Complicit or Speaking Truth

Do you find it interesting that Christians will tell us to forgive an unrepentant offender but will not tell the offender to repent?

So many people believe that we should forgive offenders without any reconciliation of the relationship through confession of wrongdoing.

We have been misled to believe we are bitter if we do not extend forgiveness to someone who is not sorry and continues to re-offend.

Notice those who pressure others to forgive use the scripture that we are to forgive 70 X 7 as Christ said, but leave out the part of that passage that says; "when they come to you and say I repent."

This is common for the modern Christian to remove scripture from its context to accommodate the teaching of psychology that are not based on Scripture.

Luke 17:3

"3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."

Notice in Luke God says "if he repents" forgive him. Why do so many people change this to "forgive even if he does not repent." The answer is clear, the devil doesn't want anyone to repent, because repentance leads to a humbling of ones spirit that submits to God and others.

Luke 17:3-4 "…3Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

When we do things man's way and forgive when the offender is not sorry we enable and encourage evil behavior. Those who remain silent about sin are a party to it.

Ephesians 5:11

"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."

Proverbs 31:9

"Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."

If we stand by while someone is being abused and do not correct the offender then we have taken part in his offenses. If we are with the bad crowd and stand back without rebuking them, then we are the bad crowd. We are guilty by our silence and by our choice of companions.

Pressuring someone to forgive and reconcile with an offender who is not sorry and continues to act badly is the same as doing that act to the victim ourselves. Do not think you are innocent merely because you didn't do a bad act, if you remained silent about the acts of wicked people.

Our culture has become more violent and entitled to rudeness because too many Christians remained silent while others were offending. Silence is an endorsement, make no mistake, those who are silent are also guilty.

James 4:17

"So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."