43”You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[h] and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you: Love your enemies[i] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. — and do not quibble about the mechanical absence of the word “forgive” It is impossible to do these things WITHOUT forgiving.
Moses prayed for the unrepentant Israelites in Exodus 32, SPECIFICALLY asking for forgiveness
Matt 6:12 specifically says that we should ask to be forgiven just as we forgive. It says nothing about worthy attitudes by which we “earn” forgiveness.
Matthew 18:35 says you will not be forgiven if you do not forgive.
Mark 11:25 says you should forgive WHEN YOU REMEMBER THAT YOUR BROTHER HAS SINNED.... AS YOU ARE PRAYING. It says nothing about this person coming to you and asking you for it. In fact, it specifically FORBIDS you waiting to do so.
If you need more, I have em
Does 'pray' mean 'forgive'? Are the two words interchangeable?
It is impossible to do these things WITHOUT forgiving.
Wrong. Of course I can pray for them without forgiving them. I can pray for them to repent so I can then forgive them, thus fullfilling the Masters commands. If they aren' sincerely repentant, then forgiveness is not only useless, it's destructive.
L