Is Forgiveness Overrated?

by leavingwt 195 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  AGuest

  I will not, for any reason, forgive, nor forget the uncle who rapped and sodmised my daughter over a period of 11 years. I will not forgive or, forget my aunt, his wife, or my step-mother for allowing him to do that.

  I personally understand... and agree, dear Quentin (peace to you!): there are some things that we just CAN'T forgive, NOT because it's impossible, but because we, individually, just may not have it "in" us to do so. In such an instance, I most probably wouldn't be ABLE to forgive, as well. What to do? I cannot speak for anyone else, but since I know that not forgiving isn't blasphemy, I have no fear in that regard. However, my Lord's direction to me is to forgive, release, show mercy, and not judge. How can I reconcile that with my inability to forgive someone something like this? I look to Christ to cover over even THAT error, that "sin."

  Neither the Most Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies... or His Son and Christ, the Holy One of Israel, JAHESHUA... expect perfection from us, other than perfection in love. THey both recognize, however, that we are (1) dust, and (2) often unable to "fulfill" the law (both the Law Covenant AND the New Covenant). THAT, dear one... is the very REASON why my Lord gave HIMSELF: so that HIS blood can "cover" the sin, error, shortcoming, etc., of those who cannot fulfill on their own.

  Since I AM... not WAS a sinner... I AM going to fall short. AM. Gonna not forgive someone something somewhere at some point and time. Gonna. To say different would make me a liar. I AM. So, I look to HIM to "cover" that error... with HIS blood. Because "unless blood is poured out, no letting off [of the sin] takes place."

  I am a sinner... and I am going to sin. Period. So, I need a "covering." The blood of my Lord is that covering, dear one. Because I have FAITH in that One... and the covering power of his blood... I can live my life with a CLEAN conscious. To DEMONSTRATE my faith in that One and his blood... I accepted his invitation to be in union with him... by eating his flesh (a small piece of bread)... and drinking his blood (a small sip of wine). To demonstrate my GRATITUDE... for him giving his blood and providing that covering, I endeavor to share the truth about him. It is the least I can do.

  Religion teaches us to live in fear... of God and Christ. Christ... sets us free from such fear... through his love. Because perfect love casts ALL fear... outside.

  I hope this helps and, again, bid you peace!

  A slave of Christ,

  SA
• 

  PSacramento

  Sin is the name I give to what we do wrong when we KNOW it is wrong.

  Wrongful acts, wrongful intentions, wrongful feeling, wrongful anything really.

  It goes above just simple values ( or lackthereof) that are destructive, it goes to the "heart of the matter"- knowledge and intent.

  In other words, it would be a sin NOT to forgive when we know that it is not only better for us but for those around us and even better for the person that wronged us (the act of forgivness has been known to break the circle of hate and violence).
• 

  AGuest

  Sin is the name I give to what we do wrong when we KNOW it is wrong.

  I see what you mean, dear PSacto (the greatest of love and peace to you, dear one!)... but I'm not sure that's accurate. For instance, Paul's words at Romans 7:7 indicate that we don't actually have to know something is "wrong" for it to be a sin. For Israel, the Law is what made sin manifest; yet, there are many (among Israel, even today... and I don't mean the state of Israel or those who claim to be "Jews") who don't know the Law. What of the practices, traditions, and customs of some of the tribes around ancient Israel? Or, for example, the blood games sanctioned by ancient Rome? Does that mean, for example, that when a primitive tribe engages in cannibalism it isn't "wrong"... because their culture does not recognize it as wrong and so it is not "wrong" to the individual engaging in it? What about the Inquisition and witch hunts... which those who engaged in believed were the "right" thing to do? What about those who engage in (wrongful) war... simply because they are deployed? How about those in religion, for example, in the WTBTS, who, rather than remaining in union with and listening to the voice of their TRUE husbandly owner, Christ, listen to and follow the false christs? Do they know that what they're doing is wrong? I mean, perhaps they SHOULD know, true, but do they?

  Because there is such a thing as "sinning by mistake."

  We have to be careful with "leaning upon our own understanding," dear one, as that is what most do... and ultimately teach. Their OWN interpretations, understandings, etc., rather than what they received from the Holy Spirit.

  Just sayin'... and, again, peace to you!

  Your servant, sister, and fellow slave of Christ,

  SA
• 

  PSacramento

  Hi Shelby :)

  Oh I was speaking about SIN in the non-religious mode, since Terry isn't religious.

  Doing that in of itself is kind of silly, I admit, since sin and religion are interwoven.

  But, you make a valid point, of course.

  In terms of Sin as WE know it, ignorance of sin, while an "excuse of ignorance" doesn't absolve one of sinning.

  Though I would argue that, for more often than not, we DO know right from wrong, just as surely as when wrong is done to us we say, "that's not right".

  And that probably goes for most of the exmples you stated above.

  Lets take the WT for example and their "no blood policy", the verse they use are KNOWN dietary restrictions and have NO significance to blood transfusions to save a life, they KNOW that, the people that are JW's SAY that they study the bible, so they knwo that also, so the moment that allow themselves to teach it, or die fromit or allow a child to die from it that are commiting a HUGE sin and not only in regards to what they are doing or teaching, but they are sinning against the HS since they are basically saying that the HS, form which we recieve are teachings, is saying that saving a life with blood is NOT acceptable.
• 

  AGuest

  Ah, yes, I see (and understand), dear PSacto (again, peace to you!). My apologies for taking you so literally - LOLOLOLOLOL!

  Peace, my dear one!

  Your servant, sister, and fellow slave of Christ,

  SA
• 

  PSacramento

  Looking back on what I wrote I can see where you got that, so it's OK.

  I mean, I wanted to make sure that it was clear that I was simply stating my personal opinion on what I define sin to be, but I didn't make it clear that I was thinking in a secular way.

  That said though I do want to make it clear that, as sinning goes, when we do what is wrong, knowing it is wrong ( and lets be honest here, outside of some sort of mental problem we do know what is wrong since we wouldn't want anyone to do it to us) it is far worse than when we commit a sin that we didn't even know to be a sin, though I have no idea what that could be...at least I can't think of one right now.
• 

  AGuest

  Gotcha, dear PSacto... Seriously. Peace!

  SA
• 

  Quentin

  Thank you Shelby for your input....it does not change my stance on forgivness, forgetting, or sin, it's nature/oragin.
• 

  AGuest

  I understand, dear Q (again, peace to you!). As I stated, there are some things WE just cannot forgive... for no other reason than because it's not in us to do so. And so I only tried to explain as to me. For me, that truth only helps me understand why I need a ransom - because there are going to be things and times when I cannot forgive - and have gratitude for the fact that I may not always be required to, because Someone paid that ransom... FOR me.

  Again, peace to you!

  A slave of Christ,

  SA
• 

  Terry

  I think we are really talking about the psychology of personal recovery and doing so bass-ackwards!

  Almost like approach-avoidance and passive-aggressive.

  What WE personally need to do to avoid continually obsessing over an injury of a deliberate and malicious nature is what we are actually

  topically discussing and calling it "Forgiveness". As though it is something benevolent we are giving to another.

  I think we delude ourselves in so doing.

  Holding a Tiger by the tail leads nowhere. Forgiveness is our code word for finding a way to get away from the Tiger.

  We negotiate a means by which the Tiger goes its way without eating us. First, we let go. But, the escape plan involves a bit of mystical mumbo jumbo.

  Since holding on to the Tiger tail gets us absolutely nowhere and constant vigilance guards us against a bite.....what else is there?

  Call it forgiveness or whatever you like. It is a personal escape.