Dr. Laura,
I heard that you recently said on your radio program that we shouldn’t forgive someone who hasn’t repented. Since I am usually in agreement with what you say, and I also believe that we should forgive all men their trespasses against us, perhaps the disagreement is merely in what it means to forgive.
May I tell you what I think it means to forgive? As I understand it, you let go of the anger, hate, bitterness, desire to hurt, and resentment that you feel. You do this through love and the grace of God. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, and it does not necessarily mean trusting again. Trust must be earned, and memory serves an important function.
As an example, suppose your spouse molests your child. You should let go of the poisonous negative feelings you harbor before they corrode your soul. But it would be foolish to allow the abuser to have access again to children. You forgive the spouse for your own sake, not his sake, and you don’t forget and you don’t automatically trust him again. Forgiveness means letting God and the law of the land take the proper course.
I believe that God forgives only those who repent, but God knows who has truly repented and who has not. We do not know, so we must leave the final judgment to God. While God in His infinite wisdom may forgive and remember the sin no more, we need to remember, but we also need to let go of all our animosity.
Just thought I’d let you know that some of your listeners may be using a different definition of forgiveness.
I heard that you recently said on your radio program that we shouldn’t forgive someone who hasn’t repented. Since I am usually in agreement with what you say, and I also believe that we should forgive all men their trespasses against us, perhaps the disagreement is merely in what it means to forgive.
May I tell you what I think it means to forgive? As I understand it, you let go of the anger, hate, bitterness, desire to hurt, and resentment that you feel. You do this through love and the grace of God. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, and it does not necessarily mean trusting again. Trust must be earned, and memory serves an important function.
As an example, suppose your spouse molests your child. You should let go of the poisonous negative feelings you harbor before they corrode your soul. But it would be foolish to allow the abuser to have access again to children. You forgive the spouse for your own sake, not his sake, and you don’t forget and you don’t automatically trust him again. Forgiveness means letting God and the law of the land take the proper course.
I believe that God forgives only those who repent, but God knows who has truly repented and who has not. We do not know, so we must leave the final judgment to God. While God in His infinite wisdom may forgive and remember the sin no more, we need to remember, but we also need to let go of all our animosity.
Just thought I’d let you know that some of your listeners may be using a different definition of forgiveness.
posted by Nectar | 4:50 PM
2 Comments:
Papa,
If you say forgiveness is letting go of the anger, hate, bitterness, desire to hurt, and resentment that you feel, how can you say that God forgives only those who have truly repented? God doesn't have hate, bitterness, or a desire to hurt anyone, ever.
That's a good question.
I think our forgiveness is different from God's forgiveness. You are right, God doesn't have any hate, bitterness, or a desire to hurt anyone. When God forgives a person He pardons them. He applies the atoning sacrifice and through grace he washes away the sins of that person. He no longer remembers their sins. We can't do that.
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