Posted on 08/15/2024 3:23:30 PM PDT by metmom
When Dylann Roof shot and killed nine people attending a Wednesday night Bible study in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015, there were two causes for shock. Roof’s heinous act was the obvious one. The other was forgiveness. Within days of the murders, Nadine Collier looked into the face of her mother’s killer at Roof’s bond hearing and said through tears,
You took something very precious away from me. I will never talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again. But I forgive you. And have mercy on your soul.
Collier’s words, along with those of others who similarly offered forgiveness, ricocheted around the world. They made headlines and were debated in opinion pieces, eventually becoming the stuff of documentaries and academic papers.
For all the concern about “cancel culture” in recent years, forgiveness hasn’t lost its power to captivate us.
(Excerpt) Read more at thegospelcoalition.org ...
But I forgive you.
Sometimes you get one or the other, but both make it a complete transaction.
It’s an interesting topic because God does not by default automatically grant all people forgiveness.
He offers salvation to all who ask for it, but if they never ask or repent, it is not applied to them.
I understand the concept of forgiving even if the person doesn’t ask. There is value in turning it over to God.
Repentance and restitution are also parts of it.
The person who sinned against another really does have an obligation to repent and make restitution when possible.
While that isn’t a requirement for forgiveness,
reconciliation to a large part depends on that.
While that isn’t a requirement for forgiveness,
Some would “read” their Bible that you must forgive. In fact many worldly people can quote the “must forgive”
Just stirring the pot because even many Christians think they “must forgive”, but they haven’t read it in context.
I guess then the distinction becomes what exactly, forgiveness is.
Some claim it’s releasing them from any debt owed you and giving it over to God for HIM to deal with the person.
But Scripture does seem to tie forgiveness with repentance. Jesus did it while on the cross, so it does set us an example.
I can still give it over to God whether the person asked for forgiveness or not. Whether that by default means I forgave him not, I’m not really sure.
So awful that the only path forward is letting go and letting God. The alternative is a very dark place that can ruin you and others.
I'm not sure I've forgiven the perp, more like turned him over to God where I'm quite certain Justice will prevail for which I pity Griller and pray he is right with Jesus on that day.
I am in the midst of a very difficult family situation dealing with forgiveness and prayers are coveted. Thank you in advance.
I’m sorry to here of your loss and the horror of it.
And I will pray for your current situation.
We really do need supernatural, Godly wisdom and strength when doing something to unnatural for us in our humanity.
The woman who murdered my husband years ago. I forgave her. God will deal with her justly.
Sheesh, and I though I had difficult things to forgive.
I’m sorry to hear that you and to experience that.
When I made the victim impact statement on the stand it was hard. Among other things I told her I forgave her and she better get right with God or else she’ll end up in Hell. She was unrepentant and went to jail. A psychopath. She’s out now, but I don’t have to deal with her. God will.
My point is that when there is forgiveness and repentance the transaction is complete.
We have many incomplete transactions.
Sometimes forgiveness comes before repentance which is our relationship with God. But again, there is sweetness in the completion.
Yes, we can give a situation over to God. Is that forgiveness, I don’t know. I do know it is not complete.
I do struggle with the articles where the parent forgives the murderer for killing their child. Ooops, that is how God looks at us.
If we don’t repent, are we forgiven?
yes, much thinking must be done on forgiveness and repentance. thanks for the topic.
Well, when one comes to Christ and is born again, the record of his sin debt is wiped clean. Scripture is clear on that.
However, as one grows and matures in their Christian faith, there will be times God reveals areas of sin that they believer either had not addressed yet, or wasn’t even aware of. In that case, I believe that one needs to actively repent, not for salvation sake, but for reconciliation sake.
There is great freedom in that.
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