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We all want forgiveness from God, and God teaches us to forgive those who have sinned against us. However, there is a verse in the Bible that says that the forgiveness of sinners is an abomination before God. The following question refers to such situations:
Peace, Pastor Vasile. Do I understand that the text of Proverbs 17:15 does not apply to the love and forgiveness of the enemy or the person who hurts me? Or does it refer only to the action and the moment when two have a conflict, and the sinner is defended but the innocent one is condemned?
I will first quote the text as we find it in the Bible:
He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. (Proverbs 17:15)(NASB)
The word that is translated in this verse as “forgive” is the Hebrew TSADAQ, which has the meaning of right, justified, unjust, and in this verse has the meaning to justify and declare innocent the one who is guilty. When this happens in a conflict between two people, it is obvious that since the culprit has been declared innocent, the guilt will fall on the innocent, and the man who does so is an abomination or detestable before God. To better understand, I will quote the same verse in two languages below in the hope that you will understand one of them:
In Romanian is translated:
Cel ce iartă pe vinovat şi osândeşte pe cel nevinovat, sunt amândoi o scârbă înaintea Domnului.
In Russian is translated:
Оправдывающий нечестивого и обвиняющий праведного — оба мерзость пред Господом.
I hope you better understand what is being considered now. This verse does not apply to the situation when someone has wronged you and has become guilty before you, and you choose to forgive him, but to the situation when you see clearly that someone is guilty, but you say he is not guilty, or when you see well that a person is not guilty, but you declare them guilty. Both are an abomination to God, and we must be afraid to proceed in this way.
It is necessary here to say that we have all been guilty before God of sins committed by deed, word, or thought, and that our sins are so grievous that the punishment of eternal destruction from God awaits us. But the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God, in His great love for us, chose to leave the glory of heaven, to take on flesh, and to come to this earth to pay for our sins with His death. He took upon Himself our sins and justified us before God. Now, whoever believes in Him with all his heart and chooses to be His disciple and follow His teaching as we find it written in the pages of the New Testament, receives the forgiveness of sins and is justified before God. He who repents with all his heart and becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ is no longer considered a sinner before God, because he was justified by Jesus and will receive eternal life. I chose to be a disciple of Jesus Christ when I learned the Gospel. I was 20 years old, and it was the most blessed and important decision I made in my life. Now I live by the grace of God and have the hope of eternal life. I invite you to make this decision today and from now on to live as a disciple of Christ and follow His teaching. If you have made this decision, then you must become connected with a church, for this is what Jesus Christ commanded. If you live in Chisinau, you are very welcome at the “Buna Vestire” church, where divine services are held every Sunday at 14:00 and every Tuesday and Thursday at 18:00. Our address is 2/8 Ciocârliei Street. From the television go on Lech Kaczynski Street to the traffic light. Then walk down the street, past the blocks of flats and on the right you will see the blue tower of the church. We are always waiting for you with joy.
Translated by Didina Vicliuc