Forgiveness

[Valerie100]

Does anybody know what the Bible has to say about forgiveness when it comes to a person or people who don't necessarily want you to or care if you forgive them? Is there anything in the Good Book about forgiving somebody who could care less about your forgiveness and will continue to hurt you anyway? I guess you're supposed to just remain calm and strong and turn the other check. How do you forgive someone who doesn't want to be forgiven, and what do Jesus and/or the disciples have to say about that?

[lady cop]

forgivenesss is something you do for yourself. YOUR peace of mind. but i don't know what the Bible has to say.

[SOJOURNER]

Since we are the only ones we can change, I think all the Biblican forgiveness referenes speak to what 'we' should do.

We all have free will.

Should someone choice not to want you to forgive them does not take away your free will to forgive them.

[Lon]

Originally Posted by Valerie100

Does anybody know what the Bible has to say about forgiveness when it comes to a person or people who don't necessarily want you to or care if you forgive them? Is there anything in the Good Book about forgiving somebody who could care less about your forgiveness and will continue to hurt you anyway? I guess you're supposed to just remain calm and strong and turn the other check. How do you forgive someone who doesn't want to be forgiven, and what do Jesus and/or the disciples have to say about that?

How about just forgiving them and then keep it to yourself ?

I may be a little rusty with my bible..lol, we'll have clint double check, but aren't you supposed to turn the other check and walk away?

My personal choice is to just keep forgiving them and be more gracious as they ignore it. it really pi$$es them off when i'm smiling at them the whole time, but i just can't help myself...i know i'm driving them nuts with something they can't really complain to anyone about..

[Clint]

Matthew 18:21-35 Jesus speaking...

21Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

23"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' 29So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

Now wait a minute here clint...

are you telling me that the heavenly father expects mere mortals to forgive 77 sins against us, but he only has to give 1 pass. Isn't there kind of a conflict between that and 'showing us the way'? What ever happened to leading by example?

[Rapunzel]

Originally Posted by Valerie100

Does anybody know what the Bible has to say about forgiveness when it comes to a person or people who don't necessarily want you to or care if you forgive them? Is there anything in the Good Book about forgiving somebody who could care less about your forgiveness and will continue to hurt you anyway? I guess you're supposed to just remain calm and strong and turn the other check. How do you forgive someone who doesn't want to be forgiven, and what do Jesus and/or the disciples have to say about that?

In my experience, if you remain calm, strong and turn the other cheek, you'll find the other person carries on as before completely ignoring your forgiveness and you become very wound up and pi$$ed off because you're trying SO hard to be nice and they're being a complete moron and ignoring you!

Why not go up to them, preferably in front of other people, and say quite loudly and in a martyred voice "I forgive you" then look at them very sadly and walk away. With any luck they'll stand there open mouthed and looking like a fool. Oh, and if they start to argue say "Jesus said 'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone'!" That's ALWAYS a conversation killer!

If you say nothing...you feel bad.
If you say something like this...you feel better for having your say and they feel thoroughly pi$$ed off...which they totally deserve!

Doesn't the Bible say - God helps those who help themself?
and also - an eye for an eye, etc.
Good Luck!

[Peg]

Funny this topic should come up right now. I've been torn here lately. I was taught that wishing someone dead was the same as murdering them. Here is my dilemma. As some of you know, months ago an adult hit my 17 year old son in the head with a ball bat. This adult is an alcoholic and drug addict. To me, this does not excuse what he did. The man is now lying in the hospital recovering from a drug overdose. I feel guilty for not caring if he made it or not. I would not wish death on anyone, but I feel bad for thinking if he died, no great loss. While I would like to be able to forgive him, I can't. Not when it comes to one of my kids. How do you forgive something like this?

[Clint]

Originally Posted by flopstock

Now wait a minute here clint...

are you telling me that the heavenly father expects mere mortals to forgive 77 sins against us, but he only has to give 1 pass. Isn't there kind of a conflict between that and 'showing us the way'? What ever happened to leading by example?

Actually, he said 7X70 or 490 times.

He didn’t say the wicked servant wouldn’t be forgiven. He said the wicked servant would be disciplined.

His personal example is that of becoming man, suffering rejection by His own people and His own creation, then being tortured and murdered. He did it all so we could have forgiveness once and for all. When He was on the cross, He said; “forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” His example was the example of how far we should go to forgive.