“The tax collector stood alone in a corner, away from the Holy Place, and covered his face in his hands, feeling that he was unworthy even to look up to God. Beating his breast, he sobbed with brokenness and tears saying, ‘God, please, in your mercy and because of the blood sacrifice, forgive me, for I am nothing but the most miserable of all sinners!’”
-Luke 18:13, TPT
If someone–like a cheater–tells you that you MUST forgive them, know this is not godly.
We do not approach God demanding His forgiveness as if God owes it to us. It is a gift. We come to Him with our need. To receive forgiveness, we need to come to Him with humility.
The same thing goes for human forgiveness.
A human offender seeking godly forgiveness will never demand it. A demand denotes entitlement. A repentant offender does not approach his or her victim with such arrogant entitlement.
This verse comes from a parable told by Jesus presenting a contrast between a religious person and a “sinner.” One finds forgiveness; the other does not.
It is the humble “sinner” who finds that forgiveness and not the proud religious person.
I think it is absurd to think of approaching God with such presumption on forgiveness; yet, this is not an uncommon position for cheater and their supporters.
Most cheaters are more akin to the religious leader than the “sinner” in their attitude towards others and God.
Is Jesus sinning by suggesting the religious leader was not forgiven or right with God in this story? Of course, not.
So, that suggests that we have to have a more robust understanding of forgiveness that takes into account the offenders response to their sin. Are they humble or haughty?
