— “Forgiveness doesn’t excuse evil; it trusts in God’s justice.”
📖 Summary
Forgiving the unrepentant does not mean excusing sin.
It means releasing vengeance to the perfect justice of God.
Forgiveness is not a human feeling but a faithful act of obedience,
acknowledging that God alone judges righteously.
1️⃣ Introduction | “Must I forgive someone who’s not even sorry?”
Some wounds seem unforgivable.
But Jesus forgave those who never apologized.
Forgiveness is not the absence of pain —
it is the presence of trust in God’s justice and mercy.
2️⃣ Biblical Foundation | Forgiveness Is an Act of Faith, Not Agreement
📘 Luke 23:34 (ESV) — “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
📘 Matthew 5:44 (ESV) — “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
📘 Romans 12:19 (ESV) — “Leave it to the wrath of God.”
📘 Matthew 18:21–22 (ESV) — “Forgive seventy-seven times.”
→ Forgiveness is not about fairness but faith —
entrusting justice to God’s hands.
3️⃣ Theological Insight | Grace Without Repentance Is Not Cheap, But Costly
📜 John MacArthur — “The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness”
“To forgive the unrepentant is to trust God’s justice, not deny sin.”
📜 R.C. Sproul — “The Holiness of God”
“Forgiveness rests not on human worth, but divine character.”
📜 John Piper — “Future Grace”
“Forgiveness is laying down the right to avenge,
believing God will make all things right.”
📜 Dietrich Bonhoeffer — “The Cost of Discipleship”
“True grace faces sin squarely and covers it only through the cross.”
📜 Westminster Larger Catechism, Q.194
“To forgive others testifies to our having been forgiven by God.”
4️⃣ Misconceptions vs Biblical Truth
| Misconception | Cause | Biblical Truth |
|---|---|---|
| “Unrepentant people can’t be forgiven.” | Human justice bias | Forgiveness flows from God’s mercy, not their merit. |
| “Forgiveness excuses evil.” | Confusion of mercy and justice | Forgiveness entrusts judgment to God. |
| “Forgiveness requires reconciliation.” | Misunderstanding relationship vs release | Forgiveness is instant; trust rebuilds slowly. |
| “Forgiveness makes victims weaker.” | Emotional reasoning | Forgiveness frees the victim from the prison of hatred. |
5️⃣ Practical Application | Forgiving the Unrepentant
1️⃣ Entrust justice to God.
Forgiveness does not cancel judgment — it hands it over to Him.
2️⃣ Pray for your heart’s release.
Let God remove the burden of bitterness from your soul.
3️⃣ Keep wise boundaries.
Forgiveness is not restoration of access;
wisdom guards against further harm (Matt 10:16).
4️⃣ Intercede for their repentance.
Pray as Christ did,
“Father, forgive them,” longing for their salvation, not vengeance.
6️⃣ Conclusion | Forgiveness Is Trusting God to Be God
We forgive not because they deserve it,
but because we know Who truly judges rightly.
“Forgiveness doesn’t erase justice —
it entrusts justice to the Judge who never errs.” — Revito
Faith. Truth. Renewal. — Revito
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