So someone is partially repentant, says sorry but denies their criminal acts towards you, tries to manipulate and is still actively trying to cause difficulties by messaging deceased partners relatives, and unforgiveness creeps in.
Is forgiveness still obligatory?
Is it enough to at least try to not be bitter and not wish the person any ill?
Is it okay to aim to forgive in future?
I was advised by pastor to avoid communication with this person April last year. Have not replied since May. I could forgive at first but am no longer able to with each successive communication attempt or plot. This person now lives a few hundred miles away.
EDIT
I have forgiven the original acts. It is the continued attempts to cause trouble that I can't forgive and the communications since.
The short answer is yes. Remember the Lord's prayer? The prayer we're all supposed to pray?
Our Father in heaven,
help us to honor
your name.
Come and set up
your kingdom,
so that everyone on earth
will obey you,
as you are obeyed
in heaven.
Give us our food for today.
Forgive us for doing wrong,
as we forgive others.
Keep us from being tempted
and protect us from evil.
Pretty standard prayer of all Christianity. That doesn't leave a lot of room for "Forgive us for doing wrong, while we forgive others... unless they really suck."
If you need it more bluntly.... Matthew 6:14-15 is even more brutal.
"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."
I don't know about you, but that scares the snot out of me. Quite frankly, I think it should scare the snot out of every Christian alive. We must forgive. It's not an option. It's not "unless they are really being bad".
I think all you need to do is compare the trouble you are facing, with the trouble G-d protects you from. I'll take a bothersome person, over punishment in eternity, any day. In fact, it gets pretty easy the more you weight out the differences.
Now assuming we can establish this and move on....
I agree with your pastor. You need to completely block 100%, this person out of your life. That means use the block function on your phone. Use the block on facebook, or whatever else you have that they are attempting to communicate through.
When other people bring up that so-and-so said....you just tell them straight up that you have nothing to do with them, and are not interested in hearing about them.
That's all you do. Beyond that, let it go.