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Forgiveness

G

GoldenLight

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I am struggling with 'forgiveness' on the one hand in the Lords prayer we pray 'Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that have trespassed against us'.. We are told to 'turn the other cheek'

I've been told that Forgiveness doesn't mean that people should not be held accountable for their actions.. I should forgive but when someone does something very wrong that person should also be held accountable..

Your opinions are appreciated
 
Forgiveness is not easy .. Big hurts are hard to deal with.. Letting them go it such a relief. It takes the burden off your shoulders.

An example: Joe steals all you have... it is gone no getting it back.. Forgiving Joe does not imply he should not go to jail.. nor that you should not testify against him... Forgiveness is an attitude of your heart...
 
GL,
Can you be more explicit? Are you talking about making things up to you, or being accountable to the law, or maybe that they should still be punished by God?

I assume you have something, in particular, in mind?
 
Forgiveness is not easy, especially if somebody hurts you, automatically you would want them to feel that hurt and pain as well.

It's not easy at first but time heals all wounds and I know it's not easy but you gotta try to be the better person and just to let go and move on.

Would it be right to steep down to their level? No, I don't think so and its best to just accept what happened and move on otherwise it's just going to make you boil inside. If anything, you owe it to yourself to forgive them, even if they don't really deserve it.
 
Im with jack , not forgiving them could be detrimental to yourself.That negativity could build up until it manifests itself with sin.I think racism is a good example .I don't believe its inherent unfortunately some are taught it,those that weren't but feel it prolly got that way because a negative experience in life really got to them until turned into sin.
 
I have always struggled with that too.Why should I forgive someone when they are not even sorry?But that is what we are called to do in the Bible.It is very hard.It makes the forgiving process a lot easier if someone apologizes and says they are sorry.It is healing for us to forgive.If we do not the bitterness builds up inside of us for that person and creates an ugly hatred.
 
GoldenLight said:
I am struggling with 'forgiveness' on the one hand in the Lords prayer we pray 'Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that have trespassed against us'.. We are told to 'turn the other cheek'

I've been told that Forgiveness doesn't mean that people should not be held accountable for their actions.. I should forgive but when someone does something very wrong that person should also be held accountable..

Your opinions are appreciated
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You have to choose to forgive, you can't force yourself to do it.

Sometimes forgiveness takes time, sometimes forgiveness takes work, sometimes forgiveness just needs to wait a little longer, sometimes forgiveness means you have to walk away and sometimes you have to accept you can't forgive for another day.

But remember you choose when and how you want to forgive today.
 
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Malachi said:
Because God forgave you fully for Christ's sake. Holding grudges hurts the person holding them more than it hurts the offender. And your prayers will be hindered. Read Acts 7:54-60.
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She wasn't really posing that question as if that was how she dealt with things.
 
While it's true that we have to choose to forgive, it is a commandment. And if we choose to not forgive, it can open the door to sin. Sometimes, even if my flesh does not want to, i choose to forgive by faith, and allow God to do the rest. The hardest part is not allowing myself to think about the offense. If i do think about the offense, then i choose to take that thought captive, and make it obedient to the Word.
I think that as we forgive the person, and release God's love to them, then we can trust God to correct them and hold them accountable for their wrong doing against us. When we choose to love, instead of holding a grudge, it releases God to move on our behalf in ways we could never imagine.
Blessings
 
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Forgiveness is vital to your Christian walk. You cannot progress spiritually until you forgive. Your sacrifices an offerings are not acceptable until you forgive.
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matt. 5:23 - 24
What is more, you have to love your enemies. You have to greet them. Now I always thought of this as people who are catty with you, or like mean girls or whatever, but the enemies indicated by the original Greek are blood enemies... People who seek to kill you. Greet doesn't mean just a nod from across the street either. It means walk with, visit, and hang out with these people. This sounds crazy till we look at the life of Christ. Jesus was always available to the Pharisees and Scribes who eventually had him crucified. Jesus did visit them in their homes. Now this is dangerous stuff. Jesus got crucified doing this, and I suspect it plays a role in taking up our own cross and following him.
We do have to forgive completely and fully and find love in our hearts for the people who hurt us, as well as those who are nice to us. That is what sets us apart as Christians. Now this kind of love can come only from God. God loves us and forgives us, therefore we must forgive others. WE have all hurt God, we've hurt our earthly parents in the same way as they watched us fail, fall into sin, lie to them and etc. We have hurt God and others who care about us. We want to be forgiven, and so we absolutely must forgive. God helps us by pouring out his perfect love upon us, and from that we must overflow with love for others in return. Love and Forgiveness go hand in hand, and without love, well we can't be Christians without love and forgiveness. These are the keystone of Christianity. For more information on how this works, check out my book, http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Help-need-Miracle-Spiritual/dp/150108464X
 
