We to forgive others, as God forgives us: totally, uninimously and without reservation. You may ask, But doesn't God only forgive after we do this or do that? After we repent, etc...?
God promises us forgiveness, if we will have it, and it is like this that we forgive others. Forgiveness is a two way street, like anything else. We can't force our forgiveness on anyone, but at the same time, we must forgive everyone, but it is up to them to accept it. Part of that acceptance is a willingness to repent, not to us, but to God.
We must have an attituide of repentance to everyone, but true forgiveness is only by the Grace of God.
The world, without God, ha sa repentance, but it is a false one. SOmeone who comes up to you and says he is sorry, but has not truly repented to God, cannot be forgiven by us, becasue he cannot be forgiven by God. We can have a mind of forgiveness to them, but they must be sincere in their repentance. The Biuble tells of a true and false repentance, one of God, and one of the world:
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For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death".
2 Cor. 7:10
The second is meaningless, because it is not sincere in the eyes of God, and forgiveness is not given to them.
Luke tells us that repentance is necessary in order to recieve forgiveness. As a Christians, we must extend our willingness to forgive to everyone, without thought to who they are, etc.. but the forgiveness we offer from ourselves, is like that of the forgiveness offered by God: It cannot be recieved by the person being forgiven, unless they are sincere in their repentance to God, and to us, as God as a witnes, becasue only through God can true forgiveness come.