When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. – Jonah 3:10, NIV
To advert absolute destruction by God, the Ninevites repented and God mercifully relented from carrying out His judgment upon them.
This is the clear pattern of forgiveness here. Repentance is required. This is true–maybe especially so–when MUCH is forgiven as in the case of the wicked Ninevites.
We ought not to lower God’s standards for repentance when dealing with cheaters.
When a cheater suggests he or she is forgiven by God for their lies, abuse, and infidelity, that ought to beg the question of what did they do to repent?
If the answer is little to nothing, then that ought to tell a godly Christian that the cheater is probably not forgiven by God. God requires repentance (see Hebrews 10:26-27, I John 3:6, etc).
Insisting on repentance isn’t mean or cruel. It is godly. Such an insistence is actually kind as it encourages the cheater to escape coming judgment before it is too late in the next life (2 Corinthians 5:10).
This pattern of requiring repentance isn’t “just” an Old Testament thing either. Jesus explicitly references this story as a model to be followed (see Matthew 12:38ff).
So, I would suppose that after 10 months of telling a spouse there was no affair after much crazy circumstantial evidence and then the spouse discovers you have been hiding all of the savings account. You can’t really give an answer except it was pride and you won’t go to counseling as promised when spouse came home? That is not really repentance you think?
Correct, not repentant. Going to the counselors after lying seems a very reasonable expectation.
Thank you. This is all just so sad but I know the Lord is with me!!