In the context of biblical teachings, the term "overlooks" often refers to the act of God or individuals choosing to disregard or forgive certain offenses or sins. This concept is deeply rooted in the themes of mercy, grace, and forgiveness that permeate the Scriptures.

Divine Forbearance and Mercy

The Bible frequently highlights God's willingness to overlook human transgressions as an expression of His mercy and grace. In Acts 17:30 , the Apostle Paul speaks to the people of Athens, saying, "Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent." This passage underscores the idea that God, in His patience, has chosen to overlook past ignorance, providing humanity with the opportunity for repentance and redemption.

Similarly, in Romans 3:25 , Paul writes about Jesus Christ, "God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance, He had passed over the sins committed beforehand." Here, the concept of overlooking is tied to God's forbearance and the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, which allows for the forgiveness of sins.

Human Forgiveness and Overlooking Offenses

The Bible also encourages believers to emulate God's example by overlooking the offenses of others. Proverbs 19:11 states, "A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense." This verse suggests that wisdom and patience are virtues that enable individuals to forgive and move past the wrongs done to them.

In the New Testament, the call to overlook offenses is further emphasized in the teachings of Jesus. In Matthew 6:14-15 , Jesus instructs, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours." This passage highlights the reciprocal nature of forgiveness and the importance of overlooking the faults of others as a reflection of God's forgiveness toward us.

Practical Application in Christian Life

The act of overlooking offenses is not merely a passive acceptance of wrongdoing but an active choice to extend grace and maintain peace. In Colossians 3:13 , Paul advises believers, "Bear with each other and forgive any complaint you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." This directive encourages Christians to practice forgiveness as a way of life, mirroring the forgiveness they have received from God.

Furthermore, overlooking offenses can be seen as a means of fostering unity and love within the Christian community. In 1 Peter 4:8 , it is written, "Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." This verse suggests that love, as the highest virtue, has the power to overlook and cover sins, promoting harmony and understanding among believers.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of overlooking offenses is a profound expression of God's mercy and a call for believers to practice forgiveness in their relationships. Through divine forbearance and human forgiveness, the Scriptures teach that overlooking transgressions is integral to living a life that reflects God's love and grace.8259. shaqaph -- to overhang, look out or down
... root Definition to overhang, look out or down NASB Word Usage grows (1), look down
(1), looked (6), looked down (8), looks down (3), overlooks* (3). ...
/hebrew/8259.htm - 6k

6440. panim -- face, faces
... 2), meet (6), mind (4), mouth (1), old (1), open (15), openly* (1), opposite* (5),
ours (1), outer (1), outran* (1), over (3), over* (1), overlooks* (2), own (1 ...
/hebrew/6440.htm - 8k

5921. al -- upon, above, over
... 1), off (6), off* (5), opposed (1), opposite (1), opposite* (4), ornamented* (1),
over (538), over* (6), overflowing* (1), overflows* (1), overlooks* (3), part ...
/hebrew/5921.htm - 8k

Nature of Church History.
... A view of history which overlooks or undervalues the divine factor starts from deism
and consistently runs into atheism; while the opposite view, which ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 1 nature of church.htm

Wesley's Hymns Reconsidered
... iambic line: Who is this gigantic foe. That proudly stalks along,. Overlooks
the crowd below,. In brazen armour strong? Notice the ...
/.../the hymns of wesley and watts five papers/wesleys hymns reconsidered.htm

section second.
... more easily won, and a hearing secured for whatever one has to say in the way of
admonition and rebuke, if it appears that he nowise overlooks or undervalues ...
/.../the epistle of paul to the philippians practically explained/section second.htm

Tendencies of Religious Thought in England, 1688-1750.
... the balance of probability according to the best of its judgment"this theory, defers
indeed to the abstract laws of logic, but overlooks the influences of ...
/.../tendencies of religious thought in.htm

Righteous Grace
... holiness. The inquirer who is only half in earnest overlooks this. His feelings
are moved, but his conscience is not roused. Hence ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bonar/gods way of peace/chapter iv righteous grace.htm

Restoring the Creator-Creature Relation
... rebellion. This story overlooks the legal aspects of redemption, but it makes
beautifully clear the experiential aspects of salvation. ...
/.../tozer/the pursuit of god/viii restoring the creator-creature relation.htm

Examples from among the Heathen, as Well as from the Church, to ...
... [572] ??gium (Jos. Scaliger, in Oehler). [573] But Tertullian overlooks the fact
that both Ovid and Virgil represent her as more than willing to marry ??neas. ...
/.../tertullian/on exhortation to chastity/chapter xiii examples from among the.htm

Behold all Ye that Kindle a Fire, that Compass Yourselves About ...
... If any man overlooks this, and undertakes to deal with mankind as if they were not
selfish, but were disinterested, he will be thought deranged. II. ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/behold all ye that kindle.htm

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prophets and Apostles.
... It overlooks the fact so clearly stated and carefully elucidated that while there
is "the same Spirit" there are "diversities of gifts" "diversities of ...
/.../torrey/the person and work of the holy spirit/chapter xxi the work of.htm

The Prophet Hosea.
... But this mode of argumentation entirely overlooks the position which the pious in
Israel generally, and the prophets especially, occupied in reference to Judah ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet hosea.htm

Overlooks (6 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Overlooks (6 Occurrences). ... Proverbs 12:16 A fool shows
his annoyance the same day, but one who overlooks an insult is prudent. ...
/o/overlooks.htm - 8k

Overlooking (11 Occurrences)

/o/overlooking.htm - 10k

Nazareth (29 Occurrences)
... is obtained, and accordingly they derive it from the Hebrew notserah, ie, one guarding
or watching, thus designating the hill which overlooks and thus guards ...
/n/nazareth.htm - 24k

Overseer (84 Occurrences)
... o-ver-se'-er, or -ser': One who overlooks, inspects; in the Old Testament from natsach
(2 Chronicles 2:18; in 2 Chronicles 34:13 the Revised Version (British ...
/o/overseer.htm - 32k

Overly (1 Occurrence)

/o/overly.htm - 6k

Features (3 Occurrences)
... whole of which the name Ghaur (Ghor) is applied by the Arabs, is a great table-land
sloping gradually to the East from the sharp edge which overlooks the Ghaur ...
/f/features.htm - 12k

Prospect (10 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (v.) That which is embraced by eye in vision; the region
which the eye overlooks at one time; view; scene; outlook. ...
/p/prospect.htm - 10k

Carmel (33 Occurrences)
... drops on the shore of the Mediterranean near Haifa, at the southern extremity of
the plain of Acre, to the height of el-Machraqah which overlooks the plain of ...
/c/carmel.htm - 25k

Annoyance (3 Occurrences)
... king's loss." (See NAS). Proverbs 12:16 A fool shows his annoyance the same
day, but one who overlooks an insult is prudent. (WEB NIV). ...
/a/annoyance.htm - 7k

Insult (25 Occurrences)
... (WEB NAS NIV). Proverbs 12:16 A fool shows his annoyance the same day,
but one who overlooks an insult is prudent. (WEB RSV NIV). ...
/i/insult.htm - 13k

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