Twins come in two varieties: identical and fraternal. Some might put the distinction another way: annoying and really-annoying! Think of Lewis Caroll’s Tweedledum and Tweedledee, and J K Rowling’s George and Fred Weasley. (Actually there’s a third kind of twins – cojoined – which I guess lies more on the fraternal spectrum?) Either way, identical, fraternal, or cojoined, there are significant differences, which are always worth noting amidst the observable identicalities.

So too in the world of theology. Some concepts seem and sound similar, but making the distinction is not only necessary, but unhelpful not to. Like that difference between forensic and filial forgiveness. At first glance, it might seem one of those games of semantics, or of cutting theology too finely, but it’s neither. And to fail to separate them can lead to some confusion and unsettling in the Christian life.

The first (forensic) describes that gracious work of God where all our sins, past, present and future, are forgiven, completely and forever. The second (filial) describes that ongoing need to confess our fresh sins to God, daily, sometimes hourly, and that unless we do, we sense the Father’s frown. Another way of saying the same thing is to distinguish between the terms sonship and fellowship, with the first describing that permanent status of being children of God, and the second describing that ongoing friendship with God that enjoys his smiles and frowns, depending on the closeness of our walk. And so sometimes it’s good to see double.