Forgiving Others ── Even If They’re Not Sorry

As true Christians, are we to be merciful and forgiving?

Yes.

“The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.” ── Proverbs 11:17.  

Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us, “’ Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offenses come!’” – Matthew 18:7. 

As far as having mercy and forgiveness for someone who is unremorseful, the Apostle Luke, under divine inspiration of God’s Spirit, wrote ── 

“There were also two others, criminals led with Him to be put to death. 33) And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34) Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’” – Luke 23:32-34. 

Our Lord and Savior looked down at the Roman soldiers who were gambling for His clothes; the criminals on the crosses on either side of Him were reviling Him; and the religious leaders were mocking Him. Surrounded by this unremorseful lot, our Lord Jesus speaks to Father, ‘Forgive them, for they know not what they do.’

Unmatched mercy and love.

Friends ── we are to imitate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ──

“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1.

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” – 1 Peter 2:21.  

The LORD God (the Elohim; the family of God, which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ) is the most MERCIFUL ──

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.” – Psalm 103:8.

FORGIVENESS AND MERCY MIRROR THE VERY CHARACTER OF GOD. Our Heavenly Father is truly a forgiving Father. And, we must be His forgiving and merciful children.

Mercy is an integral part of God’s living and eternal word. Mercy and forgiveness are important to the LORD God ── and They want us to know this. And this is why God’s living word teaches about these two important traits of God’s character.  

Our Lord Jesus speaks of mercy ──

“’ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36) THEREFORE be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.’” – Luke 6:35-36. 

 The Apostle Paul speaks of mercy ──

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us.” – Ephesians 2:4.

Let us notice that love and mercy are tied together. Because if you want to properly develop love towards others, you need to be merciful ──

“’ Blessed and the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.’” – Matthew 5:7.

Brethren, Friends, and Co-Workers in Christ ── in what is called the Beatitudes, notice that this promise doesn’t say that the unmerciful will obtain mercy.

Everyone needs mercy ── “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23.

Our Lord Jesus warns ──

“’ How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you ignore the important things of the law ── justice, mercy, and faith. …’” – Matthew 23:23, NLT. 

Mercy is extremely important ── and sadly, a great many who believe that they are worshiping God have the wrong priorities.

Notice this from the Apostle Paul ──

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” – Colossians 1:9. 

I continue to pray daily for those that have wronged me ── asking our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus to fill them with the knowledge of Their will and wisdom, and for them to spiritually understand their error.

Continuing ── 

“that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11) strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12) giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” – Colossians 1:10-12. 

Suffering long includes being able to forgive those who have wronged you. 

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13) bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” – Colossians 3:12-14. 

Sadly, so many ── including some true Christians ── don’t want to forgive and let go.

It is for our benefit, brethren, to forgive. We need to forgive and trust in the LORD God to properly punish those who have wronged us and have not repented. 

The LORD God is the ultimate Judge. 

The LORD God is merciful. And we need to thank Almighty God for this mercy ──

“ … Mercy triumphs over judgment.” – James 2:13.  

We, brethren, should be exercising the fruits of God’s Spirit to become more like the LORD God!  

And yes ── it is difficult to forgive someone who has committed the most heinous of crimes. But, we should remember that it is Satan the Devil, who has deceived the whole world ── Revelation 12:9. Some people might be possessed by an evil spirit who commits such atrocious crimes. I do indeed believe in evil spirits, but I also believe in the reality of mental illness. I don’t think that they are the same (cf. Mark 6:13). Some mental health symptoms appear to the untrained eye as demon possession. Distinguishing the difference is important. 

Again ── the living words of God, “ … forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32. 

Let us never forget ── God has a Master Plan from the beginning! And, do not ever think that people are “getting away” with such heinous crimes. Notice what our beloved Apostle Paul wrote ── 

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8) For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption [or rather, death], but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” – Galatians 6:7-8. 

Sowing to the Spirit of God includes forgiving and having mercy on those who have wronged us.

Consider that all people will be judged by the LORD God ──

“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18) Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’ 19) Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” – 1 Peter 4:17-19. 

 As true Christians, we need to forgive one another ── again ──

“ … forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32. □