The God of Israel's gift.
Jan 5, 2021 12:13:18 #
Four thousand years ago the Israelites introduced a novel concept to the world: God is good. As clichéd as this phrase may sound, it should not be taken for granted. The numerous gods worshipped in the ancient world were terrifying, not compassionate. There is one Hebrew word which is the key to God’s goodness…
God’s Exceptional Forgiveness
According to the Hebrew Bible, God’s fundamental goodness is expressed through his willingness to forgive sin. No sin is too great to be forgiven by God. Even terrible deeds such as David’s sin with Bathsheba are readily forgiven by God, provided the sinner repents sincerely. The divine ability to forgive sin is so important that the Hebrew language contains a special word for it: סלח salakh.
Two Words for Forgive
Although the word “forgive” appears about 200 times in your Bible, salakh only appears 50 times – always when God is forgiving human sins. Moses beseeches God, “Forgive the iniquity of this people” (Num. 14:19). However, when humans forgive one another, the Bible uses other words. Jacob asks Joseph, “Forgive the transgressions of your brothers and their sin” (Gen. 50:17). In the original Hebrew, the word “forgive” is nasa which means “to lift up” the sin.
Cut Through the Fog of Translation
The distinction is clear. Humans can lighten the load of transgressions, but only God can definitively wipe the slate clean. Reading the Bible in translation you have no sense that there is a difference between how God forgives humanity’s sins and how people forgive one another. Enroll in our live online Biblical Hebrew course to get the insider’s perspective on Scripture!
God’s Exceptional Forgiveness
According to the Hebrew Bible, God’s fundamental goodness is expressed through his willingness to forgive sin. No sin is too great to be forgiven by God. Even terrible deeds such as David’s sin with Bathsheba are readily forgiven by God, provided the sinner repents sincerely. The divine ability to forgive sin is so important that the Hebrew language contains a special word for it: סלח salakh.
Two Words for Forgive
Although the word “forgive” appears about 200 times in your Bible, salakh only appears 50 times – always when God is forgiving human sins. Moses beseeches God, “Forgive the iniquity of this people” (Num. 14:19). However, when humans forgive one another, the Bible uses other words. Jacob asks Joseph, “Forgive the transgressions of your brothers and their sin” (Gen. 50:17). In the original Hebrew, the word “forgive” is nasa which means “to lift up” the sin.
Cut Through the Fog of Translation
The distinction is clear. Humans can lighten the load of transgressions, but only God can definitively wipe the slate clean. Reading the Bible in translation you have no sense that there is a difference between how God forgives humanity’s sins and how people forgive one another. Enroll in our live online Biblical Hebrew course to get the insider’s perspective on Scripture!
Jan 5, 2021 17:27:01 #
Excellent clarification of the unique nature of the One True God, and His willingness to forgive sin, bahmer. 
Understanding the profound distinction between our human struggle with forgiving others, and God's innate goodness as He forgives any and all sins whenever we acknowledge our sin and repent, is instrumental to our acknowledgement that He is God, and we are not.
In Acts 10:43, we are told God forgives all our sin, past, present and future, when a person becomes a Christian, in what out theologians have labeled "positional forgiveness."
"Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." (Acts 10:43)
According to Romans 4:2-3, the Old Testament saints had been forgiven in the same way:
"If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
Romans 1:17
"For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
While understanding that all sin is against God and only He can forgive and blot out our sin, believers should in all humility (the hardest part) attempt to forgive those who offend us, by emulating Jesus as He immediately asked His father to forgive those who crucified Him, even though they were completely unrepentant, and were casting lots for His garments of clothing. (Luke 23:34)
...for Jesus, in His humanity said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Also, Stephen, the 1st Christian martyr, forgave those who were in the act of stoning him, without their apologizing or requesting his forgiveness for their offense against him. (Acts 7:60)
We are to the best of our ability to humbly forgive all offenses committed against us, unilaterally and unconditionally, by swallowing our pride and wounded emotions, even if the offending individual does not immediately apologize or never apologizes.
How can we avoid bitterness if we are unwilling to forgive others as God has forgiven us? (Ephesians 4:31-32)
We release the offending individual from the offense that we feel. We cannot forgive sin because only God forgives sins, however Ephesians 4:32 refers not to a method or process, but to an attitude of humbly forgiving others.
Only in this way can we hope to reflect the glory of the goodness of our unique One True God to a watching, perishing world.
Understanding the profound distinction between our human struggle with forgiving others, and God's innate goodness as He forgives any and all sins whenever we acknowledge our sin and repent, is instrumental to our acknowledgement that He is God, and we are not.
In Acts 10:43, we are told God forgives all our sin, past, present and future, when a person becomes a Christian, in what out theologians have labeled "positional forgiveness."
"Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." (Acts 10:43)
According to Romans 4:2-3, the Old Testament saints had been forgiven in the same way:
"If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
Romans 1:17
"For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
While understanding that all sin is against God and only He can forgive and blot out our sin, believers should in all humility (the hardest part) attempt to forgive those who offend us, by emulating Jesus as He immediately asked His father to forgive those who crucified Him, even though they were completely unrepentant, and were casting lots for His garments of clothing. (Luke 23:34)
...for Jesus, in His humanity said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Also, Stephen, the 1st Christian martyr, forgave those who were in the act of stoning him, without their apologizing or requesting his forgiveness for their offense against him. (Acts 7:60)
We are to the best of our ability to humbly forgive all offenses committed against us, unilaterally and unconditionally, by swallowing our pride and wounded emotions, even if the offending individual does not immediately apologize or never apologizes.
How can we avoid bitterness if we are unwilling to forgive others as God has forgiven us? (Ephesians 4:31-32)
We release the offending individual from the offense that we feel. We cannot forgive sin because only God forgives sins, however Ephesians 4:32 refers not to a method or process, but to an attitude of humbly forgiving others.
Only in this way can we hope to reflect the glory of the goodness of our unique One True God to a watching, perishing world.
bahmer wrote:
Four thousand years ago the Israelites introduced ... (show quote)
Jan 6, 2021 06:39:07 #
bahmer wrote:
Four thousand years ago the Israelites introduced ... (show quote)
How often was Salahk used in connection with Christ???
A fascinating fact... Thanks
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