No. The Christian Bible states that forgiveness is acting as though the sin or transgression never happened. That's stated quite clearly in Matthew I believe.
Here's the one I use:
Too often Christians are told to GIVE forgiveness for their own health or so that their sins can be forgiven, even if the sinner is unrepentant--this is unbiblical and destructive to the individual believer, the sinner who is unrepentant, and to the body of Christ, HIS Church, as well as to the non-believer.
A heart of forgiveness patiently/eagerly waits to give forgiveness, as displayed in Matthew 18:21-35 knowing that their sin against God is far greater than another human's sin against them, and by God's grace, the heart of forgiveness shows Christ's love, mercy, compassion, patience, grace, etc. thereby inviting the sinner to repent and enjoy God's wonderfulness and Christian community through repentance and believing in Christ's forgiveness of their sins and adding their forgiveness, their covenant to not hold their sins against them.
God does NOT forgive where there is no repentance but God does show common grace and mercy as HE invites sinners to HIM through Godly repentance.
This idea of forgiving everyone willy nilly whether they've sincerely repented or not is postively un-Biblical.
L
The Christian Bible states that forgiveness is acting as though the sin or transgression never happened. That's stated quite clearly in Matthew I believe.
I thunked it, but wasn't sure of it. Lurker, you have a problem with your definition of forgiveness. This is not a biblical definition of forgiveness. However, If you use that definition, yes, it would be raw stupidity to extend that to wicked men. Jesus said not to throw pearls in front of pigs, implying that we show discretion. I would need VERY specific guidance from God (knowing that my life was soon to end and that I was called to lay it down in this way) to stand at the Dome of the Rock or the gateway to Mecca and proclaim the gospel. My life would be short, and my "forgiveness" would be stupid, if I thought the muslim history of attacking Christians was magically erased. Again, if I used your definition, I could see why you would hesitate to say we should "forgive" the unrepentant, and I would agree with you.
That said, I don't think your definition is biblical, and I don't find it in Matthew, or anywhere else. I do agree that forgiveness means that we no longer HOLD THE PARTY GUILTY as having a debt to us, and in that sense (alone), we treat it as though it never happened. However, forgiveness is not some spritual shock therapy that expunges events from memory and allows us to enter every situation as a virgin. That would be silly.
ping