When Do You Forgive?

[dreadnought]

The Lord tells us that we must forgive someone who has repented of their sin:

[3] Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him;
[4] and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, `I repent,' you must forgive him." Luke 17:3-4 RSV

However, there are those who think you should forgive before someone repents. What do you think?

 

[Aldebaran]

The Lord tells us that we must forgive someone who has repented of their sin:

[3] Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him;
[4] and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, `I repent,' you must forgive him." Luke 17:3-4 RSV

However, there are those who think you should forgive before someone repents. What do you think?

Yeah, I've heard of people doing that, but I internally question it wondering why you would forgive someone who hasn't even asked for it. I can understand the idea of being ready to forgive someone who may ask for forgiveness, but I don't see "forgiving" (a word that could be understood in different ways) someone who doesn't seek it. Even God doesn't do that.

 

[dreadnought]

Yeah, I've heard of people doing that, but I internally question it wondering why you would forgive someone who hasn't even asked for it. I can understand the idea of being ready to forgive someone who may ask for forgiveness, but I don't see "forgiving" (a word that could be understood in different ways) someone who doesn't seek it. Even God doesn't do that.

There are people who believe you need to forgive a person whether they repent or not, but that would be a very painful thing to do, I think. If someone teaches a new Christian that they must forgive an unrepentant sinner, the new Christian might decide Christianity isn't for them.

 

[Aldebaran]

There are people who believe you need to forgive a person whether they repent or not, but that would be a very painful thing to do, I think. If someone teaches a new Christian that they must forgive an unrepentant sinner, the new Christian might decide Christianity isn't for them.

A friend of mine had given a friend of hers her personal information in another country to help this friend come to the United States. He somehow used her info. to clean out her savings account. When I tried to help her get it back, she wouldn't let me. She apparently just decided to forgive him and didn't want to cause him any trouble. I told her he'll now be free to do this to other people, but she still didn't do anything or allow me to. That's the kind of forgiveness I have to wonder about.

 

[bcbsr]

The Lord tells us that we must forgive someone who has repented of their sin:

[3] Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him;
[4] and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, `I repent,' you must forgive him." Luke 17:3-4 RSV

However, there are those who think you should forgive before someone repents. What do you think?

The general idea is to forgive as (in the same manner) as the Lord forgives. The Lord's forgiveness is largely contingent upon repentance, and thus the Luke 17 passage. But practically speaking there's another thing the Lord also does called forbearance or toleration.

Rom 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Rom 3:25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed

Acts 17:29,30 Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone— an image made by man’s design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

Children of God do what God does. So there's application here.

 

[JIMINZ]

Yeah, I've heard of people doing that, but I internally question it wondering why you would forgive someone who hasn't even asked for it. I can understand the idea of being ready to forgive someone who may ask for forgiveness, but I don't see "forgiving" (a word that could be understood in different ways) someone who doesn't seek it. Even God doesn't do that.

.
How then is Gods Grace extended to us, after we Repent or before.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Does not God draw us to Himself, we don't seek after God on our own before He draws us.

 

[Anguspure]

The Lord tells us that we must forgive someone who has repented of their sin:

[3] Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him;
[4] and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, `I repent,' you must forgive him." Luke 17:3-4 RSV

However, there are those who think you should forgive before someone repents. What do you think?

I offer forgivness irrespective of the repentance of the offender (in imitation of God).
However they are only able to recieve it through realising that what they have done is wrong, feeling sorrow for that and not wanting to do it again, which is repentance.

 

[JIMINZ]

There are people who believe you need to forgive a person whether they repent or not, but that would be a very painful thing to do, I think. If someone teaches a new Christian that they must forgive an unrepentant sinner, the new Christian might decide Christianity isn't for them.

.
The verses you originally quoted in the OP give reference to a BROTHER.

The stipulation then is if they repent, is it because a brother does or should know better than a (Non Brother)?

If you do not forgive an unrepentant sinner, what do you then do, hold a grudge, keep your anger, never forget the wrong done?

Who then is in prison, the unrepentant sinner is off sinning against someone else, but you on the other hand are holding on to your un-forgiveness and by doing so, place yourself in prison because you cannot forget the wrong, remembering over and over again, never able to get free from it.

 

[dreadnought]

The general idea is to forgive as (in the same manner) as the Lord forgives. The Lord's forgiveness is largely contingent upon repentance, and thus the Luke 17 passage. But practically speaking there's another thing the Lord also does called forbearance or toleration.

