Since the heart is only known by God, how can we be SURE?

[stmatthew]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

You missed my post again.

God put out a blanket policy for forgiveness when Jesus died. We simply as individuals have to sign up for it to take effect for us. The blood was only shed once, and it was shed for the whole world. Read Rom 5. I believe it is plain that Gods forgiveness was extended at calvary to the whole world. But we do not enter into the benefit of it until we bow the knee.

That is why I stated that if someone does me wrong, I am to forgive them whether they receive it or ask for it. In doing so, I free myself from hurting. Jesus forgave without being asked when he was on the cross. Stephen forgave when he was being stoned.

Originally Posted by Rico

I did not miss your post. You are saying you were forgiven 2000 years ago. I am contending you were not forgiven until you asked for it from Him. If you were already forgiven then there would have been no need for you to ask in the first place. You are saying that we are required to forgive before we are asked. If that is the case then God has a higher standard for us than He has for Himself. Your sin stays on your record until it is wiped clean. That does not happen until you ask for forgiveness.

Yes you are, because I am saying something you are not. I am probably just not presenting it clearly enough.

I am looking form Gods eyes on this. Remember God calls those things which be not as though they were. Healing is already accomplished by Gods eye's. We can note Peter stating that "with his stripes you WERE healed". The healing was given by God at the time the stripes were applied, yet we as individually do not get that healing until we by faith accept it as ours. I see forgiveness the same. It is made available for all at the offering of Christs blood upon the mercy seat, meaning God has already done the work. Yet we still have lost with us, because for it to take effect in our lives personally, we must accept the work accomplished by faith.


The other issue is that those that cannot forgive are not free of the deed that was done against them. I have known people that spend their whole lives playing the victim game, and never was able to live, simply because they were unable to forgive what someone did to them, and move on. It never mattered if the offender asked a 1000 times. They became a victim of their own unforgiveness. It allowed bitterness to spring up, and they became critical of anything and everything.


Jesus was very plain when he said :

Luk 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. :

It does not say to "forgive if they ask you, and ye shall be forgiven". The commandment is to simply forgive.