The following is an expanded interpretive translation of First Corinthians 13:4-8 from Sparkling Gems From the Greek by Rick Renner.

?Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed;
Love doesn?t demand others to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be;
Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others possess;
Love doesn?t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others;
Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner;
Love is not rude and discourteous ? it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others;
Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage;
Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp; they cause an ugly or violent response;
Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes;
Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth;
Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure;
Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation;
Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others;
Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up;
Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down.?


Wow, what a tall order to fill. However, it is in the Word of God and He says that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. I believe that the first place we should practice this kind of love, God?s kind of love, is in our homes, with our spouse and children. I have also found that it?s the hardest place. It?s those we are most intimately related to that can offend and hurt us the most. Sometimes it?s much easier to let an offense go when it?s someone we aren?t in that close of a relationship with. But when it comes to those in our very own home, it seems like the most difficult thing in the world to do at times.

James 1:19 (Amplified) says ?Understand this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and get angry?. When someone has offended us, it seems the first thing we want to do is open our mouths. When our spouse or children do something that has offended us, has caused us to feel hurt and become angry, if you?re anything like me, the last thing your flesh wants to do is walk in the God kind of love. If I may be quite honest, more often than not, my first thought isn?t to be patient and kind. I?m so thankful for 2 Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified) which says, ?And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [who is] the Spirit. What hope and encouragement there is in that scripture for me. As I continue to behold Him through the Word of God concerning His definition of love in this portion of Scripture in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, I am constantly being transfigured into His image and able to walk in this God kind of love.

When we have been offended by someones actions it is an occasion for us to stumble into sin. One of the definitions of offense in the Strong?s Lexicon #4625, is ?occasion to fall?. It is also defined as a ?stumbling block?. When we become offended and feel hurt and angry, it is an occasion to fall into the sin of unforgiveness. Then, if we are unwilling to forgive, that unforgiveness turns into bitterness and resentment. Needless to say, these things destroy relationship as well as poison your own soul. They cause divorces, break up of relationships between friends and family. The only way to keep that offense from taking root is to forgive the offense. We are commanded to forgive others as we have been forgiven.

There are times when we are to confront the one who has offended us. Luke 17:3 says, ??If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. There are many times I wish I would have prayed and asked the Lord if I am to speak to someone about an offense that I feel someone has committed against me. If I would have prayed first the Holy Spirit could have given me the right words to say and the right spirit in which to confront that person. When I go to someone with a judgmental attitude it will only stir up more strife. We must remember that we too, have been offensive to others at times. The whole point in going to the one who has offended you is that you might be reconciled, not so you can make sure that other person knows how rotten they treated you and what a low down scoundrel they have been. We must go with a humble attitude, desiring to clear the offense out of the way so that we can be reconciled with that person.

Well, I?ll tell you what I?m going to do. I am going to print 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and meditate on it until love oozes out of me like honey. How many marriages, friendship, family relationships could be saved if we would love as God has loved us? We will make mistakes, but that?s what repentance and forgiveness have been given to us for. Relationships are the most important thing we have. Material things can be replaced, people can?t. Don?t wait another day to forgive and begin practicing loving as God does.

REPENTANCE

Later, when John had done his work and had been put in prison, we are told:

"After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee,
proclaiming the good news of God. ?The time has come,? he
said. ?The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the
good news!??(Mark 1:14, 15).

After this, Jesus went about His work, preaching the gospel to the poor and doing good to all men, and called twelve men to be His apostles. These twelve men were sent by Jesus to preach to others.

"They went out and preached that people should repent"
(Mark 6:12).

Jesus harmed no man, but did only good for all with whom He came in contact. He tried to get men to repent so they would be pleasing to God and able to go into the Kingdom of Heaven. Wicked men, because of envy, misunderstood and refused Jesus. They demanded that He be put to death on a cross. The grave could not hold Jesus and on the third day after his burial, he came out of the tomb and lived as a man again. He kept showing Himself to many different people so that all would know and be sure that He was risen from the dead. Then He went back to heaven to take His place at the right hand of God and have the glory and the honor that was due Him.

