Biblically speaking, forgiveness is only possible once the offender repents. Before then, the victim is unable to forgive. What they can do is posture their hearts with love for their enemy, being comforted by “The Helper,” (Holy Spirit) and relying on The Word of God (Jesus).
Once there is repentance, Christ calls the offended-against to forgive and bring about reconciliation between the 2 individuals.
Just as Christ does not forgive us until we repent, neither should we—or can we—forgive our offenders.
While waiting on restoration between horizontal relationships, the reconciliation we have received from the Father through Jesus brings us vertical restoration in our hearts.
But remember, the cross is both horizontal and vertical, making reconciliation on both accounts vital in order to bring His Kingdom to earth.
You can follow @matt_allbritton.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled:
Those who think consciousness raising & movement building are disconnected, or even a distraction from electoral politics have not paid attention to the history of social change.In this thread, we
Read more
The 2020s will be known as the Remote Work decadeA few predictions of what is likely to emerge[ a thread ] Third Space: Office and Working from Home will
Read more
1/29: Have you ever had a concept explained to you that helps frame complex issues you’ve been wrestling with and opens your eyes to new possibilities? A concept that I
Read more
By continuing to use the site, you are consenting to the use of cookies as explained in our Cookie Policy to improve your experience.