How does forgiveness work?

Bridge over a river [1]

Since God knows all about his children, it is easy for him to forgive. The better man understands his neighbor, the easier it will be to forgive him, even to love him. ~ The Urantia Book, 2:4:2 (38.2) [2]

If a man recognizes the evil of his ways and repents of sin from the heart, then may he seek forgiveness; he may escape the penalty; he may change calamity into blessing. ~ The Urantia Book, 131:8:5 (1452.3) [3]

The Father in heaven has forgiven you even before you have thought to ask him, but such forgiveness is not available in your personal religious experience until such a time as you forgive your fellow men. ~ The Urantia Book, 146:2:4 (1638.4) [4]

When you forgive your brother in the flesh, you thereby create the capacity in your own soul for the reception of the reality of God’s forgiveness of your own misdeeds. ~ The Urantia Book, 170:2:23 (1861.5) [5]