Morgan

I believe Christ a master teacher came here with his/Gods divine intention to teach us of love, all love... of man (in all relationships)creatures, the earth, and I think most importantly of forgiveness. He had asked God to forgive us "as they know not what they do") how true is that? He had to forgive his father as in his question, "Father why have you forsaken me?" He had to forgive the people who betrayed him, who sent him to prison and for the people who tortured him.
Why is forgiveness for us so difficult? Many times we hold onto it as some kind of vendetta, when holding onto it only hurts ourselves. The hurt lingers and the person becomes hard and embittered and this hardness than is entrenched in the body and spirit and dims the light that shines from all of us.

Why than do I find most religious people to be the hardest ones to be unyielding to forgiveness? To be the most rigid and judgmental, when for me, that is nothing of what "God" intended when he sent his son. Or did he come on his own accord, for his conviction for that lifetime, to try to teach man to simply love and forgive?

I would love to hear from all, and welcome all perspectives.

iFrank Loc: San Antonio

God says this is the acceptable time for forgiveness, that why Christ was led to be crucified on the cross, it was foretold in the bible that He would be "Gods Savior" but He also said if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one, because the 'sons of the first murderers' are here with us, contemplating evil from their beds. By their fruits you shall know them.

padremike Loc: Phenix City, Al

First, we worship the Teacher not the teachings. When you pray for Grace to love then pray to love Father, Son and Holy Spirit, your family, friends and all mankind, and finally yourself the way Jesus intends Christians to love, not man's definition. That means love is only found in the relationships defined by Jesus not, as you intimated, "in all relationships."

You seem a bit misinformed, or at least confused, as to the relationship between the Trinity. Let's be clear that there is no hierarchy in heaven. God is not first, Jesus is not second and the Holy Spirit third. They are coeternal and coequal, etc. For a better understanding goggle "The Athanasian Creed."

You seem a little "judgemental" regarding Christians. Let's be crystal clear about one thing, a non-judgemental Christian is of little use to Christ and His Church. Christians better be able to judge between good and evil and to reject evil and stay away from the influence of evil people.

The trouble most people have with forgiveness is that they have been led to believe forgiveness is an act of the heart not the will. If I want to forgive a person because I know it is the right thing to do then that person is forgiven 100% but that does not mean that I immediately feel all warm and fuzzy toward them. Hopefully that will come in time but regardless, when I forgive with my will, my free will, that person is forgiven.

Morgan

Is there ever an unacceptable time to forgive? That seems quite contradictory to "those who live by the sword shall die by the sword" That tells me did not support violence, as he also said...Vengeance is mine" Which also suggests that is not our place to seek vengeance, but to focus on forgiving and understanding.

But my question is why is it so hard for people to forgive. When we do don't conditions improve, verses holding onto resentment things get hard, blocked and unmovable.

Morgan

Hello Padremike welcome and thank you for your input. Now fist let me say in my perspective I am not confused at all, I like to hear other people's opinion, and with no offense I disagree with you on some points. I was raised a Christian Catholic, but now I'm not religious, and I don't worship in the true sense of the word, I would have to say I love and for me there is a difference, while not saying one is wrong or right or better than the other, and I'm sure you disagree with that and that's fine too.

Thinking back to what I said of Christians not forgiving as well, it may be due to me knowing more Christians than say Atheists, Agnostics, Gnostics, Pantheists or untraditional Christians such as Unitarians. But it has simply been my experience when I speak to the others they are more accepting of others differences of beliefs and perspectives and less judgmental.

I also disagree where forgiveness comes from, in my opinion it to be real and sincere it must come from the heart and not the head where will and determination come from along with the ego, which is the biggest blockage to forgiveness. When we open our hearts, is when we allow forgiveness to enter.I believe it's when the ego is hurt, it puts up the wall, than the heart stays cold and cut off from whomever they were hurt by. Than no healing will take place, and it stays there in the hurt heart, where it will continue to do damage to the person.

iFrank Loc: San Antonio

in Numbers 35:16 talks about one who kills, but God says to put them to death and others will see and know not to do murder or rape. God children are not to let people get away with murder, etc. People will make mistakes and seek vengeance and cast the first stone. The reason God want you to now seek vengeance is that He know His way is more complete and He shields you from trouble on this earth, remember Moses killed his neighbor.

padremike Loc: Phenix City, Al

I accept and understand that you have turned away from God and Christ and have formed your own beliefs, independent from what Christ taught was necessary for salvation. You have exercised the free will God gave you to turn away from Him and worship a god of your own creation.

