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“Biblical forgiveness is a gift to the offender. We release another person’s debts for their sake and for Christ’s sake.” - CLeaders

Discussion

Mon, 01/15/24

The author makes some good points along the way, but the way he has framed the issue is unhelpful.

One thing can two other things. If you prepare and serve a meal, it can be a gift to your guests and also a gift to yourself, assuming you’re going to eat some also. …and assuming love.

The amazing, and unique, thing about love is that it erases the difference between “for the loved one” and “for yourself.” When we love, we become unable to bless that person without also being blessed by the fact that we blessed them. Their wellbeing is our own wellbeing.

This is mostly in close relationships, though.

Back to forgiveness: In the biblical sense, it is a genuine releasing of another person in obedience to Christ and for the glory of God. It’s also, inevitably, a gift to yourself. You can’t help but benefit and you may be very aware of that, too.

And sometimes it’s mostly a gift a to yourself, as far as outcomes are concerned. The forgiven may not even know you forgave. It could be posthumous or separated by years and miles and lost connection. But they also may not believe they wronged you. They aren’t really receiving anything in that situation, but you are still giving and, at the same time, receiving.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

Wed, 01/17/24

God continually admonishes us to “remember” Him and to remember the events of the past, both the triumphs and the disasters.

Certainly, God promises to forget our sins. And we often refer to His forgiveness as the model for our forgiveness. So this interests me. Does God, through His Word, admonish us to remember our disasters (sins)? It kind of returns us to the Mr. Regret thread in a way...