Racism: New Testament Bible View May Surprise You!

[Lara]

What about the unbeliever? Are believers required to forgive them...like the monster I mentioned in the last paragraph of post#20?

The car accident driver in post#19 could well have been a believer who just made a big mistake so, yes, we would need to forgive her. I don't think we're required to forgive the monster though because God doesn't forgive sins until one becomes a believer John 3:16.

The dilemma there is that we are not the ones to judge whether anyone is sincerely a believer in their heart or not. Only God knows that for sure...although, God does say "By their fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:20). And that becomes crystal clear in the case of the monster in post#20. His crimes continued over the lifetime of the young girls...so where was the good fruit in his life? He wasn't even sorry aka repentant.

But we should all certainly forgive people who just made a mistake and are sorry and don't want to continue that behavior. This is how I see it anyway.

`

 

[Warrigal]

What about the unbeliever? Are believers required to forgive them...like the monster I mentioned in the last paragraph of post#20?

The car accident driver in post#19 could well have been a believer who just made a big mistake so, yes, we would need to forgive her. I don't think we're required to forgive the monster though because God doesn't forgive sins until one becomes a believer John 3:16.

The dilemma there is that we are not the ones to judge whether anyone is sincerely a believer in their heart or not. Only God knows that for sure...although, God does say "By their fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:20). And that becomes crystal clear in the case of the monster in post#20. His crimes continued over the lifetime of the young girls...so where was the good fruit in his life? He wasn't even sorry aka repentant.

But we should all certainly forgive people who just made a mistake and are sorry and don't want to continue that behavior. This is how I see it anyway.

`

Ultimately, forgiveness, like love, has no limits. Members of the Salvation Army often accompany people accused of the most ghastly crimes as they go through their trial. Nuns and clergymen have been known to minister to prisoners on death row right up until their final breath. They offer their spiritual and emotional support to the sinner before them, regardless of whether or not they confess or are repentant. I am not saintly enough to take on this role but I admire those who do accept this mission.

You hit the nail on the head when you said that "we are not the ones to judge whether anyone is sincerely a believer in their heart or not" yet we do seem ready to judge other people every day. How many times do we see Jesus call someone to his service that other people had written off as unworthy or tainted? When we see a monster God sees a lost sheep.

 

[oldman]

Matthew 7.1
Judge not , that ye be not judged.
Matthew 7.2
For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

These passages of scripture pretty much answer all of my questions in life.

You may or may not believe this, but I have some Amish friends from where I once lived and still visit with them occasionally. This verse that you have stated is one of the verses that the Amish strongly live by. Although they (the Amish) seem to follow more of the Old Testament, there are some parts of the New Testament that they sincerely follow. I brought this up because on the wall of my friend's home in his kitchen is the shortened verse only, "Judge not, least ye be judged." If you walk into his kitchen, you can't miss it. It sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

[Warrigal]

I don't doubt that this is a principle that they take seriously, yet Amish who fail to live by their strict code are shunned and effectively expelled from their community.

All of us, by whichever codes we live by, fall short of perfection which is why we all need to forgive and to be forgiven. Forgiveness is something that strengthens a relationship, a family, a community and a nation.