Champion Forgivers: Waiting on the Contrition of Another?

By: Don Bowman
Published: Tuesday April 19 2016 5:04 p.m. DMT
Kentucky, USA

Jesus reaches out to help the woman taken in adultery.

Summary

Let’s look at some of the greatest men, who were champion forgivers, in the history of our scriptures.

Let’s start with our adored Savior, who was beaten with stripes, spat upon, made to carry His own Cross, and then was hanged thereon, taunted, mocked, and scorned, yet he forgave all. He never received an ounce of contrition, no not one sorry, neither one act of compassion from those that perpetrated this terrifying act, yet, He forgave them all. Yet, wait a minute he was Divine, the Divine resided within Him. He was greater than them all. Yet, wait, hold on, He might of called legions of angels to his side, to His aid, to His comfort, and to His delivery, yet He did not. We see therefore, that this indeed was a measure of His greatest, and a measure of His glory, that was certainly borne in this one horrific, yet glorious event. Despite the vengeance, and the cruelty against him, He truly forgave all. Forgive them for they know not what they do. This was His cry, as he hung there, as He was suffering there, bearing patiently without malice, all these atrocious acts of men. Oh dear Father above, how truly great is Thy Only Begotten. Honor and praise His Holy Name.

Many others have followed this example as Joseph of Egypt was cast into a pit, left to die by his own brothers, then sold to the Ishmeelites, cast into prison falsely for 13 years, then came he out to become the ruler of Egypt. He forgave all, first his brothers has he wept upon their necks. He probably forgave Potiphar and his wife. God’s hand was in the all, as He often turns evil happenings into good. Joseph stated “God did send me before you to preserve life.” Joseph was fine with God’s purpose and forgave without contrition of others, nor apology. Yet they afterwards humbly bowed down to him and saw of his now greatest.

19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

There is David who forgave Saul, even though Saul was angry and sought David’s life on more than one occasion, yet David saved Saul’s life twice when he could of had his revenge. Paul forgave as he said no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Steven who gazed into the heavens seeing the Father and the Son and afterwards was cast out of the city and then stoned to death? hearkening out “lay not this sin to their charge.”

60 And he kneeled down,and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Many others forgave in this way, without the acceptance of contrition, or an apology, yet, as the scriptures attest those that perpetrate harm or injury should, for their own souls sake, make amends my showing godly sorrow, seeking contrition, and apology. It is the wise, prudent, humble, and godly way to do so. Yea, what is it that we should then do, if they don’t show our proper contrition. Should we not forgive. Should we not be willing to attempt reparations ourselves. God Forbid!

Who therefore gets to judge another’s contrition, sorrow or redress. Is it I? Is it you? Who among us can judge or determine, if a contrition or an apology is enough, to be counted worthy of being forgiven, or even to be worthy of satisfying God forgiveness. For some, nay, they will be never satisfied. Their wanting fountain of justice, will continually poor and poor much to their spiritual harm and injury.

If one delays forgiveness until the apology or contrition of another, that person just may sit upon, his or her throne for a long, long time, waiting for their sorry, waiting for their apology, and waiting for their contrition, for it may never be enough to satisfy their own kind of justice, that they so thirst and hunger after. Yes, not the throne of humility and meekness but the throne perhaps of pride and ego. We have all sin, and have hurt, or offended another, and therefore we are under the law, thereby seeking daily mercy and grace from not only God above but also from many others.

I have had my dental office burned down, by a neighbor, all of my dental equipment taken from the office, rocks, that have been thrown through my window, bankruptcy due to the cause or actions of another, and more. Yet, it is in perhaps the family that we find it sometimes more difficult to forgive. Home, or family can be the nest bed of hornets, and it is more difficult sometimes to forgive and forget. As we know it is not easy or even necessary to forget, even to the staying away from the one, that has rendered their abuse, in its many shapes and forms. Yet we must forgive we are commanded to do so. We can’t be waiting and waiting, and delaying, until either our justice is satisfied, of even if we foolishly think that another hath not done enough to warrant our commanded forgiveness.

DC 64 7 – 10 “Nevertheless, he has sinned; but verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness, who have not sinned unto death. My disciples, in days of old, sought occasion against one another and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for this evil they were afflicted and sorely chastened. Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin. I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.”

2 Cor 2 10 To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”