Forgiving the Offender and Anger

[Sheep]

Pastor,

When a person has sinned against others does that person have to ask only God for forgiveness or does that person have to ask forgiveness from the other person too. The scripture says to overcome evil by doing what is good. I noticed that when I do good people often take advantage of me. Also can a person still get angry, bitter, and have hate in them after they received Jesus as Lord and Saviour?

In Christ,
Pat

[SERay]

Forgiveness and Scripture

When a person sins against another person, they must indeed make amends with that person, Christian or not, and also appeal to God through Christ to forgive us/them of any sins. Furthermore, we also should NOT wait for the other person to come to us and repent first. It takes two to engage in a quarrel and both are accountable, despite who started it or who is more at fault. Pray that your growth in humility is such that you can make the first move without hesitation. Therefore, do not let the day end while still found in anger, but establish peace in your inner sanctuary before you sleep (Ephesians 24:6).

For Christ correctly taught that if we go to church (gift at altar under OT law), but have an unresolved personal issue with another person, not to even try to worship, but to go first and make things right with that person and then return to worship (Matthew 5:23-24; Mark 11:25). This means that a Christian cannot properly approach the Creator in the correct Spirit when conflict exists in the heart. It is simply a spiritual principle of cause and effect, and our chief effect is never to lose unity with the Spirit.

When Christ provided the model prayer in Matthew 6, he include the absolute essential tenants of prayer, and among those was.

1) Be grateful to God and itemize your gratitude.
2) Pray His will be done on earth as predestined in heaven
3) Ask Him to provide our daily needs as we go about our life
4) Repent of your known and unknown sins (sins of commission and omission)
5) Distinctly forgive those who have offended us… completely release them
6) Protect us from the forces of darkness and the wiles of Satan
7) Praise God for his majesty

Yes, you still will experience the complete emotional spectrum even as a Christian, there is no escaping this. However, as a Christian, we are called to a higher standard than the world. Not to allow ourselves full abandon unto the depraved nature as we did before salvation. We should have a new growing presence in us, who moment-by-moment persuades us to restrain our inordinate desires and passions. The Holy Spirit will help us subdue our flesh in measure, allowing the Spirit to reign supreme. As a person might be lead astray by a history of overt physical passion, so can a person who is intrinsically emotional be lead astray by unchecked emotions.

Our ability to overcome is no greater than how much we yield our impulses, allowing the Holy Spirit dominance. This is not an immediate experience as we would wish, but a growing experience. The saints of old were ferverent in daily supplication, fully consumed, rarely without wavering, for years unto death. We can choose either to be completely sold out for this path after Christ, or become as many today, tepid with a seasoning of Christ, but primarily apostate, trying to live a Christian life amidst subsequent failures.. First and foremost, humility must be the standard, whereas some have put knowledge and experience first and made shipwreck their inner dwelling as to be filled with spiritual pride.

I don’t think I can possibly explain it better than to quote the Colossians 3:1-17, whereas it perfectly addresses all parts of your questions.

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the punishment of God will come upon those who disobey, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him… So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

In Christ’s Service...