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Question on the Holy Spirit forgiving sins

July 21st, 2015

James Toland
July 20, 2015 · Hudsonville, MI

Question I just received “Jesus has forgiven sins on earth. Can the Holy Spirit specifically forgive sins? How?” The first part I assume is “yes” as Jesus could forgive sins because He was God and since the Holy Spirit is also God He could too. It’s the “How” I am unsure of as I don’t recall scripture discussing this. Thoughts?

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  • Kris Cadogan Initial thoughts: I would say that i guess technically he can forgive sins since as you mention he is God but it doesn’t seem to be his primary role within the Trinity. Unless of course when one member of the Trinity forgives a person of his/her sins it denotes that the other two members “agree” because they are always in agreement with the decisions of the other members. E.g When Jesus forgives, it means that both God the Father and the Holy Spirit would also be in agreement regarding this person being forgiven. I could be wrong though lol more research is needed .
    14 hrs · Like · 1
  • James Toland Thank you. Great thoughts.
    14 hrs · Like
  • Lincoln Bostick I think about how we are told not to grieve, quench or resist the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19, Ephesians 4:30), so to me it’s not a stretch to say He forgives those who confess, that they have grieved Him with sin, or quenched His convicting about sin. Just a thought.
    14 hrs · Edited · Like · 1
  • Joseph Ford The Father forgives (1 John 1:9), the Son cleanses (1 John 1:7), the Holy Spirit convicts (John 16:8).
    13 hrs · Like · 2
  • Patrick Thompson I like (John 16) where Jesus said, ‘When he(the Holy Spirit) is come he will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment’. When we consider what an act of humiliation and of humbling took place when the Son was born as a babe in bethlehem! But is is an equal act of humiliation for the third Person of the Trinity to come and to dwell in us. ‘Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost (1st Corinthians 6:19). He comes within us and we can grieve Him. Put that by the side of the incarnation and the humbling that takes place that we have been rescued, redeemed, and raised up to be the children of God. As we see in (John 14) our Lord says that He will ‘send the Comforter’, and, as the result of that, the Father and He will dwell within us. The three are always working together.

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