Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them."
Is this correct ?
does it harmonise with the Lords prayer on forgiveness?
what say you ?
DO WE ALWAYS FORGIVE - without repentance from the other party ?
I always thought we did.
............................
The Lord's Prayer
(traditional)
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
We are also given the example by Christ forgive those that use you or hurt you do good to them....
As long as we walk in unforgiveness we walk in otherness. Unable to heal, unable to fully submit to the Lord bc that unforgiveness is disobedience. It also tethers the object of our unforgiveness to us. We are never more free then when we forgive our enemies or those that have hurt us.
I'm always amazed at how much energy some people put into holding a grudge, if they put half that amount of energy into releasing the person they might heal. This is true of Christians and non-believer's. I've had some decrepit people in my life that did awful things to me or my loved ones. There was never one time that not forgiving them was helpful. It only hindered my healing or made me more stressed and angry.
But the most amazing thing to me was finding that my unforgiveness was actually giving power to those decrepit people, they wanted that power and didn't need to exert any energy to get me worked up. I did that all by myself. In effect tethering myself to the worst people in my life. It helped me understand why Christ did not say only forgive those that show repentance or deserve to be forgiven. It wasn't for my enemies sake, I was to forgive. It was for my own good, my own healing.
God bless, andrea
Mk 11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Mt 6:14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.