Forgiveness Conditional on Repentance?

“Take heed” We must forgive a brother that repents.

(Luk 17:3)Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

(Luk 17:4)And if he trespass against the eseven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

If a brother does not repent, what then, should he be forgiven by us?

(Luk 6:27)But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

(Luk 6:28)Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

(Luk 6:29)And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thycoat also.

And what if a person does not forgive, or repent of not forgiving, can he be forgiven by God?

(Mar 11:25)And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

(Luk 11:4)And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Is forgiveness a two-way street or can one conclude that forgiving another should be unconditional even if they are unrepentant?

What if we don’t forgive? And does God forgive His children unconditionally even if they don’t repent?

 

So we ought to forgive a brother right away or do we wait until he repents? For the brothers sake do we make him sweat a little first?

(2Co 2:1) But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.

(2Co 2:2) For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

In obedience to forgiveness we make him sorry first so that he will repent and if so this is proof that we are obedient in all things?

(2Co 2:5) But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

(2Co 2:6) Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which wasinflicted of many.

(2Co 2:7) So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

(2Co 2:8) Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

(2Co 2:9) For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

(2Co 2:10) To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgaveIit in the person of Christ;

(2Co 2:11) Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

We comfort and confirm our love in the same manner, but do not forgive unless he repents which comes from sincerity in faith of being forgiven? Without this fruit of repentance what proof have we that he is in the spirit; although we do not want him swallowed up in sorrow we want this assurance first? At the judgment day is repentance then a condition of forgiveness or can conversion come without repentance?

(Mar 4:12)That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should beforgiven them.

 

Thanks J.D.

The experiential/ legal aspect will help me to articulate my thoughts better in the future. I guess how one believes sins were judged on the cross and/or paid for on the cross gets right back into the E/L aspects and what could be said about our sins forgiven and foreknown in eternity was eloquently put, don’t think I’ll stir that pot here. Will continue checking it out in the scripture, good post.