Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Pride that Grows Out of Worldly Thinking

Just because someone will not repent when they have offended us and we cannot forgive them does not mean we are bitter. We would love to forgive those who have offended us, but the offender prevents that. The lack of repentance is on the offender not on us.

Just as those who will not repent of the sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ will not be forgiven or saved from hell.

Does Christ love all those people who are choosing hell over Him? Yes, He loved them so much that He died for them. However He will not have a relationship with them on this earth and they will go to hell as long as they will not repent to be cleansed by Christ before they die.

Christ and mankind is the model of our human relationships too. We gain nothing and the offender gains nothing by premature forgiveness.

In a relationship where one party confesses and the other forgives then the relationship is restored, fixed, not just glossed over and abandoned for the sake of feeling better about ourselves. This model of worldly forgiveness is self oriented.

Notice that the worldy way of forgiveness is superficial and feelings oriented, but God's way is a permanent and rewarding fix that brings two people back together.

When we love someone who is sinning and will not repent we pray for them, no bitterness here, grief because they will not obey God, but not bitterness toward them.

When the ways of God are followed there is greater chance that someone will see their need for repentance toward Him and others. Mans' way negates God's' way leaving people comfortable in their sin, even causing an entitlement to forgiveness without repentance. And, perhaps pride in the one who pats themselves on the back, even bragging about how they forgave someone who was not repentant.

Superficial actions based on feelings always bring pride.




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