Forgive those who trespass against me

[admin]

• 

I would like to talk about the subject of forgiveness.

Whenever you bring up the subject of forgiveness on a Bible board most people immediately think that you are referring to the grace of God and his forgiveness for our sins. And of course that is probably the greatest form of forgiveness and expression of love that exist. But what I like to talk to now is our forgiveness for our brothers and sisters here are. I would like to imagine going into a God and be able to say, please forgive me for I have forgiven everybody that sinned against me. Doesn't the text say forgive me as I forgive those who trespass against me? If you pray that prayer and what can you expect when you stand in front of God and ask for his forgiveness you expect the same forgiveness that you gave to those who have trespass against you.
What's even worse is to know that the transgressions that was done against you will be charged against another person when he stands in front of God. Our Lord has given us the authority to forgive those who trespass against us so those trespassers will not be brought forward and be judged by God. I do not want anybody standing in front of God and having to answer for anything that he's done against me. I am too lowly and to sinful to turn and point an accusing finger at anyone. So when you pray to God before you ask him to forgive you, pray that those that trespass against you not be charged with that trespass and tell Lord that you have forgiven them in your heart and do not hold them accountable. 

 

Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times ?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

[calluna]

• 

What's even worse is to know that the transgressions that was done against you will be charged against another person when he stands in front of God. Our Lord has given us the authority to forgive those who trespass against us so those trespassers will not be brought forward and be judged by God.

Even if we forgive people, it does not mean that God will forgive them. He will not forgive anyone who is not in Christ. By forgiving, we settle our own consciences- but only our own. The other party has to make his or her own peace with God through Christ if his or her conscience is to be salved. We cannot be saved unless we know we are saved.

[admin]

• 

Even if we forgive people, it does not mean that God will forgive them. He will not forgive anyone who is not in Christ. By forgiving, we settle our own consciences- but only our own. The other party has to make his or her own peace with God through Christ if his or her conscience is to be salved. We cannot be saved unless we know we are saved.

Welcome calluna

First I would like to point out that by not forgiving others who trespass against you, you are committing a sin by not fulfilling the commandment given to you by your Lord.

 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Matthew 6:14-15
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Second we are to ask that God also forgive them for the trespasses against us. (This is not a request for forgiveness from all sins they have committed against God but against us)

2 Timothy 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

Acts 7:55 But Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God's glory, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, 56 "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" 57 Then they screamed at the top of their voices, stopped their ears, and rushed together against him. 58 They threw him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 They were stoning Stephen as he called out: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin!" And saying this, he fell asleep.


Do you believe that Paul and Steven's requests were denied by God?



Nice to have you on the board Brother/Sister calluna

[calluna]

• 

Welcome calluna

Hello admin.

First I would like to point out that by not forgiving others who trespass against you, you are committing a sin by not fulfilling the commandment given to you by your Lord.

 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Matthew 6:14-15
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Agreed.

Second we are to ask that God also forgive them for the trespasses against us. (This is not a request for forgiveness from all sins they have committed against God but against us)

2 Timothy 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

That does not mean that Paul's prayer was answered affirmatively.

Acts 7:55 But Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God's glory, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, 56 "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" 57 Then they screamed at the top of their voices, stopped their ears, and rushed together against him. 58 They threw him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 They were stoning Stephen as he called out: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin!" And saying this, he fell asleep.

Nor Stephen's.

Do you believe that Paul and Steven's requests were denied by God?

I do not know. I think it very unlikely that they were granted, unless the people concerned were filled with remorse, or, there was nothing to forgive because they had not actually done wrong against Paul, which may have been the case. The point here is that Paul and Stephen held no hard feelings about those who were in some sense their brothers, despite their failings towards them. This was the gospel of peace in action.

Nice to have you on the board Brother/Sister calluna

Thank you. Just brother, small 'b'.

[admin]

• 

Well they were fellow Jews but not Steven's brothers in Christ, they were not  believers, at least not at that time.

Matthew 12:30

[calluna]

• 

Well they were fellow Jews but not Steven's brothers in Christ, they were not  believers, at least not at that time.

Matthew 12:30

Fellow Jews were called 'brothers' even after the resurrection.

[admin]

• 

Fellow Jews were called 'brothers' even after the resurrection.

As I said they were not his brothers in Christ.

[calluna]

• 

As I said they were not his brothers in Christ.

Indeed.

[Proa42]

• 

And while we were dead in our sins, Christ died for the ungodly.

Don't remember asking, but there it was - even before the foundations of the earth were laid.