Forgiving others from an Evangelical Perspective (Qustion)

Post Reply New Topic

Im looking for some advice here: As Christians, we are told, that we must forgive those who sin against us if we want Jesus to forgive our own sins. In order to be forgiven, we must ask Jesus to forgive us.

In that line of thinking, when somebody wrongs us, must we automatically forgive them immediately? or do we forgive them only when/if they ask us?

If Jesus commands that we ask Him to forgive us, its implied that its not automatic, that He waits for us to come to Him and ask forgiveness, and of course the Bible tells us that we will be forgiven when we ask for it.

I have no problem forgiving people, I just want to know if the other person needs to ask first or if we should "forgive and forget" immediately.

There are two issues here, their sin and your soul. In order for them to have their sin forgiven by God they must be penitent (then I believe it is up to God). For you however, it does you no good to carry the hurt around with you, so you should forgive them.

Hi
I've thought about that one too. God wants us to ask for forgiveness but sometimes blesses us with the free gift of grace apart from our actions. I think the reason for this is that it is essential to connect to God, when the slate has been wiped clean by Jesus' forgiveness. Through Jesus becoming our peacemaker with God, we have access to God's attributes. Even so, since God is so generous he sometimes blesses and forgives even when we do not acknowledge our wrong doing. That doesn't make wrong doing ok in God's eyes, but just shows us God's mercy at work.

Forgiveness is a difficult thing to put into practise at anytime. It is even harder when the offender is not sorry for the hurt caused. I have had that experience recently. I kinda think that forgiving ugly actions and unsorry people is important, if you can manage to do so. After all God sent his son to die in our place, when the world refused to believe he even existed as God's son.

It's just as important to get support with those things that you just cannot forgive. It can take a long time to find freedom from deep hurts. God can help heal emotional scars too but it takes time and God doesn't condemn, but accepts you as you are.

His yoke is easy and burden is light....by his grace alone.

Forgiveness is a process. How long it takes to forgive depends on the wrong(s) commited and when the person wronged is willing to forgive.

Overall, the idea is to fit ourselves into the healing process ... and that does not require/include "forgive and forget" while the chicken thief nevertheless continues to raid the hen house.

A man once committed a great wrong against me, and my harboring of anger and resentment against him for many years never did anything of value for either of us ... and my own healing eventually began after I stopped seeking revenge while hoping to yet be his executioner. That man has yet to ever ask to be forgiven, and he likely never will. Nevertheless, I have let him know I am at least willing to forgive him if he might ever decide to ask.

If thine enemy smite thee on thy cheek, tear his head off and urinate down his severed neck. Then dispatch his family up to the second order of consanguinity.

Nah, nah. I am being too blood thirst. Just rip him another a**hole.

ruveyn

Last edited by ruveyn on 12 Jan 2011, 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

I had first considered something along that kind of line, but I was not sure I could/would succeed ... so I just burned his factory instead.

As fun as that may sound, I might have to kick my own ass for doing something like that.. Not sure Jesus would be "cool with that"