RIOT Forum: Forgiveness:
Comments:
• My Family is unforgiving.
• I can forgive, or I try, but forgetting can be dangerous.
• Forgiveness is harder to forgive than it is to stay mad.
• I have a hard time forgiving.
• Jesus forgave our sins.
• Forgiveness is my greatest fear.
• I believe forgiveness is a big part of faith.
• It’s hard to forgive.
• It’s easier for me to forgive someone, than to accept forgiveness.
• Sometimes it’s hard to be forgiven and let it go (Like Jim’s Sermon).
Questions:
• Are there ever times where you shouldn’t forgive?
o I can’t really think of a situation where it would be inappropriate to forgive. There are situations when it is harder than it is other times. But since forgiveness comes from a place of understanding how much we are forgiven and the sacrifice Jesus made to forgive us from our sins, there could be no greater forgiveness, so we should forgive radically as well.
• How do I get over my biggest fear, forgiveness?
o I think exploring what forgiveness really is, why we do it, and how much we are forgiven will help. What would happen if Jesus was afraid of forgiving us? After all, we burn him over and over and over. And his forgiveness was much more radical than ours can ever be.
• Why did Jesus have to pay in blood?
-There’s no greater punishment for sin than death. Since sin is a complete rebellion against ourselves, God, and others…it deserves the greatest punishment. After all, each act of sin is a huge spit wad in the face of Jesus. The Jew’s had a sacrificial system with animals to atone (pay for) their sins…which is why Jesus is called the lamb…cause a pure lamb was often thought of as the best form of sacrifice. The best sacrifice is only thing worth to remove the sin of the entire world since it’s inception until the time Jesus returns. Think about it…do you think jail time for Jesus would have been a sufficient punishment to atone for the sin of all of humanity?
• When should you forgive someone?
o When has God forgiven you? I know that seems extreme, but if we understand how much we are forgiven, why wouldn’t give just as freely?
• How many times does God forgive?
o As many times as we ask. However, the fact that God is forgiving is not a free pass to sin. The person that we don’t want to forgive is that person…the person we are reluctant to forgive because they continually hurt us. Why would we want to be that person? God is gracious to forgive even when we are not…Paul says in Romans 6:1-4, “What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin, how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
• Do you really have to forgive AND forget?
o We will most likely never forget a sin committed against us. But we must examine what real forgiveness is. There is a difference between forgetting and keeping no record of wrongs. If you prefer the phase, “you should forgive and keep no record of wrongs” then think of it that way. Say someone hurts you and you forgive them. Later when things are not going so well you say, well two months ago you did this….then you have not forgiven them. If you have forgiven …let it go and do not hold it against that person any longer.
• How can you forgive someone who has done something unforgivable?
o It seems like you’ve answered your own question. You basically said that there are things that should not be forgiven. Once again, this comes back to understanding the sins for which you’ve been forgiven. If you are unwilling to forgive it makes me think that you don’t see yourself as needing forgiveness. This person is much worse than you ever have been or will be and therefore don’t deserve forgiveness. The definition of Grace is a gift that we do not deserve and mercy is the taking away of a consequence we do deserve. God’s gave mercy when he chose not to hang us on the cross. His grace was given through Jesus when he was put in our place…a gift we do not deserve.
• When you forgive someone, is it always better to tell them or can you forgive them in your heart? Say it was something that happened years
ago.
-I would say it depends on your relationship with that person. Often times, those who have hurt us have since moved on. Forgiveness is just as much for us as it is for them. We need to be free of that burden. Forgiving them in your heart is great. Now if its someone close to you and the relationship is suffering as a result…speaking the forgiveness to them could do much for your relationship.
• Does God really forgive all?
o Yep!
o 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness
• How do you know if someone has fully forgiven you for something you did?
o Not sure that you can… if someone else is unwilling to forgive…know that if you earnestly seek forgiveness…your father has already forgiven you. That is the most important thing.
• Why is it so hard to forgive?
o Because our pride is at stake. If you remember the lifeboat game we played last semester…we said that when someone wrongs us we feel like they are telling us we don’t matter or that we’re insignificant. So having the ability to forgive or not forgive is a power we like to have over them. Really, it’s a testament to insecurity…we are just as much a slave to the lack of forgiveness as the one we are withholding it from…if not more.
• How does God forgive so easily?
o Because he knows the image of God that each person is created with…its worth it to him to restore that relationship…which is what forgiveness is all about. I wouldn’t say it was easy though. I mean, he had to give up his son for it. A son who has done absolutely no wrong. Can you imagine a perfect person…say that perfect person happened to be your child. Now imagine sacrificing them so that you could have a better relationship with some man named will who lives in Japan. Yeah, not easy…but good…because God is good, he gave this incredible gift.
• How do you forgive someone after they have done something bad?
o Refer to earlier question.
• Is there over a ever a time when not to forgive someone?
o Refer to earlier question
• Why should we forgive someone who always comes back and hurts you?
o God can relate: refer to eelier question
• Should you forgive someone if they continuously hurt you?
o God can relate: refer to earlier question.
• What is it that we the youth can do in order to be able to show forgiveness towards other people or to God?
o Understand the ferocity with which you’ve been forgiven…accept God’s gift and let that change the way you respond to people in this life, in this broken world.
• Why is forgiveness not easy?
o Pride: We have power over that person to withhold forgiveness: Refer to earlier question.