His followers who were still upon the earth were commanded to go into every land and tell every person to repent. Jesus said to these disciples,

"This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise
from the dead on the third day, and repentance and
forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46,47).

The book of Acts tells how believers in the first century obeyed Jesus and went everywhere preaching the word of God and demanding that the people repent. Here are a few examples of how they preached and what they said:

?Repent, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped
out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord"
(Acts 3:19).

"In times past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he
commands all people everywhere to repent"(Acts 17:30).

Paul said

"First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and
in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that
they should repent and turn to God and prove their
repentance by their deeds" (Acts 26:20).

THE IMPORTANCE OF REPENTANCE

You can see from this how important it is for people to repent. If we do not repent, we cannot be with Jesus and God. If we do not repent, we shall die a spiritual death and will not be able to go into heaven. Jesus said, "I tell you, No! But unless you repent, you too will all perish" (Luke 13:3).

This is very clear and easy to understand. Jesus taught that we will either repent or we shall perish!

WHAT IS REPENTANCE?

We must know what repentance is or we will not be able to repent. There are many wrong ideas about what repentance is. Some think that when a person knows he is a sinner and feels guilty, he has repented. In chapter twenty-six of the book of Acts we are told of how Paul preached to a certain king whose name was Agrippa. This king was a very sinful man. The apostle made him realize how evil he was, but he did not repent. King Agrippa, as far as we know, never did obey the faith and receive forgiveness of his sins.

There are others who say that repentance is being afraid. Afraid to die! Afraid of God! Afraid of the future! But repentance is not just fear. On still another occasion Paul preached to a governor named Felix. This man, too, was a bad man who did not fear God and who did many wrong things. He was guilty of murder, stealing, lying and adultery. The scripture says:

"As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the
judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, ?That?s enough
for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will
send for you?" (Acts 24:25).

Felix was afraid, but Felix did not repent. No, fear is not repentance.

Still others say that sorrow for sins is repentance. This cannot be true. Paul wrote, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation" (2 Corinthians 7:10). Godly sorrow makes us repent. If godly sorrow causes us to repent, then they are two different things. Godly sorrow is one thing, and repentance is another thing.

What is repentance? The word "repentance" in the New Testament comes from a Greek word which means "to get a new mind." The word simply means a change of mind. Read very carefully the following parable:

". . . There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ?Son, go and work today in the vineyard.? ?I will not,? he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ?I will, sir,? but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted?" (Matthew 21:28-30).

The first son, after refusing to do as the father requested, later "repented himself, and went." That is, he changed his mind and did as his father told him to do. We can plainly see that repentance is a change of mind.

WHAT DO WE DO TO REPENT?

It may help us to understand what repentance is and what we are to do when we repent if we know what causes repentance. The New Testament tells us that two things help us to repent. They are:

1. The goodness of God -- "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God?s kindness leads you toward repentance?" (Romans 2:4).

2. Godly sorrow -- "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."(2 Corinthians 7:10).

Here is how it works. We are all sinners. You are a sinner. I am a sinner. Paul wrote,

"What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at
all! We have already made the charge that Jews and
Gentiles alike are all under sin" (Romans 3:9).

He also wrote,

"For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God"
(Romans 3:23).

Every person sins. Just think of your own life and of the things you have done. Stop and remember. Can you think of things you have done that you know are wrong -- things you should not have done? Have you hurt a friend? Have you told a lie? Have you been drunk? Have you been guilty of fornication? Have you failed to do things that are right and that you should have done? We can all think of things in our past life that we are ashamed of and that we ought not to have done.

On the other hand, think of the fact that God loves you and wants the very best for you.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life" (John 3:16).

