Unforgiveness is a Sin

 

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Forgiveness is hard for many believers.

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Those who are keen on wanting life to be fair, and want justice to prevail at all times, have a hard time when justice seems to fail, and injury is either very severe, or just continues without being stopped.

Where is the help?

Some injuries are imagined, but others are very real.

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Evil seems to rule a lot now, or goes unopposed, and not punished.

Extreme examples are political corruption, murder, torture, pedophilia, human trafficking.

But cases of workplace injustice, marriage infidelity, slander or defamation, betrayal of any friendship, dishonesty, etc. are common personal injuries.

It seems easier to imagine forgiving strangers who do evil, than close, trusted ones who hurt us.

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From the web:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unforgiving

Definition of unforgiving

1:unwilling or unable to forgive

2:having or making no allowance for error or weakness

an unforgiving environment where false moves can prove fatal

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http://access-jesus.com/unforgiveness-definition-html/

Unforgiveness Definition: Not Having the Compassion to Forgive.

Another definition of unforgiveness is not having the compassion to forgive.

If someone has offended us, we have a choice to either forgive them or not forgive them.

Unforgiveness is when we choose not to have compassion for someone that has offended us, and we choose not to have the willingness to forgive them.

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Unforgiveness Definition: A Resentful Attitude That Spews Out All Types of Evil.

No matter what or how a person offends us, it is our choice whether we forgive or do not forgive them.

From a Biblical viewpoint, to forgive is good and to not forgive is bad.

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Unforgiveness is a sin that causes us to think and do evil things.

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Marianne’s Definition of unforgiveness

You have offended or injured me, and you must be punished severely, or the way I want.

Apologies will not work.

Punishment must happen.

Everyone must know what you did to me.

It makes me bitter that you are not sorry.

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Bible verses

Ephesians 4:31, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.”

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Matthew 18:35, “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

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Matthew 5:24, “Leave there thy gift before the alter, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”

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Romans 12:19, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

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If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done. (Matthew 6:14-15)

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Unforgiveness vs Justice or Fair Judgment

Unforgiveness wants punishment imposed to the satisfaction of the injured party.

Punishment has no defined beginning or end, and could continue far past what is reasonable.

Severity and length of punishment depends on degree of, and continued bitterness, of injured party.

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Justice requires that the punishment fits the crime.

Punishment has a beginning and an end.

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Divine justice depends on YHVH God’s sovereign judgment and laws.

Some judgments are written, and to be followed by man, and other judgments are left up to YHVH God himself.

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Notes:

Real injury

It is best to separate oneself from the offender, to avoid future injury.

This is just wise, and not unforgiveness.

The separation helps to subdue raw emotions felt around the offender as well.

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Forgiveness is not denial.

We should also not go in the other extreme direction, and turn a blind eye to injury or evil.

That is being permissive.

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True Forgiveness is not weakness…… It is strength, and faces the truth.

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I you have unforgiveness in your heart, you need to repent.

You are only hurting yourself, and cutting yourself off from the forgiveness of YHVH God.

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YHVH God is just. He will handle the unfair situation for you in his own timing.

YHVH God himself requires repentance to forgive.

So, forgive, and to respond to true repentance of others.

If they have not repented yet, then have the forgiveness already in your heart, and be ready and willing, when YHVH God opens a door for healing.

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