The Heart of Forgiveness

Random Thoughts About Forgiveness:

“The Heart of Forgiveness”

I have come across lots of false applications about the issue of forgiveness.  Often, instead of calling for forgiveness, other important works of the Holy Spirit are called for such as, love, mercy, grace, self-control, etc. (Galatians 5:22-26).

Nevertheless, people often quote passages such as Luke 23:34, "Father forgive them..."; Colossians 3:13, "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."; Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” -- among others as proof that whether a sinner repents or not--Christians are to forgive.  But are we sure that’s what God is commanding?

To be sure, Christians are to have a heart of forgiveness, such as Christ displayed upon the cross (Luke 23:24) and God has toward us sinners (Colossians 3:13). But often Christians are told to GIVE forgiveness for their own health-sake or so that their sins can be forgiven, even if the sinner is unrepentant.   But this is unbiblical and destructive to the individual believer, the sinner who is unrepentant, and to the body of Christ, HIS Church, as well as to the non-believer.

You see, a heart of forgiveness patiently/eagerly WAITS to give forgiveness, as displayed in Matthew 18:21-35 knowing that their sin against God is far greater than another human's sin against them.   Did you get that?  The truly godly Christian is one who is patiently WAITING to give forgiveness when it is truly time to do so, not before. There is a time to show by God's grace, the heart of forgiveness and to express Christ's love, mercy, compassion, patience, grace, etc. thereby welcoming the sinner/offender who repents.

God does NOT forgive where there is no repentance but God does show common grace (gives food, shelter, rain and sunshine, physical life and health, etc.), as HE invites sinners to HIM through Godly repentance. 

“God is patient (common grace) not willing that anyone should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). 

Toward the unrepentant sinner, God is not forgiving, He is patiently waiting for the sinner to come to Him in repentance so He can shower upon him His forgiveness. This is the heart of forgiveness.  It is a heart that waits patiently for the right time to shower the offender with forgiveness, NOT BEFORE!