Unforgiveness is unforgivable...

[Carl Emerson]

Matt 6:15

...if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses.

Friends we underestimate how serious unforgiveness is.

I urge that we all ask Him to search our hearts in this matter.

It sounds as serious as the unforgivable sin.

Maybe we don't take this important issue seriously enough.

 

[Guojing]

Matt 6:15

...if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses.

Friends we underestimate how serious unforgiveness is.

I urge that we all ask Him to search our hearts in this matter.

It sounds as serious as the unforgivable sin.

Maybe we don't take this important issue seriously enough.

That was under the law. There is no unforgivable sin for us now.

 

[elytron]

That was under the law. There is no unforgivable sin for us now.

Those are the words of Jesus though. We should all try to forgive and improve

 

[St_Worm2]

It sounds as serious as the unforgivable sin.

Hi Carl, how so?

The "unpardonable sin" (as detailed for us in the Bible) becomes "unforgiveable" from the very moment that someone commits it. All other sins and blasphemies (which would certainly include failing to immediately forgive someone who has asked us to do so) can still be repented of and forgiven, yes?

That said, I agree, this is a serious matter (like all sins are), because once someone has repented of their sin against us and has asked to forgive them, the ball is back in our court (so to speak) and we need to forgive them (just like the Lord Jesus commands us to do).

God bless you!!

--David
p.s. - question, when the Lord tells us that our sins will not be forgiven by the Father if we fail to forgive others of the sins that they have committed against us, what do you believe the scope of His meaning is/what do you believe that means for us? Do you, for instance, believe that salvation itself rests upon what we do in regard to this command, or do you think that it is a matter of a believer not being forgiven, cleansed, and restored to "full fellowship" with Him until we do instead? Thanks

Luke 17
3 “If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
.​

 

[Carl Emerson]

Hi Carl, how so?

The "unpardonable sin" (as detailed for us in the Bible) becomes "unforgiveable" from the very moment that someone commits it. All other sins and blasphemies (which would certainly include failing to forgive someone who us asked you to do so) can still be repented of and forgiven, yes?

That said, I agree, this is a serious matter (like all sins are), because once someone has repented of their sin against us and has asked to forgive them, the ball is back in our court (so to speak) and we need to forgive them (just like the Lord Jesus commands us to do).

God bless you!!

--David
p.s. - question, when the Lord tells us that our sins will not be forgiven by the Father if we fail to forgive others of the sins that they have committed against us, what do you believe the scope of His meaning is/what do you believe that means for us? Do you, for instance, believe that our salvation rests upon what we do in regard to this command, or do you think that it is a matter of a believer not being forgiven and restored to full fellowship with Him until we do? Thanks

Luke 17
3 “If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
.​

My style is to let the Scripture speak for itself.

When I read what Jesus said it is compellingly serious - no forgiveness unless we forgive.

 

[St_Worm2]

My style is to let the Scripture speak for itself. When I read what Jesus said it is compellingly serious - no forgiveness unless we forgive.

Hello again Carl, I can hardly disagree with the seriousness of it, but I'm not sure that we can arrive at its true/intended meaning if we simply allow v15 to "speak for itself" (by taking it as written, apart from/out-of-context with what the rest of the Bible has to say about the topic).

Here's another example that comes quickly to mind, a verse that we should never "allow to speak for itself"/take by itself/take completely out-of-context from other parts of the Bible, because (as I think that you'd agree) doing so would almost certainly guarantee that we would not arrive at a proper exegesis of it, yes?

Luke 14
26 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.
​

--David

 

[Dave G.]

Well the unforgivable sin was just that, not able to be forgiven. Unforgiveness is forgivable by forgiving, there is an "opt out" to it, simply forgive..

"Where sin abounds grace much more abounds": Jesus died on the cross for a reason !

 

[d taylor]

-
​

For a believer that would be fellowship forgiveness. It would have nothing to do with a believer, because they do not forgive someone. Being threatened with loss of the Eternal Life (salvation) they received from God.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Well I quoted His words and combined with the work of the Holy Spirit in hearts fruit will come.

Asking Him to examine us lest there be unforgiveness is hardly out of order.

We can Exegesis with the aim to soften the naked meaning and miss the opportunity to see the Scripture as a mirror.

I rather choose to let His Sprit do His work with the words.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Well the unforgivable sin was just that, not able to be forgiven. Unforgiveness is forgivable by forgiving, there is an "opt out" to it, simply forgive..

"Where sin abounds grace much more abounds": Jesus died on the cross for a reason !

Yes I agree - but this does not lessen the gravity of the sin of unforgiveness. No other sin that I can recall comes with such a dire warning. Unforgiveness often leads to bitterness and bitterness contaminates the Body of Christ.

 

[Sabertooth]

According to Jesus' parable of The Unmerciful Servant, any forgiveness we have previously been granted is annulled while we refuse to grant it to others.

Forgive One Another, Faithful Heart (1990)

 

[Carl Emerson]

There will be readers that when they raise this matter in prayer will be aware of unforgiveness towards others and by His mercy will repent.

 

[Alex1st.1066]

Pray for those who you believe have wronged you and you will therefor be changed and able to Rest in Him.

 

[Sabertooth]

That was under the law. There is no unforgivable sin for us now.

That was taught by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount, the New Covenant.
It is one of the teachings that the Holy Spirit is promised to remind us of in John 14:26.

 

[Dave G.]

Yes I agree - but this does not lessen the gravity of the sin of unforgiveness. No other sin that I can recall comes with such a dire warning. Unforgiveness often leads to bitterness and bitterness contaminates the Body of Christ.

Remember that Jesus too,reduced the fulfilling of law down to two: Loving God and Loving your neighbor. He said do these two and you don't break the law.

Unforgiveness is the buzz word sin of your reading today, Carl. Jesus has a laundry list of sins with as much gravity if not repented of. This is in the gospels the 4 books, spoken to who ? Those who knew the law. And when ? Before He went to the cross. After resurrection He goes and chases down Peter who betrayed Him before the cross and speaks of love and for Peter to feed His sheep. Repent yes but our biggest concern post cross is to stay faithful, to contend, to remain in the faith. Repenting is turning from the sin, walking on the straight path within the faith. We recognize the sin,confess it before God, in a way hand it over to Him and go on walking another path away from that sin. This is so very liberating, our hearts feel light from the burden removed, mine does anyway. And it's instantaneous, we renew fellowship HS.

Jesus: " I am the way the truth and the life". " You must be born again". "Rivers of living water". " Never thirst again".

 

[Guojing]

That was taught by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount, the New Covenant.
It is one of the teachings that the Holy Spirit is promised to remind us of in John 14:26.

Jesus was preaching under the Law throughout his earthly ministry to the nation of Israel.

 

[Guojing]

Those are the words of Jesus though. We should all try to forgive and improve

Jesus was not speaking to you in Matthew-John (Matthew 15:24)

 

[Carl Emerson]

Jesus has a laundry list of sins with as much gravity if not repented of.

No other sin named comes with the warning that forgiveness of sin will not be given.

 

[Sabertooth]

Jesus was preaching under the Law throughout his earthly ministry to the nation of Israel.

Then which teachings was the Holy Spirit going to bring to our remembrance [per John 14:26]?

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will

• teach you all things, and
• bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." John 14:26 NKJV

 

[Carl Emerson]

Hey folks - have we lost sight of the fact that the Bible was given to speak to the heart of His followers.

It's purpose is not primarily an academic exercise for the intellectually gifted.

Let it be a mirror - that He may speak to you today.