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covenant4 · 03-04-2007, 11:08 PM

Sylvanus,

I agree with you and others on this thread that to "forgive is of a much greater virtue." The scriptures says that we are to be angry (at sin) and that we are not to let the sun go down on our anger. That is to say that we are not to hold onto it to the point of seeking revenge and that is already done. We have no desire to seek revenge. We have told them that we do not even want the money back. It is not the money. What is missing now is the trust that we once enjoyed, the comfortable relationship we had with both and now the necessity to have to do things differently than what we were able to do before - and that is the aspect of this that makes us so sad.

But, (and I don't wish this to be taken for looking for ways not to forgive,) I see that the scripture requires repentance, or apologies, before one is required to forgive - and there has been no apology because they feel as though they did nothing wrong. And, because of that, it has changed things. Tension is now there that was never there before. We are more than willing to forgive, but, it hasn't been asked for yet. Does Jesus forgive us if we don't confess our sins to Him and ask Him for our forgiveness? When Jesus died on the cross He extended the opportunity for forgiveness to all mankind - but not everyone will ask for it and therefore, they have to accept the consequences of that.

I think the following scriptures reflect what I am trying to say;

Luk 17:3,4 “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother trespasses against you, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive him. And if he trespasses against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns again to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him.” (Matthew 18:15-21 is the same discourse but leaves out the sinner having repented first.)

Matthew 18:15 adds a different element; “But if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” By default, Matthew is saying, “If he doesn’t listen to you, you have not gained your brother.”

I am not trying to hold onto anything; it is just that there was a important guideline that we are to follow before things do return to the way they were beforehand.