what is true forgiveness? (Full Version)

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tosha30 -> what is true forgiveness? (6/24/2008 4:32:51 PM)

what does it mean to forgive? Do you just put the issue behind you,and continue as friends with the person.Give me feedback.If you prefer to email me with your personal answer my email is ... l.asemota@yahoo.com. I appreciate all the advice given.



earthless -> RE: what is true forgiveness? (6/24/2008 4:35:36 PM)

The word “forgive” means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel a debt. When we wrong someone, we seek their forgiveness in order for the relationship to be restored - forgiveness is not granted because a person deserves to be forgiven.

No one deserves to be forgiven. Forgiveness is an act of love, mercy, and grace. Forgiveness is a decision to not hold something against another person, despite what they have done to you.

The Bible tells us that we are all in need of forgiveness from God. We have all committed sin. Ecclesiastes 7:20 proclaims, “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.”

1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” All sin is ultimately an act of rebellion against God (Psalm 51:4).

As a result, we desperately need God’s forgiveness. If our sins are not forgiven, we will spend eternity suffering the consequences of our sins (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36).

“Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.” (Acts 13:38)

Hope this helps provide a backdrop for your question and direction.



loco79 -> RE: what is true forgiveness? (6/25/2008 11:47:52 AM)

I agree with earthless, and yet i still think it can be hard to forgive. I once believed in forgive and forget, but i really couldnt get ahold of the forget part. I recently learned at a retreat " let go and let God" I am not saying this is my own phrase, or that my retreat is the originator, rather to me this fits the model of what Jesus wants us to do. I believe if we hold onto the judgement of others and dont trully forgive them, then we burden ourselves. When we pass on the judgement to God then it is easier to forgive the way God intended us to. If we say we forgive someone and we dont then we are really just holding judgement on them, which is not are place.

Fogriveness doesnt mean you have to be best friends, or even talk with them. It means you no longer carry the judgement for a sin committed against you.

I know that this is a hard subject, but i remember what Jesus has said and done. Jesus said treat others how you would want to be treated, then he goes out and forgives us unconditionally for our sins, even though we dont deserve. From my own experience i know how hard it can be because we feel that sometimes people deserve certain actions. And Jesus clearly shows us that we are wrong for thinking or believing it.

I learned how to forgive, by being around people who could show and demonstate to me, what true forgiveness is. I think sometimes we get caught up with things in the same manner as the company we keep. I used to hang around people who felt that it was there obligation in life to judge people and let them know what they were doing wrong. And once i surrounded myself with people who show compassion, love and true forgiveness, then it slowly but surely passed on down to me.

I am not saying it is easy, or that it comes quickly. Just like anything else we do in God, it usually takes a little time and a lot of patience and discipline.



jazzact13 -> RE: what is true forgiveness? (6/25/2008 3:55:12 PM)

I don't think that forgiving someone means necessarily acting and thinking as if their actions have not happened. If, for example, someone has stolen something valuable from me, my forgiving them does not mean that what they did does not matter.

Also, I don't think forgiveness means that there may not be consequences. To again use the theft example, while I may forgive the person, I would likely still want the thief prosecuted, my property returned or compensated, and that person to be punished in some fair and just way.

One could point to what happened to King David in regards to his sin with Bathsheba. God forgave him and showed him mercy, but there were still consequences.



crankius -> RE: what is true forgiveness? (6/27/2008 12:44:51 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: tosha30

what does it mean to forgive? Do you just put the issue behind you,and continue as friends with the person.Give me feedback.If you prefer to email me with your personal answer my email is ... l.asemota@yahoo.com. I appreciate all the advice given.


This is a good topic and I'm glad you asked your question.

Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

When Christ died, he died not only for your debt, but also for those who would incur debt against you. The term debt specifically refers to moral and spiritual debt—sins.

When you become a Christian, you believe and accept Christ as your debt-bearer on the cross. It is essential you also recognize that He bore the debt for those who would sin against you.

If you decide to bear those debts upon your own shoulders, you are in essence making yourself the debt-bearer and placing yourself in the position of the Just Judge.

