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Forgiveness
Gary Inrig brings wonderful breadth, depth, and balance to a very difficult subject: forgiveness. As one 83-year-old theologian, Rev. Herb VanderLugt, says, "This is the best book on the subject I have ever read." Whether it's living forgiven, learning to forgive, what to do when an offender refuses to request forgiveness, whether we're asking, giving, or waiting for forgiveness, this book covers the subject with Inrig's on-the-mark illustrations and solid biblical teaching. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of the subject of forgiveness to the Christian faith. If the Bible makes it clear that Christians are forgiven people, it also makes it clear that we are to be forgiving people. How and when do we do that? What does it look like?
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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84 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 31, 2023
What are the marks of genuine repentance? What do we do when someone truly repents? If I repent and others forgive me, does that cancel all consequences? Does repentance immediately produce reconciliation or restoration? Author Gary Inrig explores all those questions and more in this 242-page, deeply penetrating exploration of a subject extremely easy to talk about but almost impossible to produce in our own lives: forgiveness.
In that regard, California pastor Inrig writes, “Those questions become urgent when I face the issue of my own or someone else’s failure.” To that end, Inrig probes the nature of repentance and what it really involves. The author outlines the characteristics of true repentance while asking the question, “Is (true repentance) the same thing as an apology? Is it something more? Does restitution have any part?”
In these pages, Inrig’s readers will “discover the power and reality of authentic Christian forgiveness.” The bottom line, Inrig’s central idea: “forgiven people must be forgiving people.” In this reviewer’s view, “Forgiveness” should be required reading for any Christ-follower. In fact, its pages should be read and re-read, over-and-over, on at least a monthly if not weekly basis. It is just that critical.
In that regard, California pastor Inrig writes, “Those questions become urgent when I face the issue of my own or someone else’s failure.” To that end, Inrig probes the nature of repentance and what it really involves. The author outlines the characteristics of true repentance while asking the question, “Is (true repentance) the same thing as an apology? Is it something more? Does restitution have any part?”
In these pages, Inrig’s readers will “discover the power and reality of authentic Christian forgiveness.” The bottom line, Inrig’s central idea: “forgiven people must be forgiving people.” In this reviewer’s view, “Forgiveness” should be required reading for any Christ-follower. In fact, its pages should be read and re-read, over-and-over, on at least a monthly if not weekly basis. It is just that critical.
October 18, 2020
A well-meaning person gave this to me so I rather begrudgingly read it. It's pretty long-winded, though, and keeps making the same point long after I got it, so I skimmed a few parts. I would say I read most of it. As I am in the middle of the aftermath, and every day faced with the consequences--instead of being on the other side, where I can see all the good that came of it--forgiveness has been pretty challenging.
There's nothing here that hasn't been said before. I understand on an intellectual level, but it never seems to get to my heart. Everything I've read on forgiveness: "It's a command, not an suggestion; forgive as we have been forgiven; if we don't forgive, we won't be forgiven" is like telling a person with an anxiety disorder to not be anxious and expecting them to say, "Okay! I'm no longer anxious!!! Wow! This is great! I'm free." Nope. It doesn't work like that. It takes a lot of prayer and time and healing. The Holy Spirit's power to help us is not really mentioned much, and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to do it alone, so. This wasn't anything new and it kind of added a layer of shame to an already difficult struggle.
There's nothing here that hasn't been said before. I understand on an intellectual level, but it never seems to get to my heart. Everything I've read on forgiveness: "It's a command, not an suggestion; forgive as we have been forgiven; if we don't forgive, we won't be forgiven" is like telling a person with an anxiety disorder to not be anxious and expecting them to say, "Okay! I'm no longer anxious!!! Wow! This is great! I'm free." Nope. It doesn't work like that. It takes a lot of prayer and time and healing. The Holy Spirit's power to help us is not really mentioned much, and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to do it alone, so. This wasn't anything new and it kind of added a layer of shame to an already difficult struggle.
February 7, 2024
this book covers one of the most important parts about Christianity: forgiveness.
I’ve had this book stuffed in my bookshelf for over 10 years! I had never once thought that I would end up loving this book and how essential and thought-provoking it would be. Inrig goes into a deep dive into the principles of forgiveness, here is my favorite line from the book:
“Forgiven people must be forgiving people.”
Ultimately, Jesus is our role model of forgiveness. He was not only physically scorn and beaten, but also misrepresented, betrayed and abandoned by the people and His closest friends. While this, He (the perfect and holy one) was THE model of forgiveness. Believing upon and trusting the Lord Jesus, being forgiven people, how are we choosing to exercise forgiveness to our community, friends, and family?
I highly recommend this read!
I’ve had this book stuffed in my bookshelf for over 10 years! I had never once thought that I would end up loving this book and how essential and thought-provoking it would be. Inrig goes into a deep dive into the principles of forgiveness, here is my favorite line from the book:
“Forgiven people must be forgiving people.”
