Poll: The Forgiveness Thread

[HankD]

I think this is a key concept in this discussion. Is there a difference in the process of forgiveness among the Christian family compared to forgiveness to outsiders?

Here is God's requirement for the entire human race wherever they may be:

Acts 17:30
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.


HankD

 

[LadyEagle]

I think this is a key concept in this discussion. Is there a difference in the process of forgiveness among the Christian family compared to forgiveness to outsiders?

Yes. Add to the mix that not everyone who is our brother or sister in Christ attends the same church we attend. So local church discipline may be difficult to achieve. Also, add to the mix a family member who offends us, whether or not they profess to be a Christian. Unforgiveness towards a family member may deepen a gulf that could divide a family, whereas, a forgiving heart may bridge that gulf. There are so many variables, which is why if we get back to the basics of 70x7, it covers a multitude of sins no matter who the offender may be and frees us to place the matter squarely in God's hands for Him to handle as He sees best.

 

[HankD]

Here is another passage which precedes the 70X7 Scripture...

Luke 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.​

HankD​

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

PL: Oops! You are correct! I did mean to say "lack of forgiveness".

:godisgood: for placing someone on this board to keep an eye on me. Sometimes my brain goes faster than my fingers (or the other way around). :laugh:

 

[canadyjd]

But if I am correct, "forgive them" means "when they confess." You say that he does not tell us to wait until they ask, but if I am correct, the command to forgive assumes confession to begin with.

Are you saying that God will not forgive our sins unless we confess them? Therefore, we are not to forgive sins against us unless the person confesses and repents to us?

What about the sins we commit and don't even realize it? Is God not going to forgive those?

What about the sins we commit, but simply forget to confess them to God in a timely manner? What if we then forget them altogether? Will God forgive us of those sins?

What about all those sins I committed before God drew me to Himself? Do I have to sit around all day and try to remember every sin I committed, so I can specifically ask for that sin to be forgiven? Can I just say a general prayer for all sins?

Does God forgive us for not loving Him "with all our hearts, and minds, and souls"? We could spend every second of every day asking God to forgive us for that sin.

If I remember correctly, Martin Luther nearly drove himself and his priest crazy because he feared he had some unforgiven sin, forgotten and unconfessed.

Thank Almighty God for the grace that is greater than all our sins....even those we don't realize we have committed and those that are not remembered.

We are commanded by God to forgive others as God has forgiven us. If God forgives us of sins we don't realize we have committed, or have forgotten we have committed, then "confession" and "repentance" is not required for us to forgive someone who has sinned against us.

peace to youraying:

 

[Bible-boy]

Me forgiving someone is honestly more for my benefit.

Charles Stanley has a great surmon on forgiveness and what you have said here is one of the points he makes.