Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds

Chris Brauns (DMin, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) is the senior pastor at the Red Brick Church in Stillman Valley, Illinois. He has served in pastoral ministry for over 30 years. His books include Unpacking Forgiveness and When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search.

Jesus’ purchase of our forgiveness on the cross is one of the most pivotal themes of the Bible. But for many Christians, especially those who are in the midst of a serious conflict with someone, the topic of how to approach forgiveness biblically is a challenging one. In his first book, Unpacking Forgiveness, Chris Brauns carefully lays out the reasons why true, biblical forgiveness is more complicated than many think, and also argues convincingly that it is an essential characteristic of a committed, forgiven, follower of Christ.

The book begins with a quiz which identifies many of the most commonly-held misconceptions of forgiveness held by many Christians. Significant among them is the idea that we can or must forgive those who have not asked for or demonstrated repentance. Brauns offers up his own definition, based upon the language of Paul and others throughout Scripture, namely, that forgiveness is “a commitment by the offended to pardon graciously the repentant from moral liability and to be reconciled to that person, although not all consequences are necessarily eliminated.” He then proceeds to “unpack” this definition, using a number of Scriptural texts as well as stories and anecdotes from his experience as a counselor and pastor.

Braun’s style is clear and easy to understand, and the many interesting stories he tells serve to make the book truly compelling reading. But even more compelling is the way he clearly teaches from Scripture what true forgiveness looks like and how giving and receiving it can be the key to greater joy and effectiveness as a believer.

For any Christian who has ever needed forgiveness, or who is struggling to offer it to someone else, this is a must read book. – Rachael Starke, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com

"Unpacking Forgiveness provides the perspective needed to liberate you from past relational pains, present relational tensions, and future relational fears. This is a book that needs to be read. This is a book that needs to be lived."
-Tullian Tchividjian, Founding Pastor of New City Church and author of Do I Know God?

Chris Brauns is senior pastor at the Congregational Christian Church of Stillman Valley, Illinois. He earned his MBA from Northern Iowa University, MDiv from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and DMin from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

"True or false: most Christian pastors and counselors agree on what forgiveness is and how it should take place." The answer is false; the truth is that pastors and counselors disagree profoundly on this subject. And so do the people at your office, in the pews of your church, and maybe even within your own home. Unpacking Forgiveness, by Chris Brauns, opens with an eight question, true-false quiz designed to guide readers to the heart of our confusion about forgiveness. But where the quiz raises questions, the book provides answers.
What is most true about forgiveness is that it can only be understood in light of Scripture. "Only God's Word can unpack forgiveness," explains Brauns. "The wounds are too deep for us to find healing on our own, and the questions are too complex to be unraveled by anything but the wisdom of God." Unpacking Forgiveness may surprise you, because it goes beyond a feel-good doctrine of automatic forgiveness, balancing the beauty of God’s grace and the necessity of forgiveness with the teaching that forgiveness must take place in a way that is consistent with justice. If you’ve sensed that forgiveness really needs to be unpacked — both in theory and in practice, then Brauns’s book is for you.