Bruce Bumgardner

One of the most challenging concepts for Christians to comprehend, accept and apply is the concept of forgiveness. We are most happy to accept God’s forgiveness of us but we are often very reluctant to extend forgiveness to others. Without a thorough understanding of the idea of forgiveness, both God’s forgiveness of us, and our responsibility to forgive one another, it is almost a sure thing that we will find ourselves stuck in spiritual rut.

This paper will highlight the significance of the believer’s forgiveness of sins committed against him and its relationship to the ongoing process of experiential sanctification. A refusal to engage in interpersonal forgiveness will result in the believer living perpetually out of fellowship with God. ...