Restoration After Forgiveness
Christians are a forgiven and forgiving people. Yet, there is a common misconception when believers forgive others that they are done with the matter. Many falsely believe that they are entitled to have hard feelings toward the guilty party, and that a strained relationship is just the new norm.
Forgiveness is a judicial and relational. We forgive others in our hearts (Matt 18:35) and upon a confession of sin, we grant them judicial forgiveness (Luke 17:3). By forgiving them we release the debt and let go of vengeance, we refuse to replay the wound, refuse to define the other person by the sin, and reaffirm our covenant love for them. We can see this in Psalm 85:1-3. God has forgiven Israel of their sin and by His grace has restored them to the land. God “forgave iniquity,” “covered sin,” “withdrew wrath,” and “turned away His anger.” This is the example set for us when others sin against us. Just like the Lord when we grant forgiveness, we no longer hold their sin against them. Forgiveness deals with the sin.
Now we come to the second part of the psalm. Israel is back in the land from exile, but they are still not experiencing blessing and fruitfulness (4-13). The issue here is restoration. This concept is closely tied to forgiveness. The terms are used together in 2 Cor 5:18-19 in the NT. The nation of Israel is experiencing hardship, a lack of blessing, weakness, coldness, and a sense of distance from God. Restoration with God comes from continued repentance, love, and obedience on Israel’s part, and continued grace on God’s part. We can see that the psalmist asks God to revive their spiritual life (4-7), renew their fellowship with Him (8-9), and receive His blessings (10-13). Restoration deals with rebuilding the relationship.
Restoration takes time and involves a commitment to each other. The offended party showing love and grace (Gal 6:1), and the offending party demonstrating repentance and consistency. The end goal is that both parties renew their Christlike love for one another and over time a new relationship of trust and righteousness emerges.