I think the context and the relationship between parties is important here.The few verses I have looked up regarding "forgiveness" focuses on "brothers" . Matthew 18:15 "If your brother sins against you..NIV.
Luke "If your brother sins sins , rebuke him , and if he repents forgive him.....seven times comes back to you and says 'I repent' forgive him.
Smith Bible Dictionary define the term "brother " as Greek adelphos meaning "One of the same tribe 2 Sam 19:13 ,of the same people Exodus 2:11.Any friend Job 5:15
One of the same office 1 Kings 9:13 .The Greek word adelphos , has a similar range of meanings , in the New Testament.
Matthew 18:35 " My Heavenly Father will do the same to each of you , if each of you does not forgive his brother from the heart.
I believe it is up to the individual victim to decide whether or not to forgive in cases falling outside the context of "brother" if a literal interpretation is given to these verses in the context of their respective chapters of course.
The question being does God forgive obstinate wilful non- believers ?Not if I understand the term "condemned" as stated in Mark 16:16 "....whoever does not believe is condemned".NIV
 
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GoldenLight said:
I am struggling with 'forgiveness' on the one hand in the Lords prayer we pray 'Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that have trespassed against us'.. We are told to 'turn the other cheek'

I've been told that Forgiveness doesn't mean that people should not be held accountable for their actions.. I should forgive but when someone does something very wrong that person should also be held accountable..

Your opinions are appreciated
Click to expand...

I'll forgive everybody of everything even if they don't repent. I'll be greater than God. Then, on Judgment Day I'll insist that God forgive me of everything that I never repented of too.

No! But do this: consider God in all things. Ask Him for wisdom. There is no tolerance in Him for sin. None. He can not even look upon sin. Be holy.
 
GoldenLight said:
I am struggling with 'forgiveness' on the one hand in the Lords prayer we pray 'Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that have trespassed against us'.. We are told to 'turn the other cheek'

I've been told that Forgiveness doesn't mean that people should not be held accountable for their actions.. I should forgive but when someone does something very wrong that person should also be held accountable..

Your opinions are appreciated
Click to expand...
God will hold us accountable.

Romans 12 NKJV
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
20 Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
 
WIP said:
God will hold us accountable.

Romans 12 NKJV
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
20 Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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If it is possible, live peacefully with all men.
Some are impossible! lol

If someone breaks into my home, intending to harm me or my family, he will probably get some buck shot! Lol
 
Forgiveness is not necessarily forgetting or not holding accountable . Its letting go the hatred ,the animosity you feel towards the offender . Pray for them to know Jesus .
 
GoldenLight said:
I am struggling with 'forgiveness' on the one hand in the Lords prayer we pray 'Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that have trespassed against us'.. We are told to 'turn the other cheek'

I've been told that Forgiveness doesn't mean that people should not be held accountable for their actions.. I should forgive but when someone does something very wrong that person should also be held accountable..

Your opinions are appreciated
Click to expand...
i have a hard time forgiving also, despite what it says in the Bible. I think it really comes down to the root of what all sin is about which is pride. I don't want to get rid of my grudge or feeling superior to them. Forgiveness definitely does not mean that there are still not consequences to their actions and it doesn't mean you need to be naive and trust someone who hasn't earned it.
 
Yeah GL, and on the other side of it, unforgiveness creates a stronghold in YOUR life that can lead to bitterness, the desire for personal vengeance, and other such rot...you do not want that nasty stuff robbing you of your time and stealing the spaces of your mind....

So you have seen that there is pretty much a consensus (scripturally and personally) so what are your thoughts?
 
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