There is only one Just Judge, and that is God. This is why vengeance belongs to the Lord, because only He knows the heart and knows exactly the condition of our wrongs.

We are NOT qualified to bear the debts of others against us. If we bear those debts, we not only nullify Christ’s work on the cross in our lives, but we also become heavily burdened. Bitterness sinks in when we carry those debts on our shoulders.

As believers in Christ, we are to release our debts against us to Christ at the foot of the cross. Christ is the debt-bearer.

Next post about reconciliation...



crankius -> RE: what is true forgiveness? (6/27/2008 12:53:20 PM)

Forgiveness does not equal reconciliation of a full friendship. Forgiveness—giving that debt to Christ, does not change the character of the person. Your “debt account” is reconciled (free and clear) through Christ, but the relationship you have with that person is to be guided by the WHOLE COUNSEL of scripture.

If the person who has sinned against you is a true brother in Christ, your future relationship may be a bit different now. If they stole money from you, you will probably be wise to keep an eye out and try to help your Christian brother not be tempted to steal your money again.

If this person is a habitual liar or spreads discord among the brethren or has a sinful pattern that causes great harm, of course you can’t be reconciled in a full friendship. The Bible advises you to steer clear of them, yet be in prayer for them.

Consider the following passages as just a FEW that speak to this matter:

Proverbs 4:14-15 Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.

Proverbs 9:6 Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.

Proverbs 14:7-8 Go from the presence of a foolish man, When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, But the folly of fools is deceit.

Proverbs 16:17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

Proverbs 25:19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

Proverbs 29:8 Scoffers set a city aflame, But wise men turn away wrath.

Proverbs 22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,



colliefan -> RE: what is true forgiveness? (6/27/2008 10:10:08 PM)

It is placing the offense committed against us and placing it on the cross. Jesus died for that sin and in our placing it on the cross, we are free to forgive, even if the offender doesn't ask for our, or God's, pardon,

The consequences of that sin may be real, and the restoration of relationship impossible or impractical. It is in the release of sins against us and the refusal to walk in bitterness, that we are free to walk in the abudant life.



maran-atha -> RE: what is true forgiveness? (6/28/2008 5:50:58 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: colliefan

It is placing the offense committed against us and placing it on the cross. Jesus died for that sin and in our placing it on the cross, we are free to forgive, even if the offender doesn't ask for our, or God's, pardon,


How can we place the sins of others on the cross? Show by Scripture where it is said we can do this.



maran-atha -> RE: what is true forgiveness? (6/30/2008 1:17:53 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: tosha30

what does it mean to forgive? Do you just put the issue behind you,and continue as friends with the person. l.asemota@yahoo.com. I appreciate all the advice given.


Tosha, you have received some good advice, but I would just like to refer you to a few biblical passages that may help you further:

Luke 17:3, 'If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.'

But, what if your brother doesn't want to listen? - Our Lord's instruction is given in Matt.18:15-17.

We are to to forgive others from the heart, as God has forgiven us (Mat.18:35). In the parable of the unforgiving servant, we have a clear example of how we are to forgive others when they repent.

Nevertheless, the above instructions all relate to forgiving someone who actually seeks to be forgiven. The Lord said, 'If he repents ...'

What if a person sins against us unintentionally or without knowing? We must follow our Lord's example. At the cross, He said: 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do' (Lk.23:34). We need to do likewise and forgive others who sin against us in ignorance of the sins committed.

So, what if a person commits some crime or sin against you in full awareness of the act committed? If that person asks forgiveness, you are to forgive. If the offence is very serious, you might want to involve the law and bring prosecution. A person might ask forgiveness without really being sorry - to avoid facing a penal fine or punishment.

Then again, what if a person to your knowledge, does not seek forgiveness - should you forgive anyway? We have no command to do so. Rather, if the offence is serious, it would be wise to try to bring that person to justice. When people are aware of their sins and there is no repentance, there is no forgiveness. Ultimately, the incorrigibly wicked will face the wrath of God.

I just wanted to point out that our Lord said: 'If ...' . - We don't always need to forgive.



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