Biblical Boundaries of Forgiveness

Book excerpt: In a well-researched and ethical study, Vee Chandler, PhD combines insight gathered from the writings of scholars and Christian philosophers with personal observations and biblical perspectives to examine the nature and value of forgiveness and help those struggling with the concepts of repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Dr. Chandler begins by exploring key questions such as When does God forgive and not forgive? and What is God’s wrath and mercy? and then attempts to answer these questions by first defining terms according to their scriptural usage and then examining the relationship between repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation according to the biblical model. In the second section, Dr. Chandler exegetically scrutinizes scriptural texts related to interpersonal forgiveness as well as passages concerning how God’s people should relate to their enemies and to evil persons. In conclusion, Dr. Chandler examines the ethics of forgiveness from a moral and philosophical point of view, and ultimately establishes a model for forgiveness and reconciliation based on the biblical pattern and defended from a logical and ethical perspective. Biblical Boundaries of Forgiveness embraces the contribution of Christian philosophers while examining the nature and value of forgiveness from spiritual and moral viewpoints.