Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I would say that it does not, just as love does not require feeling "fond" of someone who has wronged you. Reconciliation takes two parties. Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of those who crucified Him, but reconciliation to them would have also required action on their part, which it doesn't seem to me would have been forthcoming, short of the same type of individual "Damascus road" encounter with Christ that Saul of Tarsus had (Acts 9:1-9).

Jesus told His followers that He was sending them out as sheep in the midst of wolves. He therefore advised His followers to be as innocent as doves, but also as wise as serpents (Matthew 10:16). To me, that indicates learning from adverse experiences, and applying discernment to relationships with those who have previously wronged us, even if we have forgiven them. 

C. S. Lewis had a discussion of this issue that I found very instructive in the chapter on forgiveness in his book Mere Christianity, which is fully viewable online at https://www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com/documents/apologetics/mere-christianity/Mere-Christianity.pdf. (The chapter on forgiveness is on pages 53-55 of that file.)

December 07 2020 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report