GOD'S LOVE IS SO GOOD

Think of that! God loved you so much that he sent His son to die for you. God wants you to be happy. God wants you to be saved. God is good. He sends the sunshine and the rain and causes the golden harvest to bless us with food and clothes and houses. Everything good we have we owe to God.

We see that God is good and has done many wonderful things for us and that we are sinful and unworthy of His gifts. God's goodness - His rich gifts to us - should make us sad that we have failed Him and that we fall short of His grace. When we think of God's goodness and our sin, we ought to be full of sorrow. The godly sorrow we feel should cause us to change our minds about the way we have acted and lived in the past. Our sorrow should make us decide to quit doing what is wrong and start doing what is right. That decision is repentance.

Repentance makes us better people. It makes us live in a way that will please God. John the Baptist (Immerser) told the people to "produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matthew 3:8). It is not enough for us to know that we are sinful and that God is good. Such knowledge should cause us to make such a strong decision to live righteous lives that we cannot fail to make whatever change is in order. True repentance is followed by godly living. A change in mind brings a change in life. This helps us to see why God keeps telling us to repent and warning us that if we do not repent we will perish.

GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU

Repentance, it has been said, is the hardest command for man to obey. Repentance has to do with the human will. Man is stubborn and it is hard for him to admit that he has been wrong. But once man thinks about his own sins and considers the goodness and patience of God, he will decide to change his ways and be the kind of person God wants him to be. The person who has done this will not hesitate to obey the command of the New Testament to be baptized (immersed) in order to have his sins taken away. "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16). Sins are washed away when a person is baptized (immersed). The proper order is this: first, we hear the gospel; second, we believe the good news of salvation; third, we repent of our sins; fourth, we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; and last, we are baptized (immersed) in order to have our sins removed. In the act of baptism (immersion), sins are washed away.

That is God's plan for you. That is what God wants you to do. We ought to obey God because one day the Lord Jesus will be revealed

"... from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey
the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with
everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of
the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he
comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled
at among all those who have believed. This includes you,
because you believed our testimony to you" (2 Thessalonians
1:7-10).

"Now we know that God?s judgment against those who do such
things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass
judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think
you will escape God?s judgment? Or do you show contempt
for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not
realizing that God?s kindness leads you toward repentance?

?But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant
heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the
day of God?s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be
revealed. God ?will give to each person according to what
he has done.? To those who by persistence in doing good
seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal
life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject
the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
There will be trouble and distress for every human being
who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile?
(Romans 2:2-9).

Jesus gave strict instructions to "bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:28). Doing such things is one way we step further into our true "sonship" in Jesus Christ. Understand, being born into God's family is a gift, but taking on his traits - such as forgiveness - is a choice. True forgiveness comes when we choose to give up our right to our feelings in exchange for the God's will in a given situation.

If you are harboring incomplete forgiveness (i.e., bitterness) you might want to consider the following:

1) Where would you be if God did not forgive you for some the things you've done, are doing, and will do?

2) What blessings of your own might you be blocking due to a lack of forgiveness?

3) What negative impact(s) is/are unforgiveness having on your life?

For me, the most profound notion that taught me to forgive is this: I was warring with myself, because my object had no idea how I was feeling. But whether covert or overt, unforgiveness hurts you more than the other person!

Before you decide to keep unforgiveness alive, ask yourself this:

Will this matter next year, next month, tomorrow, and above all, will it impact my eternity? If the answer is "No", you?ve got several reasons to let it go!

