When Do You Forgive?

[dreadnought]

Day one: Open the door, get kicked in shin
Day two: Open the door, get kicked in shin
Day one: Open the door, wear metal spikes on shin do not get kicked in shin

Amen.

 

[dreadnought]

Does God forgive us before we repent?

No, not if we know we are committing a sin.

 

[dreadnought]

Jesus forgave us before we were even born...

I believe that if you refuse to repent of a sin, even after you know you are committing a sin, the Lord will discipline you, and it's for your own good.

 

[dreadnought]

We must love our enemies even though they do not repent.

Sometimes love means disciplining a person for their own good.

 

[dreadnought]

Continuing to open the door demonstrate a lack of sanity not a lack of forgiveness. you can forgive every kick, while still disallowing future kicks. Forgiveness is a matter of the heart and mind.

If you refuse to open the door, then you're not acting like you've forgotten the kick.

 

[dreadnought]

We are suppose to forgive as God forgives, at repentance and not before.

Yes, we are supposed to forgive as the Lord forgives - exactly. And I think you will find the Lord forgives you as soon as you repent. And that is good news.

 

[dreadnought]

Before he comes and kicks you in the shin-agin ,

FIX A NICE MEAL FOR HIM, and then when he comes to your door , offer him the nice meal with no strings attached - "turn the other shin"

And keep your fingers crossed that it works.

 

[dreadnought]

We must forgive all those who have sinned against us or we will not be forgiven, it doesn't say we should wait until they repent to forgive them in our hearts. Forgiving them in person is a different story it is definitely better to forgive them whenever you get the chance to, but if they come to you first asking for forgiveness, as a christian you must forgive them. So first you must forgive them in your heart as soon(or as close to the time) as they have wronged you.
Matthew 6:14-6:15
Matthew 18:15,21-22
Colossians 3:12-13
2 Corinthians 2:7-11
Ephesians 4:32
Mark 11:25-26

The Lord explains that when a person repents, we must forgive them. If you want to forgive them ahead of time, go ahead.

 

[dreadnought]

I think good way is to follow the teachings of Jesus. But I think it is not wrong to forgive even before repenting. It is just not useful to forgive then, because if person continues in sin anyway, the forgiveness is not helpful.

The problem with forgiving before someone repents is that they learn nothing.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

NO! God hates it when (His) people call on luck or fate.

What works is DO what God Says - then it is done. No other "work" to make happen.

If they kick the shin again, no problem, you did what is right and good in God's Sight.

You did God's 'work'. They can do whatever they want to, it won't change God's Work in you.

And keep your fingers crossed that it works.

 

[dreadnought]

NO! God hates it when (His) people call on luck or fate.

What works is DO what God Says - then it is done. No other "work" to make happen.

If they kick the shin again, no problem, you did what is right and good in God's Sight.

You did God's 'work'. They can do whatever they want to, it won't change God's Work in you.

A little humor.

 

[RaymondG]

If you refuse to open the door, then you're not acting like you've forgotten the kick.

Maybe this is were the disagreements lie between you and a lot of posters. Forgiveness has nothing to do with forgetting the actions. It is letting go of all feelings and emotions, especially the negative, associated with the action. You know that you have forgiven, when you can recall the event without any negative emotions or thoughts arising up concerning the actors in the event.

Therefore, I can refuse to open the door, because I remember what happens, but still have forgiven the kicker, when i can think about the action without feeling angry or anything negative toward the kicker. Opening the door would be foolish, not a sign of forgiveness. Only the forgiver and God, knows whether you have forgiven.....It cannot be determined by an outside party based on your actions......This is a matter of the heart....which only God can read.

 

[dreadnought]

Maybe this is were the disagreements lie between you and a lot of posters. Forgiveness has nothing to do with forgetting the actions. It is letting go of all feelings and emotions, especially the negative, associated with the action. You know that you have forgiven, when you can recall the event without any negative emotions or thoughts arising up concerning the actors in the event.

