(Source: https://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/christia/twoaspet.htm)
The FORGIVENESS “That through His Name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission [forgiveness] of sins” (Acts 10:43). | The FORGIVENESS “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). |
Some Key Verses: Luke 24:47 | Some Key Verses: 1 John 1:9 |
The person who needs this forgiveness: | The person who needs this forgiveness: |
The basis of this forgiveness: | The basis of this forgiveness: |
The condition (what must the unsaved person do?): BELIEVE (Acts 10:43) | The condition (what must the believer do?): CONFESS (1 John 1:9). |
The result: “clean every whit” (clean every bit! cleansed completely and entirely so that all sins are forgiven–past, present and future)–John 13:10 and see Colossians 2:13. | The Result: the believer’s feet are cleansed (cleansed from the defilement that comes from walking in this world)–John 13:8-10 |
Without this forgiveness the person will DIE IN HIS SINS (John 8:24). | Without this forgiveness the believer can have no “PART” (partnership, fellowship, sharing in common) with Christ (John 13:8 and 1 John 1:5). |
This forgiveness is needed and received ONCE FOR ALL (at the point of salvation). | This forgiveness is needed and received REPEATEDLY throughout the Christian life. |
The person who is not forgiven does not have salvation–his sins are retained (John 20:23). | The person who is not forgiven does not enjoy the salvation that he has (Psalm 51:12). |
The person who does not claim this forgiveness will be CONDEMNED | The person who does not claim this forgiveness will be CHASTENED |
This involves a person’s eternal standing with God. | This involves the believer’s actual walk in time. |
Those who claim this forgiveness are “IN CHRIST” (Eph. 1:7). (This relates to the believer’s | Those who claim this forgiveness are “WALKING IN THE LIGHT” (1 John 1:7). (This related to the believer’s |
William MacDonald, in his book Here’s the Difference [published by Gospel Folio Press], has a chapter in which he carefully distinguishes between these two aspects of forgiveness (see Chapter 7). He calls these two aspects “judicial forgiveness” (salvation forgiveness) and “parental forgiveness” (fellowship forgiveness). On page 51 of the above mentioned book, he presents a similar chart in which he makes the following comparisons and contrasts between these two aspects of forgiveness:
| Judicial | Parental |
The Person’s Status | Sinner | Child |
Relationship of God | Judge | Father |
Result of sin | Eternal Death | Broken Fellowship |
Role of Christ | Savior | High Priest and Advocate |
The Person’s Need | Salvation | Joy of salvation |
Means of Forgiveness | Faith | Confession |
Kind of Forgiveness | Judicial | Parental |
Consequence Averted | Hell | Chastening |
Positive Result | New relationship | Renewed fellowship |
Frequency | Once for all (one bath of regeneration) | Many times |
William Newell, faithful servant of Christ in the 20th century, wrote this:
It is well to remember constantly that we who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ have an Advocate with the Father; and that it is, “if any man sin, we have an Advocate.” Also, as in Peter’s case (Luke 22:31-32) our Lord prays for us before Satan is even allowed to sift us! Also, that we have already been forgiven all our trespasses once and for all (Eph. 1:7; Col. 2:13) so far as the pardon of the Judge is concerned. There is now “no condemnation” (Rom. 8:1; John 5:24). It is the forgiveness of fellowship of which God speaks in 1 John 1:9, forgiveness by the Father of His child, not to be confused with the once-for-all act of the Judge (emphasis mine). [Revelation–A Complete Commentary, pages 178-179]