1. What forgiveness really is: Re-establishment of the relationship like it was before the offense occurred...release of the wrong done...forgetting
Many people call "letting something go" forgiving...real forgiveness addresses issues.
2. Proposition One: We forgive as God has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32).
So take a moment and actually THINK about how God forgives, WHO He forgives, and WHEN He forgives.
If God automatically forgave everyone unconditionally, everyone would be saved. No one would be lost. God's forgiveness is therefore NOT unconditional, but conditional...that is the pattern for us.
God is not ashamed to say He has not forgiven the non-repentant, neither should we!
3. Proposition Two: God Does NOT Forgive Us if We Do Not Meet the Condition of Repentance (Confession)?1 John 1:8-9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
4. Proposition Three: God Does Not Hold Us to A Higher Standard of Forgiveness Than He Does Himself
5. Though sometimes repentance is assumed, some Scriptures clearly declare that we are to forgive an individual when he/she repents
i. Luke 17:3 So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."
ii. Principles of Interpretation:
a. The brief is interpreted in light of the lengthy; truth vs. whole truth (prayer)
b. The context provides us with a foundation upon which latter texts add, but do not subtract; so, in other words, verses like 1 Corinthians 13:5 are interpreted in light of 1 Corinthians 5:9, not the other way around.
Interpret the short statements in light of the longer, more detailed ones
iii. restitution should be made when possible (Luke 19:8; Rov.14:9 NIV)
II. Credibility Is A Related But Separate Issue; Forgiveness Does Not Mean Instant TRUST.
1. Forgiveness does not immediately mean the re-establishment of credibility.
2. 2 Corinthians 7:18
3. Luke 3:7-9 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."
4. An unfaithful spouse (Matthew 19)
5. John Mark (Acts 15:36-41 and 2 Timothy 4:11).
6. Can you forgive without trusting? You can Initiate the forgiving process.
Part II: Credibility and Ignorance
Questions we will attempt to answer in this series include: How can I cope when I have ill feelings toward another? Is it okay to want God to even the score? Does forgiving imply forgetting? When I wrong someone, what, besides asking for forgiveness, can I do? Is it ever right to overlook the wrong things people do? Is it right to not get mad but to get even instead? If we forgive a person who committed a crime, should they be prosecuted? What does a genuine apology sound like? What about wrongs done in ignorance ("Father, forgive them for they know not what they do)?
Last week we answered: Do I have to forgive someone who has not repented? Our answer was "no," and even implied you really cannot HONESTLY do so in instances of great offense without repentance.
Proposition One: We forgive as GOD has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32)
Proposition Two: God Does NOT Forgive Us if We Do Not Meet the Condition of Repentance (Confession)?1 John 1:8-9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Proposition Three: God Does Not Hold Us to A Higher Standard of Forgiveness Than He Does Himself?see Luke 17:3
Today, we shall address two issues on the fringe of the subject of forgiveness, two issues we need to understand clearly.
I. The Issue of Credibility
1. You don't need to immediately trust someone you have forgiven...
2. Restitution should be made when possible (Luke 19:8; Rov.14:9)
3. 2 Corinthians 7:18
4. Luke 3:7-8
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."
5. Can you forgive without trusting? You can Initiate the forgiving process.
II. Sins Committed In Ignorance
1. In the death of Jesus:
NIV Luke 23:34
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
NIV Acts 4:10
It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
1 Corinthians 2:8
None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The PEOPLE were held accountable for crucifying an innocent man, but NOT for crucifying the Son of God, for they were ignorant of that. They were forgiven for "that which they knew not what they were doing."
2. In our lives: 1 John 1:7-9
3. Psalm 19:13
4. Old Testament: Unintentional Sin
Leviticus 4:13-15
13 If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, they are guilty. 14 When they become aware of the sin they committed, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the Tent of Meeting. 15 The elders of the community are to lay their hands on the bull's head before the LORD, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the LORD.
Part III: When The Offender Won't Repent
Thus far in our series, we have tried to answer the following questions:
1. Do I have to forgive someone who has not repented? The answer I gave was, "no." God does not forgive those who will not repent, and He is our standard; for further details, get the February 28, 1999 tape of that message.
Like God, we must stand ready to forgive when repentance occurs.