Rom 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Rom 3:25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed

Acts 17:29,30 Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone— an image made by man’s design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

Children of God do what God does. So there's application here.

If a transgression is easily overlooked, then overlook it.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

The Lord tells us that we must forgive someone who has repented of their sin:

[3] Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him;
[4] and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, `I repent,' you must forgive him." Luke 17:3-4 RSV

However, there are those who think you should forgive before someone repents. What do you think?

When do you want to be forgiven, only when you repent? I think there are sins I do not acknowledge and repent of, so I must forgive others likewise just as the Lord's prayer teaches.

 

[dreadnought]

I offer forgivness irrespective of the repentance of the offender (in imitation of God).
However they are only able to recieve it through realising that what they have done is wrong, feeling sorrow for that and not wanting to do it again, which is repentance.

If someone comes to your door every day and kicks you in the shin, would you continue to open the door for him?

 

[Abaxvahl]

The Lord tells us that we must forgive someone who has repented of their sin:

[3] Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him;
[4] and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, `I repent,' you must forgive him." Luke 17:3-4 RSV

However, there are those who think you should forgive before someone repents. What do you think?

Sometimes it's difficult, but if I can, I forgive before they repent (sometimes they never do). I forgive debts before they are to be paid and just clear them, and so on. When it is difficult, such as when they have especially wronged me (or I have taken something as a hurtful wrong), I continually forgive them each time I pray until I genuinely have forgiven them and feel no animosity towards them.

I'd like the Father to forgive me even before I repent, so I try to do the same.

 

[JIMINZ]

I offer forgivness irrespective of the repentance of the offender (in imitation of God).
However they are only able to recieve it through realising that what they have done is wrong, feeling sorrow for that and not wanting to do it again, which is repentance.

.
Technically you are right, I fully agree, I do the same, but there is Scripture which says.

John 20:23
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

A sin that has been remitted, has in fact been remitted, whether or not they ever come to the knowledge of the wrong.

I personally do not take this verse to be only specifically to the 12 Disciples, because I am a Disciple of Christ as well. I have the Holy Spirit as well.

Now the question,....What will you say to God when He asks you, why you did not Forgive that specific person.

I don't mean you personally, but the corporate we, as in all Christians, including myself.

Does Christ only forgive those who repent, did He not die for all of us before we ever come to repentance, while we were yet sinners denoting we had not repented, when He died 2000 yrs ago?

Rom. 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

[dreadnought]

When do you want to be forgiven, only when you repent? I think there are sins I do not acknowledge and repent of, so I must forgive others likewise just as the Lord's prayer teaches.

The Lord's Prayer, to my interpretation, teaches us to forgive as (in the same manner as) the Lord forgives. I believe the Lord expects repentance in exchange for his forgiveness.

 

[dreadnought]

Sometimes it's difficult, but if I can, I forgive before they repent (sometimes they never do). I forgive debts before they are to be paid and just clear them, and so on. When it is difficult, such as when they have especially wronged me (or I have taken something as a hurtful wrong), I continually forgive them each time I pray until I genuinely have forgiven them and feel no animosity towards them.

I'd like the Father to forgive me even before I repent, so I try to do the same.

But let me ask this question again: If someone comes to your door every day and kicks you in the shin, will you continue to open the door for them?

 

[JIMINZ]

2Cor. 5:18,19
18) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

John 20:23
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Now then, if we have this Ministry of Reconciliation, and we Retain someones sin, are we in effect restricting their ability to ever become Reconciled to God?

 

[JIMINZ]

The Lord's Prayer, to my interpretation, teaches us to forgive as (in the same manner as) the Lord forgives. I believe the Lord expects repentance in exchange for his forgiveness.

.
Where in the Lords Prayer is Repentance mentioned?

 

[JIMINZ]

If a transgression is easily overlooked, then overlook it.

.
That seems like a very superficial and situational Christianity, sort of, if it suits me at this time, I will.

 

[Chinchilla]

I know a person who can't forgive and is full of hate when ever hearing the voice of second person even tho they were close together before that .

Is the separation best solution if none of them can forgive ?

 

[dreadnought]

.
Where in the Lords Prayer is Repentance mentioned?

The Lord's prayer asks the Lord to forgive us as we forgive others. You can interpret that two ways. You are interpreting it to mean that "the Lord is to forgive us at the same moment we forgive others." I am interpreting it to mean that "the Lord will forgive us in the same manner as we forgive others." I think my interpretation is correct.