Ultimately, Jesus is our role model of forgiveness. He was not only physically scorn and beaten, but also misrepresented, betrayed and abandoned by the people and His closest friends. While this, He (the perfect and holy one) was THE model of forgiveness. Believing upon and trusting the Lord Jesus, being forgiven people, how are we choosing to exercise forgiveness to our community, friends, and family?
I highly recommend this read!
July 27, 2022
This book is a must read for anyone struglling with forgiveness.
This is a how to manual which guides you through the biblical yet realistic understanding of forgiveness. It's easy to read with understanding. Once you start reading the book, you want to read more and more. I have often read Joseph story, however, the description that Gary Enrig uses to tell the true story of forgiveness in Joseph life is so intriguing; how he sets the stage that it becomes a visual image as you are reading through the text. After reading this book whatever is not right with someone you are inspired to immediately start the forgiving process. It releases you to move forward.
This is a how to manual which guides you through the biblical yet realistic understanding of forgiveness. It's easy to read with understanding. Once you start reading the book, you want to read more and more. I have often read Joseph story, however, the description that Gary Enrig uses to tell the true story of forgiveness in Joseph life is so intriguing; how he sets the stage that it becomes a visual image as you are reading through the text. After reading this book whatever is not right with someone you are inspired to immediately start the forgiving process. It releases you to move forward.
August 20, 2024
Excellent. Biblical, practical and necessary for the believer and followers of JESUS.
June 10, 2016
This was an interesting but far from perfect look at the issue of Christian Forgiveness. The text starts with an interesting point - is forgiving someone who didn't even hurt you genuine forgiveness? Speaking of the 911 Hijackers and other mass murderers/terrorists, he quotes the article the sin of forgiveness http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB8821485... and points out that equilateral forgiveness is not real forgiveness. Mr. Inrig asks the question of when and how appropriate forgiveness takes place.
After that provocative start he veers into the comfortable territory of the Lord's Prayer and "forgive us our sins", talking for several chapters about the importance of grace and how the forgiveness of our sins should lead inevitably to us forgiving others. He points out that we are in fact commanded to do so, seeming to almost contradict his first point. We spend several chapters on the importance of understanding that we have sinned against God and need to be forgiven, which I am not sure is useful beyond one chapter in a book on this subject. Grace is awesome, but it is also studied much more thoroughly in other texts and perhaps did not deserve so much time here.
Some interesting points that are in the rest of the book:
- Sin requires forgiveness but someone getting on your nerves does not. He points out that people have different personalities, different communication styles, different life styles and that they don't need you to forgive them for being different. All of this of course is within reason. Wife beating or pedophilia or verbal abuse aren't life style choices.
- He lays out the plan in the bible for dealing with someone who has sinned against you. First talk to them alone, then with witnesses and then before the church (if you wish to go that far).
- He has a helpful prayer for how to deal with those who never apologize or who don't do so sincerely.
- He lays out what a sincere repentance looks like. 1) Remorse -Accept the fault. Don't excuse it. (ie - I was tired so. . ) or worse, don't blame it on the other person. (ie - I was wrong to hit you but what you said got me really angry.) A sincere apology accepts YOU did wrong.2) Reversal - the behavior does not become a habit 3) Request - offer a sincere apology 4) Restitution where/when appropriate and 5) Rehabilitation - the changing of your character to avoid repetition.
I found all of that interesting and helpful but don't feel he gave good advice as to how to forgive when you are the clear victim of a repetitive perpetrator. If you can't leave your job but your boss makes your life hell, what are you to do other than pray for a new job or new boss? How should you respond? Do you confront or accept? His basic answer to how to forgive is "just do it", which isn't really advice at all.
So - some good things here but I felt less time should have been spent on grace and more time on "how to".
After that provocative start he veers into the comfortable territory of the Lord's Prayer and "forgive us our sins", talking for several chapters about the importance of grace and how the forgiveness of our sins should lead inevitably to us forgiving others. He points out that we are in fact commanded to do so, seeming to almost contradict his first point. We spend several chapters on the importance of understanding that we have sinned against God and need to be forgiven, which I am not sure is useful beyond one chapter in a book on this subject. Grace is awesome, but it is also studied much more thoroughly in other texts and perhaps did not deserve so much time here.
Some interesting points that are in the rest of the book:
- Sin requires forgiveness but someone getting on your nerves does not. He points out that people have different personalities, different communication styles, different life styles and that they don't need you to forgive them for being different. All of this of course is within reason. Wife beating or pedophilia or verbal abuse aren't life style choices.
- He lays out the plan in the bible for dealing with someone who has sinned against you. First talk to them alone, then with witnesses and then before the church (if you wish to go that far).
- He has a helpful prayer for how to deal with those who never apologize or who don't do so sincerely.