2. Do I have to trust someone who has lost credibility when they repent? The answer I gave was, "no, certainly not immediately." But you need to consider giving the offender a chance to re-establish credibility over time.
3. Are sins of ignorance more excusable than intentional sins? The answer I gave was "yes." Although we are responsible for all our behaviors, God forbears when we sin in ignorance. But once we become aware of how we sinned in ignorance, we do need to ask forgiveness.
Today's question has been on the minds of many folks thus far. Okay, Vasicek, if we don't (or can't truly) forgive the non-repentant, what are we to do? Hate them? Get even? How do we handle it? Glad you asked.
Main Thought: Life in the real world involves dealing with people who will not repent or apologize for the wrongs they have done to us. The Christian way to handle such situations involves employing several truths.
I. It is Not Wrong to Have Enemies, But We Must LOVE Our Enemies
NIV Matthew 5:44
44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...
?Don't confuse an enemy with a neighbor you just don't like (the difference is malice)
1. Love myths: (3-4 Greek words)
2. You do not love everyone the same (spouse, child, neighbor, brother, enemy); some forms of love are conditional (1 Corinthians 4:21)
?how love and emotional distance relate....
3. To Love our enemy is the love of duty, not emotion:
NIV Exodus 23:4-5
4 If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it.
4. It is basically the golden rule....
5. What about those who are cannot be called enemies, but there is nonetheless a barrier because of unresolved offense?
i. minor offense, forbearance?let go
ii. greater offense: recognition of distance, cordial but cold
iii. distance can either be a consequence or a manipulation tool?as, for example, the silent treatment?
II. We Cannot Take Our Own Revenge, But It Is Okay to Want to Get Even; We Must Get Over the Matter in Time by Letting Go in Light of God's Justice
1. There is a wrong desire to get revenge (somebody crossed me and did something I didn't like) and a proper desire (somebody did what was clearly wrong, and I or others are suffering consequences of it)
i. E.g., when you hear of an injustice done on the news....a criminal goes free, etc.., or the Japanese were blaming us for dropping the bomb...
ii. Justice is part of God's character, and it is part of being in God's image...OT penalties were not always reform oriented (sometimes) but sometimes were Justice oriented...
NIV Acts 23:2-3
2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!"
iii. The desire for justice and vengeance is pure enough to be in heaven:
NIV Revelation 6:9-10
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?"
2. The desire for revenge must be turned over to God
NIV Romans 12:19-20
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
i. This is where faith comes in?that every act will be brought into judgment! A source of comfort...
ii. This takes time, it may take wrestling with God (like Jacob), and you may get a joint out of place...
iii. This should results in gradually letting things go....otherwise, you will build a long-term grudge of hatred....
iv. Dobson's ministry to pastors through HB London?2 years to recover from painful church traumas....
v. sometimes things take time: Jacob and Esau?Genesis 32:4-6, 33:1-5
vi. Don't go too hard on yourself if you have a hard time getting over a hurt?let yourself have some room...
III. When Government Is Working Properly, It Often (within limits) Takes Revenge in God's Stead
1. When offenses are legal, it is right to prosecute...
2. God's revenge often will have to wait to judgment day, but government is supposed to provide an interim source of judgment for the more major offenses...
NIV Romans 13:4-6
4 For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.
Part IV: Finale and Final Questions
Thus far in our series on forgiveness, I have attempted to answer these questions. Here they are, in review, with references.
1. Do I have to forgive someone who has not repented? Ed's answer: No
?God is our model; He does not forgive us if we do not repent?Luke 17:3, 1 John 1:9, Acts 5:3-5; complete forgiveness may, at times, be impossible without repentance anyway...
2. How can I cope when I have ill feelings toward another? Ed's answer: It is not wrong to have enemies (Matthew 5:44), and our love for enemies is the love of duty (the Golden Rule); we should not take our revenge, but it is right to want God to take revenge and to find comfort in the fact He will (Romans 12:19-21) and even souls in heaven want revenge (Revelation 6:9-10), so the desire for justice is not sinful. Sometimes it just takes a quantity of time to get over something, as in the example of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 32:4-6, 33:1-5); take your bitterness to God in prayer, as David did in the Psalms. It's tough, and there are no easy answers. Don't lie to yourself and say you've forgiven people when you haven't. Manipulating truth by word games and insincerity simply buries the feelings that you must work out. There is no short cut.
