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« How Do I Forgive? | Main | Provoked? »

May 30, 2011

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Brother D

Let's not take Scripture in isolation. One must compare Scripture with Scripture.

Does God forgive the proud, the unrepentant? NO! A thousand times no! (And don't try to use Jesus' prayer to forgive the IGNORANT - 'forgive them for they KNOW NOT what they do' - to justify blanket forgiveness.

There is a condition that must be met for forgiveness, the oft-overlooked, much-maligned: REPENTANCE!! The If - Then of:

Lu 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. |

Forgiveness implies REPENTANCE upon the part of the trespasser. TRUE repentance often with works/fruits offered to make amends.

THIS is the Truth in Christ. Amen.

TG

Brother D - I appreciate your comments, but I also would say that the scripture you quoted in Luke is speaking about Christians rebuking and forgiving each other. My writing today was on forgiveness in general. If a non believer wrongs you, are you not to forgive them until they repent? It is a condition of the heart and part of each person's walk with God. Throughout the Bible we are taught to forgive... we can speak the truth in love and even rebuke, but my writing was not concerning God's forgiving us, it is about us forgiving each other. When Peter asked how many times must I forgive (Matt 18:21-35), Jesus told the parable of the Unforgiving debtor…
I understand God require repentance, which is a condition of the heart… your points on God requiring us to repent (acknowledge our sins) is valid – but it is also a sin to allow someone’s transgressions to become hatred in our own hearts.

Jo

"...but it is also a sin to allow someone’s transgressions to become hatred in our own hearts."

I do not hate my husband for going to a woman for sex off the internet; however, it is not yet within my means to forgive him. I pray that the Lord lead me to forgive him, but day to day, I continue to treat him with kindness, allow him to see me cry, see my pain, and when he reaches out to me, I hug him back. The pain I have is so great it crumbles me.

I will continue to seek the means to forgive him, as I know my Father commands it. In time I hope my pain will lessen and my will to eventually forgive (possibly as I grow and heal in my injured faith) will overtake the anger and pain.

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