Therefore, I can refuse to open the door, because I remember what happens, but still have forgiven the kicker, when i can think about the action without feeling angry or anything negative toward the kicker. Opening the door would be foolish, not a sign of forgiveness. Only the forgiver and God, knows whether you have forgiven.....It cannot be determined by an outside party based on your actions......This is a matter of the heart....which only God can read.

But forgiveness does mean you have to behave as if the sin never happened, even if you remember it.

 

[RaymondG]

But forgiveness does mean you have to behave as if the sin never happened, even if you remember it.

Your version of forgiveness mean that. I dont think this is true forgiveness, however. You are describing insanity...

 

[dreadnought]

Your version of forgiveness mean that. I dont think this is true forgiveness, however. You are describing insanity...

I think you are redefining "forgiveness." We seem to agree that if someone keeps kicking us in the shin, we should avoid that person.

 

[LisaMC-D]

Hi Lisa. No, I don't.. I am assured I get everything I need from God's Word, lest I be led astray by anything Ghandi says. Ghandi did not know absolute Truth. Absolute Truth, who is our Lord.

Hi, back atcha! Thank you for answering my inquiry.

 

[JIMINZ]

Well God gives us common sense too , and learning is a very important feature of God's word .

As for the burglar .If he were violent and had not been caught because you did not report the burglary ,and he damaged someone seriously ,would you not in part be responsible ?

Also is it not bit of hypocrisy, if you reported the burglary to the police . That is Action , that is revenge, is it not ? If, as you seem to be saying so adamantly, that we should forgive full stop ,without taking any redress at all, this does not add up .

.
First, there wasn't any mention of the burglar being violent, when you begin by distorting the facts, then anything is possible

His being violent does not even enter into the equation, the man broke into my house when I was not home,, he stole everything he could get his hands on.

I reported the crime to the Police because as a Christian, I am to follow, abide by, and uphold the Law of the State.

I am not as a Christian to go about will, nilly forgiving criminals crimes, that is a State issue which I am bound to report.

Lastly, your right, "IF" I did not report his crime, I would be responsible for whatever crimes he would commit in the future.

Now if you want to split that spiritual hair, then go right ahead, I was acting as a responsible Citizen reporting a Crime, If I saw someone being mugged I would report that as well, yeah it's an action, was it revenge, "NO" revenge would be breaking his legs, I still feel like breaking his legs, I really don't like the guy, I wish he had been put in prison the first time he was caught, but he was given a break by a Judge, and he ended up robbing my house because of his release.

I did not even allude to Forgiveness Full Stop as you say, there are Lawful repercussions for peoples actions in such cases, but as far as Forgiving the actions of people.

WE, as Christians are required to Forgive, to think or believe that Repentance is necessary before Forgiveness, that is nothing more than the heart of man requiring his pound of flesh, and a complete lack of understanding the dynamics involved and how it directly affects the Christian, when Forgiveness is administered to a situation, or it is withheld.

If repentance is required before Forgiveness in my situation, does this mean he would return everything he took, and if he can't is he still forgiven?

In order for him to repent before I forgive him, does he have to cease from being a burglar, or does it only pertain to my case in particular, because if he didn't cease his being a burglar, wouldn't I still be responsible for his future crimes?

Do you see how ridiculous it can get, God requires Forgiveness on our part, or we will not be Forgiven our sins until we do, Forgiveness isn't something which we have to agree with, like, it isn't an emotional thing, we are just supposed to do it, even when we do not understand the whys, it is for our benefit, that is all we need to know, shoot, we don't even have to like it.

 

[Philip_B]

You need to forgive people, so you don't have that baggage dragging you down.

 

[dreadnought]

You need to forgive people, so you don't have that baggage dragging you down.

Yes, the Lord told us that if someone repents of their sin, you must forgive them.

 

[JIMINZ]

Well, where was your eternal destination going to be before you repented and asked God's forgiveness through Christ?

.
Well with that kind of an accusing question, I could say.

I was going to Hell.

I could also say, God did not require me to repent before I believed in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of my sins.

Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

I believed, He Forgave, I was Baptized, and by my being Baptized, I physically repented of my Fleshly life, I turned away from it, I became a new Creation in Christ.

Gal. 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.