A brief answer – and I presume a biblical answer – is that we are to forgive others in the same way that God forgives us. And is this not unconditionally? Objectively, at least. God forgave us all – "the whole world" (1 John 2:2) – when Christ died on the cross.

  So, objective (actual) forgiveness is unconditional, while the personal enjoyment of forgiveness is conditional. This is the distinction one is trying to make when he gives two answers to the question as to when he was saved. On one hand he declares that he was saved at the cross, long before he was born. On the other hand he refers to being saved when he repented and was baptized.

  In the same way when someone sins against us we are to forgive them, even as they do the deed. Because God has freely forgiven us, we are to freely forgive others – immediately and unconditionally. But that person will not enjoy the benefits of our forgiveness -- the satisfaction in his own heart and his standing with God – until he repents of what he did. But for our part, he is forgiven, a done deal, even if he never repents or apologizes.

  There are those who insist that we are not to forgive until the person repents (and apologizes), and they presume this is what Luke 17:3 is saying -- "if he repents, forgive him." Yes, of course, we are to forgive the one who comes saying, "I repent." But that doesn’t mean we are not to forgive him in any case.

  This is what Jesus teaches us in "the Lord’s Prayer" – "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." We are not to bear grudges or keep score of offenses. Even as the person is injuring us, we forgive him. That is the way God forgives us -- Christ’s blood continually takes our sins away, even as we commit them (l John 1:7). If this were not so, there would be no way to be saved. We all have sins – continually – that we have not named before God. It is by grace -- which means we do not deserve anything at all, however much we may repent – that we are justified before God.

  The lowly publican who prayed, "God, be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13), was forgiven all his sins, including those he committed the next day, even if he did not say that prayer repeatedly through the day. If God "keeps score" and does no erasing until we make every failure "right," then we are all forever doomed. He looks upon our hearts, and bears with us in our weaknesses He is "eager to forgive," not a reluctant forgiver.

  Was not Christ’s forgiveness of those who crucified him unconditional? – "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). There was no one at the cross asking for forgiveness. Those who did th e ghastly deed – along with all humankind – were forgiven then and there, unconditionally. That is grace – irrational grace -- which Paul says has come to all (Titus 2:11).

  But, again, those who crucified Christ did not experience the joy of Christ’s forgiveness – subjectively, personally – until they repented of the foul deed and accepted the crucified one as the Lord of glory, which many of them did at Pentecost (Acts 2:36-41).

  We see it again in the story of the prodigal son, which Jesus tells in order to show the boundless generosity of God. Did not the father forgive his son even from the beginning of his waywardness? Wasn’t he already forgiven (objectively) by the loving father while yet in the hog pen?

  But the son enjoyed the blessings of that forgiveness only when he repented and returned home. He had an appropriate speech prepared – "Father, I have sinned against you and against heaven" – but the father wasn’t listening. The son was already forgiven! The father was busy passing out blessings.

  That is the way we are to respond to those who maltreat us. Eager to forgive! We forgive them, repeatedly if need be, unconditionally, even as they abuse us. They badly need to repent and make their wrongs right, before both God and those they have injured. There can be no enjoyment of forgiveness until they do. But for our part, they are already forgiven. Should they come saying, "I repent, please forgive me," we should of course say, "I forgive you." But that is subjective forgiveness, their personal experience. We have already forgiven them objectively – in our hearts. For our part, they don’t need to apologize, but for their part they do need to.

Note

Thank you for your gracious concern over my recent surgery. I am now back to near normal, and, the Lord willing, I will be ready for my next appointment. I am to give the first installment of the Henry E. Webb Lectures on Christian Unity at Milligan College in Tennessee, March 14-16.

On the same trip I will address the Forest Home Church of Christ in Franklin, Tn. (March 12) and the Forest Mill Church of Christ in Manchester, Tn. (March 19). Emmanuel School of Religion is across the highway from Milligan College, and I will likely do a thing or two there as well. Ouida will be with me, and we will once more get to be with many longtime friends at all four of these places.

All previous essays, along with other writings, are available at www.leroygarrett.org