As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“…the New Testament authors apparently don’t think the once-for-all forgiveness (justification) conflicts with the need for ongoing forgiveness (sanctification). This can be seen not only in the Lord’s Prayer, but also in 1 John 1:9: ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’” - TGC
“Biblical forgiveness is accompanied by the repentance of the sinner. And since Scripture tells me to forgive as God has forgiven me (Col 3:13), then I see no reason to offer ‘total and unqualified’ forgiveness to the unrepentant.” - Tim Miller
“What has surprised me is the reaction. Many find [Brandt’s] choice to forgive offensive—or at least an occasion to condemn and criticize.” - Kevin Schaal
“I forgive you. And I know if you go to God and ask Him, He will forgive you,” Jean said during the sentencing hearing. “I love you just like anyone else.” - BPNews
Related: Faith Leaders Grapple With Brandt Jean’s Swift Forgiveness of Amber Guyger
Reposted from The Cripplegate.
Insurance companies amaze me. One little speeding ticket or a minor fender-bender, and everything changes. Your monthly payment sky-rockets. They no longer trust you. Simply for doing the human thing of making a mistake, you henceforth are placed on insurance detention. They not only record the minor mishap, but your previously good relationship with them goes sour from merely one mistake. One little blunder results in a tarnished relationship.
If a Christian has been personally wronged by another Christian, should he just forgive and forget? I don’t believe he should. I think that would be a terrible mistake, and this attitude (while well-meaning) is very dangerous for local churches. It papers over disputes, and presents a false front of unity where, in fact, bitterness and sin often abound below the surface. Here is my position, briefly:
(From Theologically Driven. Used with permission.)
In the past few months I have encountered several conflicting ideas about forgiveness in unexpected counseling situations. Nor is the confusion confined to the uninformed or immature.
The biblical idea of forgiveness is an elusive one that is often missed entirely or sometimes mixed with other ideas—ideas that are not necessarily bad, but that are not exactly what the Bible is trying to convey by its use of the word forgiveness, either. Note the following:
“When ‘that person’ who hurts you comes back to mind (and they will.) The right thing to do (not the easy thing to do) is to choose in that moment to forgive. No matter how many times you have done it in the past, you need to learn how to do it over and over again.” CPost
Posted by permission of Think on These Things and Voice. (Read Part 1.)
The only means we have to free ourselves from habitual self-deception is the mirror of the Word of God.
Scripture never condemns anger per se. As a matter of fact we are given examples of appropriate, godly anger in the life of Jesus and a number of His followers, and we are actually commanded to “be angry” at times (Eph 4:26a). Obviously if God is angry at sin it cannot be wrong for believers to be angry at the same sins. Righteous anger reacts against actual sin, not against inconvenience or violation of personal preference. Righteous anger, instead, is concerned about the Lord and His glory. It is focused on what offends God and injures others, not about what harms the angry person. Righteous anger is self-controlled and concerned for the good of others.
Discussion