity Is Forgiven.”)

“Self-actualized people (those who are complete and happy in themselves with no external approval needed) supposedly have risen above the Biblical analogy of a son seeking to please his father. We are to be whole, complete and fulfilled people without reference to our behavior or other people's (or God's) expectations and hopes about our actions and attitudes toward them. “Accept me as I am, or take a hike” many brazenly declare.” (Dewaay, Bob. “Forgiveness, God’s Remedy for Human Failure.” )

“Pop psychology promotes self-forgiveness so that people will feel better about themselves emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Yet it does not matter how good one feels toward oneself, if God does not share the same feelings!” (Holdridge, Donald. “Is Self-forgiveness Biblical Forgiveness?”)

“The curse which Christ bore upon the cross was not a curse that wrongly rested upon Him; it was not a curse pronounced upon Him by some wicked human law. No, it was the curse of God's law; it was a curse, therefore, — we tremble as we say it, but the Scripture compels us to say it — it was a curse that rightly rested upon Him. But if that be so, there can be no doubt but that the substitutionary atonement is taught in Scripture. “ (Machen, J. Gresham. “The Atonement.”)

“God provided in Christ what God demanded from us in the law. But today this good news that Christ is not only our pardon but also our perfection is under serious attack. Here I hope to show not only that the doctrine of the imputation of Christ's righteousness is biblical but why we should defend it.” (Piper, John and Taylor, Justin. “What God Requires, Christ Provides.”)

“Granting for a moment that you want pardon and forgiveness, what ought you to do? Whither will you go? Which way will you turn?” Ryle, J.C. “Forgiveness.” (part 1, part 2)