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Post by Granny Smith on Apr 11, 2011 10:18:18 GMT -5
.... are you supposed to make amends or just ask God for forgiveness and sin no more?
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Post by meemo on Apr 11, 2011 10:58:04 GMT -5
It depends on the sin. If the sin has harmed a person physically or spiritually you need to make amends. If its something just between you and the person sinned against you need to ask their forgivness and Gods too. Then forgive yourself.
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Post by Granny Smith on Apr 11, 2011 11:05:44 GMT -5
What if it happened a long time ago and you have no idea how to get in touch with the person? Or what if they didn't know you did it? Or what if they won't forgive you?
So many questions, I know. I have a lot of issues.
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Post by meemo on Apr 11, 2011 11:20:07 GMT -5
In that case all you can do is ask for God's forgivness. I have things like that in my life too. The thing is...we know if we ask God to forgive us he will. Its up to us not to repeat the sin and to forgive ourselves. Sometimes thats the hard part. Its human nature for those of us who care how people think of us to not want to forgive ourselves. I dont believe in forgiving and forgetting. I believe in forgiving and not holding the sin against the one who has wronged us. Our minds will always hold the memory of the sin we've committed or wrong thats been done to us. When Paul said that he didnt look back at what he'd done but pressed forward to the goal I'm sure he still had a memory of the many Christians he had rounded up to put to death. He held the cloaks of those who stoned Stephen. I doubt he ever completely forgot that. But because God forgave him, he forgave himself.
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Post by Granny Smith on Apr 11, 2011 11:25:00 GMT -5
Forgiving yourself is definitely the hard part. Also, when I think I've asked forgiveness for everything I've done in the past, I think of more.
I don't suppose you can just ask for blanket forgiveness and be done with it, can you?
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Post by meemo on Apr 11, 2011 11:32:50 GMT -5
I dont know about that. I pray for blanket forgiveness but when I remember something specific I ask for that thing too.
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Post by Granny Smith on Apr 11, 2011 11:59:00 GMT -5
That's what I've been doing. It's shocking how many things I did when I was younger that I'd forgotten about.
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Post by debi on Apr 11, 2011 12:59:48 GMT -5
I got a ton of that in my younger years. all I can do is pray.
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Post by Valerie on Apr 12, 2011 15:30:14 GMT -5
Matthew 5:23-24
"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."
If the person you offended or sinned against has something against you, get it straightened out. If you can make restitution to someone you have wronged, then do it. But if you can't find the person, there's not much you can do about it.
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Post by Granny Smith on Apr 12, 2011 19:20:48 GMT -5
Thank you, Valerie.
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Post by raggamufin on Jun 16, 2021 13:10:23 GMT -5
I know this is an old thread, Granny Smith, thank you for asking this question. I have wondered the same thing.
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Post by stonegate on Sept 21, 2021 7:57:52 GMT -5
The opposite of diminishing others is to to edify them. Apologies, if possible, are good. But also try to share something positive you've noticed with the person. That really shows that you are not the same person.
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." Romans 8:26
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