Every time a BELIEVING person acknowledges their wrongdoing, shows REMORSE, takes responsibility, asks for forgiveness and REPENTS.
Luke 17:1–4
“One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves! IF ANOTHER BELIEVER SINS, rebuke that person, THEN IF THERE IS REPENTANCE, FORGIVE. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”
- This kind of forgiveness means you continue having a relationship with them. Their desire is to follow Jesus Christ, which should reflect in their behavior.
- DO NOT associate with anyone who CLAIMS TO BE A BELIEVER, but lives like a pagan. They are never remorseful or repentant of their sins.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13
“When I wrote to you before, I TOLD YOU NOT TO ASSOCIATE WITH PEOPLE WHO INDULGE IN SEXUAL SIN. But I WASN’T TALKING ABOUT UNBELIEVERS who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are NOT TO ASSOCIATE WITH ANYONE WHO CLAIMS TO BE A BELIEVER yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. don’t even eat with such people.
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but IT CERTAINLY IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO JUDGE THOSE INSIDE THE CHURCH WHO ARE SINNING. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”
Forgiveness is based on REMORSE AND REPENTANCE.
I advise to let go of everyone’s wrongdoing, for your own sake. When you forgive those who are not remorseful or repentant, it does NOT absolve them of their sins because they don’t want to acknowledge them and repent from them.
This letting go is for your own peace; it’s more like an acceptance of what is, instead of “forgiveness” as people understand it, aka. “it’s all okay now, let’s forget what happened”––NO. It’s also a grief of what could have been, and a letting go of resentment. You leave it in the hands of Almighty God, who will judge everyone according to their deeds.
But when you do let go of sins of unrepentant people against you––cut them lose; your “forgiveness” cannot change those who are committed to sin, and you should not give them more opportunities to their wickedness. Continuing relationships with such people gives them a wrong impression that it was “not that bad” or is “acceptable.” DO NOT ENABLE THIS.