3. When I wrong someone, besides asking forgiveness of them and of God, what else can I do? If possible, make restitution (Luke 19:8, Romans 14:9).
4. Are wrongs done in ignorance different than wrongs done in knowledge? Yes. Jesus asked the Father to forgive His crucifiers for crucifying the Son of God because "they know not what they do." They were held accountable for crucifying an innocent man (see Acts 4), but not for crucifying the Son of God because they were ignorant of His true identity. We, too, are automatically cleansed from our sins of ignorance if we are walking with the Lord, but must confess the sins we are aware of (1 John 1:7-9).
5. What about credibility? Do I have to trust someone once they apologize? No. Credibility can only be restored by faithfulness over time. Forgiveness gives that person a chance to begin re-establishing that credibility (Luke 3:9, Acts 15:36-41 with 2 Timothy 4:11).
This morning, I would like to answer a few final questions about forgiving and forgiveness.
I. Can One Be in God's Will and Still Prosecute A Criminal?
1. Justice on earth is only seen partially through government sometimes
Romans 13:1,4
1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.... 4 For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
2. When offenses are illegal, it is right to prosecute
?situations between believers should first be referred to the elders (1 Corinthians 6:1-6)
3. Remember this principle:
NIV Proverbs 17:15
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent?the LORD detests them both.
4. Letting dangerous people go free can be a violation of Philippians 2:4 "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
II. What is the Relationship Between Forgiving and Forgetting?
1. When God forgives, in a sense He forgets.
Micah 7:19
You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Psalm 103:12
...as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Hebrews 8:12
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.
2. Yet God knows all, therefore forgetting means not calling it up to our conscious mind, not dwelling upon it...forgiveness carries with it a promise to not dwell on the offense...
III. What About Leadership Qualifications and Forgiveness?
1. First, look at the examples of the early church...
i. Paul had been a persecutor
ii. Peter had denied Christ
iii. John Mark had deserted Paul & Barnabas...
iv. But all had established credibility
2. Second, God requires a strict standard for church leaders...
1 Timothy 3:2-7
2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.
3. Church leaders can come from a wild background, but their current, established character must be good..
IV. What About All Those Other Questions?
1. Adultery
Matthew 19:9
I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.
i. What if the person is repentant?
ii. What if credibility has been lost due to repeated problems?
2. How to ask for forgiveness: "I was wrong. I sinned against you. Will you forgive me? (Do not justify!).
3. Interpreting shorter texts in light of more detailed accounts...
i. the rush for "absolute truth"
ii. truth vs. whole truth...
iii. Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

If one does forgive that person without his repentance, he is adding to his wickedness that is being committed by him and this will not produce love or any good. It must be understood that repentance must always be first to God and then to the offended member. Repentance means Recognition, Remorse, Rejection and willing to change as a new person. If there is remorse and rejection of a sin, but you don?t recognize the hurt or damage you have caused other person who is a victim, it becomes sin. The root of it that is, it will come back cloaked as something else and cause you to commit the same hurt /sin! No one can force another to forgive. People have their own timing in forgiving.

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' Luke 3:8

It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Luke 17:2


When confronted about their sins, some people refuse to admit guilt. They ask, "What sin? What do I have to repent of?" Malachi 3:7

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22

So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him. Luke 17:3-4

I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. Acts 26:20

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13

Maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. Exodus 34:7

Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, each of them will turn from his wicked way; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin. Jeremiah 36:3

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Revelation 3:19

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. Acts 17:30

Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 2:25

I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. Psalm 38:18

One can be forgiving and yet rebuke at the same time. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15