Q.-What is the meaning of "administrative forgiveness," and is there any difference between it and "governmental forgiveness"? M. S.
A.-Administrative forgiveness we may find in John 20:23; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 2 Cor. 2:10: it is simply forgiveness administered by disciples according to the authority given them by the Lord, and therefore in His name. It is necessarily also “governmental”, that is, dependent upon conditions which the principles of divine government impose. As a sample of it, Matthew 18:23-35, which is a parable of the kingdom, may be referred to, and baptism for the remission of sins clearly is such a hypothetical conditional forgiveness, based upon the assumption that the supposed disciple shall turn out to be a "disciple indeed." Absolute remission is in God's hands alone.
Yet because “administrative” is always “governmental” forgiveness, it does not follow that the converse of this is true. The latter is, in fact, much wider in application than the former: see Matt. 6:14,15; Luke 6:37,38.
F. W. G.