Does forgiveness first require repentance? When I came home, the one thing that I needed most was comfort from the one I loved. Without that I crumbled. I had no one else to turn. Nowhere to go.
But she refused to talk to me.
After time, I collapsed like a rotted tree: from the inside out: not even a place for squirrels to find shelter.
Today, she answered one question for me. Then she asked never to be contacted again and says she will never again respond. I am told I need to forgive her. I have been making excuses for her. But what is true? If or since her sin is to stop talking to me, and she continues to persist in this sin, do I forgive her? I want to. I would love to have communication restored. I would like to be friends.
Jesus offers his forgiveness. He is ready to forgive at a moment’s notice. He died for us and he rose from the grave. He is alive, today. What more can he do? Nevertheless, if we do not confess and repent, he cannot give us forgiveness.
16 “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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” (Joh 3:16-21 NIV)
What are your thoughts?
Written 9/27/17
ceg