Forgiveness is for the Purpose of Reconciliation not Good Feelings About Ourselves

Forgiveness is for the healing of a broken relationships. Confession of offense and forgiveness when confession occurs is the criteria God gives for reconciling a relationship.

Forgiveness is not for us to feel better about ourselves, all by itself it does nothing of what God intended. When there is confession of offense there is sorrow over having offended then the relationship can be restored.

Luke 17:4 says, "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him".

Why does nearly everyone leave out the part that says; "if he sins and comes to say "I repent"?

Doing anything just for ourselves is not Biblical.

Philippians 2:3

Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others more significant than yourself"

Those who have sinned need to be sorry to grow and become better, when we do not require this but only want to feel better about ourselves this is selfishness.

Psychology says we must forgive to avoid becoming bitter, but God said to pray for those who abuse us, treat them differently than they treated us when in their company but remove ourselves if they will not repent.

Psychology pressures the offended party to forgive but does not pressure the offender to confess their sin. This is the opposite of what God says to do. Nothing we do is "just for ourselves", all that we do has a greater purpose and that is to be what God meant for us to be that will help others move from sinfulness to holiness by their own choice.

Ignoring sin without consequences makes sin grow, it does not resolve anything. Sometimes we have to do the hard unpleasant things for the future greater good.

2 Timothy 3:5 God does not say to forgive those who are rebellious and unrepentant, He says to get away from them.l

2 Timothy 3:1-5

Difficult 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, [a]haters of good,

4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5 holding to a form of [b]godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."

Last phrase in verse 5 says; "avoid such people."