- He lays out what a sincere repentance looks like. 1) Remorse -Accept the fault. Don't excuse it. (ie - I was tired so. . ) or worse, don't blame it on the other person. (ie - I was wrong to hit you but what you said got me really angry.) A sincere apology accepts YOU did wrong.2) Reversal - the behavior does not become a habit 3) Request - offer a sincere apology 4) Restitution where/when appropriate and 5) Rehabilitation - the changing of your character to avoid repetition.
I found all of that interesting and helpful but don't feel he gave good advice as to how to forgive when you are the clear victim of a repetitive perpetrator. If you can't leave your job but your boss makes your life hell, what are you to do other than pray for a new job or new boss? How should you respond? Do you confront or accept? His basic answer to how to forgive is "just do it", which isn't really advice at all.
So - some good things here but I felt less time should have been spent on grace and more time on "how to".
November 12, 2012
"Because sin is an ever-present reality, two things are clear: you need to forgive and you need to be forgiven. But everyone struggles with forgiveness because it often involves heart-wrenching pain.
Since God’s Word requires that forgiven people be forgiving people, how do you get beyond the pain of someone who wrongs you? With fresh insight and practical application, Gary Inrig walks you through the biblical principles of forgiveness toward understanding and healing." (From the Discovery House Publishing Website).
About the Author: Gary Inrig is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and Dallas Theological Seminary. Dr. Inrig is pastor of Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Redlands, California, and has written several other books, including True North, The Parables, and Whole Marriages in a Broken World."
My Thoughts About the Book: The book Forgiveness by Gary Inrig is a literal how-to manual concerning the issue of Forgiveness. In his book, author Inrig shares what a person needs to do in order to experience personal forgiveness in their lives as well as how to forgive others - which in many cases is easier said than done. However, Dr. Inrig clearly makes his case from a solidly Biblical perspective that forgiveness is not only beneficial to the believer but essential for spiritual growth. If you are struggling with the issue of forgiveness in your life I can and do highly recommend this book to you for help in both experiencing forgiveness in your own life personally as well as extending forgiveness to those who have hurt or wronged you.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book at no cost from Discovery House Publishers for review and promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Since God’s Word requires that forgiven people be forgiving people, how do you get beyond the pain of someone who wrongs you? With fresh insight and practical application, Gary Inrig walks you through the biblical principles of forgiveness toward understanding and healing." (From the Discovery House Publishing Website).
About the Author: Gary Inrig is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and Dallas Theological Seminary. Dr. Inrig is pastor of Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Redlands, California, and has written several other books, including True North, The Parables, and Whole Marriages in a Broken World."
My Thoughts About the Book: The book Forgiveness by Gary Inrig is a literal how-to manual concerning the issue of Forgiveness. In his book, author Inrig shares what a person needs to do in order to experience personal forgiveness in their lives as well as how to forgive others - which in many cases is easier said than done. However, Dr. Inrig clearly makes his case from a solidly Biblical perspective that forgiveness is not only beneficial to the believer but essential for spiritual growth. If you are struggling with the issue of forgiveness in your life I can and do highly recommend this book to you for help in both experiencing forgiveness in your own life personally as well as extending forgiveness to those who have hurt or wronged you.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book at no cost from Discovery House Publishers for review and promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
April 23, 2014
"The best reason for forgiving or for seeking forgiveness is that, in this way, we will glorify God and reveal His character to those around us. That is the goal of all Christian living, and when we walk in obedience to Him, our desire to honor Him results in our being in the place where He can most readily bless us. So , as we walk the road of forgiveness, we are imitating Him, and in doing so, honoring Him."
January 11, 2008
Excellent book that presents solid, biblical support for positions on human-to-human forgiveness. The approach is what I term as “judicial,” that is, the focus is on forgiving out of obedience. This approach excels in the focus of obedience and gratitude but is weak on reconciliation.
November 13, 2013
This was a good little book, easy to read. Helpful for identifying and letting go of past and present situations that sometimes want to stay and gnaw at us. Forgiveness to self and others may not always come easily, but it needs to come. And this book is a great tool to help with the process.
January 7, 2014
An excellent book on forgiveness. Many of us have our own idea on forgiving or being forgiven. When you examine your life to the life of Christ, we come up very short. This book shows how a person's life can change by showing the proper kind of forgiveness. A must read for all Christians!
April 22, 2008
I NOW KNOW WHAT TRUE FORGIVENESS IS. MY HEART NOW IS OPENED TO THE CLEANSING, LIBERATION, AND TRANSFORMATION THAT TRUE AND APPROPRIATE FORGIVENESS BRINGS.
October 5, 2008
I just couldn't get into this book so I never finished it. The writer kept belabouring every point and I got impatient!
February 12, 2013
I have a good portion of the book highlighted. It has great biblical insight into forgiveness from all perspectives.
January 11, 2014
THis was a great book to read! It reminds you that the only way to have true peace is to have they type of forgiveness that our Lord Jesus Christ has for us.
March 29, 2014
"Forgiveness is all about the grace of God." The best book I have read on the subject of forgiveness and forgiving. Excellent. Must read.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews