Role of Repentance

If forgiveness is available to all of us, and if there is nothing that we need to do to earn it, then what about those who claim that we must be repentant in order to be forgiven?

First of all, do you require that the person you are forgiving be repentant? Does your forgiveness of another person rest on that other person's attitude? If we understand that forgiveness will heal us -- the one who is hurt -- then why in the world would we give the power of that healing -- the power of forgiveness -- to that person who has hurt us?

I think forgiveness is done independently of the person who has hurt us. It may (and often does) require God's grace in order for us to forgive someone, but God asks us to forgive so that we may be healed of the hurt.

Don't get me wrong. I think forgiveness can be a powerful means of grace for the one who is being forgiven, but it must first be a means of grace for us.

So if forgiveness does not depend, for us, on the person who has hurt us, why would God's forgiveness of us be dependent upon us? It is not. It is offered by God, free, like grace.

Do what about repentance? Repentance means turning around. Truly, repentance heals the one who has done the wrong. Repentance enables us to accept the gift of forgiveness. God knows what is best for us; turning toward God is what is best for us. God offers of grace to accomplish this, as well.

Can we be forgiven for those things for which we are not repentant? Let me ask the question another way. Have you been truly repentant for every sin you have committed? I have a feeling that the answer to that question is no.

We are sinners. We live in sin, and God saves us from that. He loves us so much that he rescues us, even from ourselves.