Can Humans Forgive Sins the Way Jesus Did?

This question arises for many people when they read the Gospels. If Jesus lived on earth as a human being and did not exercise His divine power independently of the Father, does that mean that any person can forgive sins just as He did? The Bible paints a more precise picture. Christ truly became human and lived a dependent life of faith, yet He remained the divine Son. Therefore, the authority to forgive sins belongs to God alone, even though humans are entrusted with proclaiming God's forgiveness and forgiving one another.

Why Only God Can Forgive Sins

There is a very telling story in the Gospel. When a paralytic was brought to Jesus, Christ first told him that his sins were forgiven. The religious leaders were immediately indignant, because they understood an important spiritual principle.

“Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7)

Interestingly, Jesus did not tell them they were wrong in that assertion. Their premise was correct: the forgiveness of sins truly is God's prerogative. But they were mistaken about one crucial point: they did not recognize that Jesus is the Son of God.

To prove His authority, Christ performed a miracle:

“‘But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’—He said to the paralytic, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’” (Mark 2:10–11)

The miracle of healing served as visible proof of invisible forgiveness. In this way, Jesus demonstrated that He possessed an authority that belongs only to God.

How Christ Lived on Earth

Seventh-day Adventists believe that Jesus truly lived a life of complete trust in the Father. He did not use His divine power to make His own life easier, but depended entirely on God through prayer and the Holy Spirit.

However, this does not mean that He ceased to be God. His divine nature did not disappear. He remained the same Son of God who came to save the world.

Ellen White explains it this way: Christ took upon Himself human nature, yet His divinity remained combined with humanity. It was precisely because of this that He could accomplish what an ordinary human cannot do, including the forgiveness of sins.

What Jesus’ Words in John 20:23 Mean

Sometimes people bring up another passage and assume that the disciples were given the power to forgive sins:

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:23)

Yet in the context of the Bible, this does not mean the disciples became the source of forgiveness. They were not given the divine authority to remove sin.

The meaning of these words is different. Christ commissioned the church to proclaim the conditions of salvation. When the apostles preached the gospel, they announced God's verdict to people:

• if a person repents and accepts Christ, their sins are forgiven;
• if a person rejects the gospel, their sin remains upon them.

In other words, the church does not originate forgiveness; rather, it bears witness to what God is doing.

The Difference Between God’s Forgiveness and Human Forgiveness

The Bible presents two distinct aspects of forgiveness.

The first aspect is divine forgiveness. Only God can remove the guilt of sin and restore a person before Himself.

“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)

Here it is stated clearly that it is God who forgives and cleanses.

The second aspect is human forgiveness. People are called to forgive one another for personal offenses and wrongs.

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another.” (James 5:16)

Ellen White also emphasizes this principle:

“Confess your sins to God, who only can forgive them, and your faults to one another.”

If someone has sinned against you, you can and should forgive them. But their guilt before God is still wiped away only through repentance and God’s mercy.

The Role of the Church and Believers

Christians are called to take part in the ministry of reconciliation. The apostles and the church preach the gospel, guide people to repentance, and assure them of God’s forgiveness.

When a pastor or a fellow believer says to someone, “God forgives you through Christ,” they are not forgiving the sin themselves. They are simply proclaiming the promise that God has already given in Scripture.

Thus, the church serves as an instrument of God's grace, but not its source.

Conclusion

So, while Jesus lived on earth as a human and showed us the ultimate example of a life of faith, He remained the divine Son. Therefore, the authority to forgive sins belongs to God alone.

Humans cannot remove sin before God. But they can do three very important things: lead people to Christ, proclaim God’s forgiveness through the gospel, and forgive one another for personal offenses.

The practical takeaway is simple: whenever we sin, we need to turn directly to God in repentance. And whenever someone sins against us, we must extend the same mercy that God extends to us. In this way, two dimensions unite in the life of a believer: God’s forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of one another.