What Forgiveness Means to Jesus 

I can forgive them, but I can't fix them.

I understand your concern. Forgiveness doesn't mean ignoring justice or excusing harm. In fact, we're called to pray for justice and trust God to execute it (Psalm 140:12). Forgiveness is about releasing the debt of resentment, not canceling the need for accountability. When we forgive, we're not saying what happened was okay, but rather we're choosing to release the hold it has on us. Forgiveness sets us free from the burden of bitterness, anger, and resentment. It's like unlocking a prison door, freeing us from the chains that bind us to the past. When we choose to forgive, we're not doing it for the other person's sake, but for ours. We're choosing to let go of the toxic emotions that consume us, and instead, choose to walk in freedom and peace. Think of it like a court case - just as the judge forgives a debt doesn't mean the criminal isn't held accountable, our forgiveness doesn't mean the offender isn't responsible for their actions. We can pray for justice and forgiveness simultaneously, trusting God to handle the outcome. It's not either/or, but both/and. Forgiveness is a powerful tool that breaks the cycle of hurt and anger, allowing us to move forward in healing and restoration. It's not always easy, but it's a choice we can make, and it's a choice that sets us free.

@@JTthr3e thank you, this is something that I will ponder and pray about, bitterness, anger and resentment stay in my heart even though I forgive, I guess this is life isn’t it, just figuring things out, anyways, thanks and God bless you

Jesus had to forgive and we must but as you say its hard, in truth i would rather give them a smack in the mouth. Go read Romans 6 and read it slow ,in the new man we can ,in the old man we cannot so we must choose

Our pastor said that when you forgive,you release a prisioner captive.You.

You dont need to do it alone,God sent his Holy Ghost to give us the strength,love we need .

I think there's a way you can check with them before just giving more. As covered in the podcast, Jesus talked about approaching them personally, then with mediators, then with a larger group/the community you're all a part of (although that does seem to be in a less general setting, being a community trying to be set apart for/by God). You could check the person didn't forget or if they're able to repay or not by maybe asking them how things are with them, did they achieve whatever they needed the money for, how's their situation looking now, were they hesitant to ask for more time from something preventing them repaying the whole amount at a previously arranged time or something like that. Obviously that needs to be tailored to the person, and of course it's dependent on the situation. You need to be careful not to be taken advantage of by some people, but I don't think most intend to be like that. I think living differently to the rest of the world is always giving the other person a chance to be honest about whatever is going on, rather than jumping straight to taking legal action like some do (as an example of how absurd the world apart from God can be, I think I recall someone trying to take a goat or its keeper(s) to court for damaging their phone). It doesn't mean not still taking legal action if needed, just being more considerate of when that's needed. (I would probably highlight how we can obviously bring the issues to God in prayer or seek help/guidance from other Christians with the decisions that need to be made at this point, but I feel that would be inappropriate at the moment as I'm currently struggling with trying to be patient for a response yet feeling the pressure of certain circumstances not waiting for me (if that makes sense), so I don't want to be hypocritical in what I say to you). How I picked up what was covered in this podcast is that you can forgive someone for failing to repay you, but you can still change how you lend to them, if you lend to them in the future as a consequence of their previous failing(s). If you casually lent to them in the past, you might encourage them to put something in writing for the future, or if lending to them cause you a financial issue, you could explain that to them and how lending to them again might be too risky (if it actually is, not as an excuse not to). It seems like a very difficult thing to advise on because of how much every single situation will vary to every other. Jesus (or was it Peter/Paul (I get those names mixed up all the time) or maybe He was talking to one of them, without going back through to find that time stamp I can't recall exactly)) could have had someone with ADHD in mind when He talked about forgiving someone, 7 times 70 times (?), as they could be someone who would genuinely not mean to hurt you repeatedly every day, but could do just that from how that condition can affect them and their actions, etc. At the same time, the process covered for the Christian community could also see someone 'excluded' for a single action if it becomes apparent that they're completely unrepentant (if I'm using the correct term). This probably doesn't help. I've basically just said anything is possible. :)

@@markwright3161 :) your answer is much like the answers my head comes up with

Confrontation and turning the other cheek are both biblical principles, but they serve different purposes. Confrontation is necessary when addressing injustice or harm, especially when it involves accountability and restoration (Matthew 18:15-17). However, turning the other cheek represents a willingness to absorb pain and injustice without retaliating or seeking revenge (Matthew 5:38-42). In the case of someone owing you money, it's important to approach the situation with wisdom. You can confront them in a loving and respectful manner, seeking resolution and restoration (Matthew 18:15-17). However, if they continue to ignore their debt or show no willingness to make amends, it may be necessary to establish boundaries or seek outside help (Romans 13:1-4). Forgiveness doesn't mean ignoring justice or excusing harm. In fact, forgiveness can empower us to confront injustice with courage and humility. It's not about enabling harmful behavior but rather about releasing the debt of resentment and anger, trusting God to handle justice and restoration. Remember, forgiveness is a heart posture, not a one-time action. It's a choice to release the power of resentment, not erase the past. In the context of someone owing you money, forgiveness might look like choosing not to hold onto bitterness or anger, even if they don't pay you back. However, it doesn't mean you can't seek legal or ethical means to resolve the issue. In the end, we can trust that God is working everything out for our good, even in the midst of difficult situations (Romans 8:28). As we choose to forgive and trust in God's sovereignty, we can experience the peace and freedom that comes from releasing the burden of resentment and anger.

Thanks for your observation.. I’m struggling with the difficulty of expecting someone who has been wronged to have a requirement that the offender is truly repentant before forgiving them for their offense… Can any of us ever positively know whether someone is TRULY repentant in their heart?? That seems almost impossible for someone to know.. As humans, even if we get that judgement right 50% of the time, that would seem like a person would have to carry not only the burden of being wronged with them but also the burden (and what seems like the right of God alone) to assess/judge whether someone is truly repentant BEFORE we forgave them… To me, assuming that posture towards forgiving others impedes a great part of what the act of forgiveness was intended to achieve (for the offended party)… God bless you and all of us who read, listen to, and discuss His Word! I pray that you and your loved ones are well ❤️

@@cd231 Thanks for your comment, I probably was not clear as i could have been. Jesus said if someone asks for forgiveness then we are to forgive. So it not about judging if someone is truly repentant ( which we cannot do) it is about forgiving if the offending person asks for forgiveness up to 77 times which is metaphorical for an unending number of times. So when I said: "we are not expected to forgive anyone unless they repent." I meant if they ask you to forgive them we are to forgive, if they don't repent (ask for forgiveness) we are not obligated to.