Morgan

This is where you are so wrong, I have never turned away... I have turned and walked a straight line directly towards him, and more forthrightly in is teachings and not that of men's selective interpretation's. The entity that I pray to is no different from yours, it is one, it is many...do you really think my prayers that are answered come from any different source than yours, they are the same, to think anything else is naïve, no offense intended.

padremike Loc: Phenix City, Al

I realize that Satan has influenced man and that therefore many different interpretations of holy scripture have created over 25,000 different Christian denominations, sects, subsects, etc, etc, etc. That is man's doing not God's. When Christ began His Church he gathered 12 Apostles, showed them and taught them and they, in turn with the aid and support of the Holy Spirit, passed on exactly what they had been taught. Scripture is full of references telling the churches to follow exactly what they had been taught and to remember who their teachers were. The continued following of apostolic succession/teaching leaves no room for anyone believing they have a better way. Heresy, especially Gnosticism, infiltrated the church early and St Paul fought against them mightily. Outside The Church there is no salvation! Period. The Church is The Body Of Christ continuing Christ's work. That Church is a visible body, it is people who come together collectively to worship Him. While I have no doubt that God's grace flows where He says it will flow and not where man says, there is no question that those who have departed from apostolic teaching and traditions and gone their own way are in very serious error.

susanblange Loc: USA

We are only required to forgive people who truly repent. This is a four step process. Remorse, confession, restitution, and most importantly, change. If someone has not committed one of the seven deadly sins (not the NT ones, which are not sins at all) and they have fulfilled the requirements for atonement, we are required to forgive them and not hold a grudge. In the eyes of God they are forgiven. We have all sinned and we all need forgiveness. If we do not forgive God, for some bad behavior and things said, then God cannot forgive us.

padremike Loc: Phenix City, Al

You say, "We are only required to forgive people who truly repent?" You really believe if someone has grievously sinned against you that you are not obligated/required to forgive them unless or until they first personally ask your forgiveness? Surely you have not made yourself well understood by what you wrote.

One of the seven mortal sins is Pride and pride is an element in every sin ever committed and to be committed in the future.

An important part you forgot to include in the steps in seeking forgiveness for our sins is the one in which the highest price was paid by the greatest act of love in human history and that is "absolution."

Morgan

If you do not forgive God? for what? Your saying God has behaved badly? Let's just think about that. This is my point why so many Christians do not forgive, and focused on the judging, that is not their place. If one truly resides with God in his heart he opens his heart and forgives. It is the message that was important, more than the vessel that carried it to us.

Morgan

It is not Satan who influenced man, it is man who influenced man, just as he influenced the many writings of the bible. How do you actually know your bible is the one with the correct interpretation you don't , you can't know that for sure after all these years. To say yours is the only correct one is only your belief, so why condemn others for being in the wrong, they feel just as strongly about theirs.

But getting back to forgiveness don't you believe when you can forgive you are closer to God? Of course there is salvation out of church, organized church and religion was created by man to control the people.

susanblange Loc: USA

I agree that pride is a sin, and a sin that God hates, but it's not deadly. There are also different types of pride. You can be proud of your children for what they've achieved and accomplished and there's nothing wrong with that. The type of pride God hates is conceit, haughtiness, and arrogance. It is possible though, to erase that sin. The meek will inherit the earth.

susanblange Loc: USA

We have all sinned including God. There is iniquity in his youth, before his calling. He is also "mental" and has exercised some bad judgment in years past. Psalm 38:7 "For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh". This includes some things the Messiah has said impulsively. His sin is not deadly but it needs forgiveness. God is not wicked, but he also is not perfect. Psalm 119:96 "I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad". You will not be forgiven unless you forgive God for his indiscretions.