There is no Bible verse that says to forgive so you will not be bitter. God does not forgive everyone, they must repent, is He bitter, no but He is just. We pray for those who harm us and if we come in contact with them we treat them with the respect they didn't show us, but that is not forgiveness. It is blessing your enemy. Those who will not repent when they offend and continue offending are not to be extended forgiveness. Forgiveness is for the purpose of reconciling a relationship, it is not just something we say to keep us from becoming bitter.
Having nothing more to do with unrepentant people is not forgiveness. We forgive when someone is sorry to reconcile the relationship. There is no reconciliation when there is no confession of a wrong done toward us. Just saying or pretending we have forgiven is not forgiveness. It may be a choice not to do revenge which is commanded by God.
This is important information, too many people are pretending to be forgiving when no reconciliation has occurred. All born again believers have forgiveness in their heart, desiring to forgive when someone is ready to confess and stop their sin against us. We want to reconcile, but it is prevented by the unrepentant person who thinks their sin was nothing to be sorry for.
One cannot trust a person who continues to wrong us without remorse.
God's condition for forgiveness toward us:
2 Peter 3:9 "9The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. "
Our conditions for forgiveness is the same as God's:
Luke 17:4
"4 And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
Most people only read part of that verse to forgive 70X7, and completely miss that the offender "saying, "I repent", then you shall forgive him." Why do so many people leave off the condition of forgiveness? Perhaps they want people to forgive them without having to confess or admit their sin against someone else. They want the easy way that says; "lets all just forget about our sins against one another and have happy thoughts." This may work for brushing dirt under the rug but eventually, that dirt pile under the rug grows bigger and bigger until people trip over it.
The ultimate goal of a Christian is to "resolve" difficulties and conflicts" so they no longer exist. This way everyone grows emotionally and spiritually. As it is in our culture today most people do not mature or change their character because they refuse to face the difficult things for a permanent resolution. It is cowardly to live like this and does nothing for anyone.
Proverbs 29:8-10 "…8Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution.10Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life.…"
How many times have you tried to discuss a problem with someone and were shut down through the manipulation of raging and blaming to stop any chance of restoration of the relationship or resolution to the problem......my guess is that many of you have tried and failed because it takes two people who love each other to want to discuss and resolve matters.
We live in a culture that refuses to resolve anything, they are only friendly if you allow them to be as monstrous as they want without any correction. Just look at Portland Oregon where the rioters have taken over the streets without any restraint to make them stop vandalizing the shops of innocent business owners. They have defunded the police in some places to allow for unfettered lawlessness. This is the insanity we live with every day now, as in the days of Lot and Noah, when everyone does whatever they please, no one is punished and no one repents.
Welcome to the end of the end times; 2 Timothy 3:1-5 "2 Timothy 3:1-5
Difficult (ragingly insane) Times Will Come
3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
When we come to the realization that we cannot reason with someone to resolve a problem then is when we walk away and leave them to God to deal with, there will be more times like this as the days grow darker. Do not be dismayed, just carry on as led by the Holy Spirit without worry. Hallelujah!!!!
