Depart Out • Harold Camping • End of the world • church age • Family Radio • View topic

Joined: 05 Jan 2011 Posts: 39

Does forgiveneness mean wrongdoers are absolved of
having to pay for their wrongs? Does forgiveness often
clash with your idea what conventional justice requires?

Joined: 26 Jun 2010 Posts: 1302

No, i don't think so. I think it just means to not hold a grudge. If a law of the land has been broken, a believer is to abide by the decision of the judge when a criminal is sentenced to jail, as long as that sentence doesn't conflict with what God's word says. Don't know about capital punishment and how that relates to God's word. On the other hand, the Bible says:

(Romans 12:20, 21) Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Joined: 01 Dec 2010 Posts: 716

Chester wrote

Does forgiveneness mean wrongdoers are absolved of having to pay for their wrongs?

I'm assuming you mean forgiveness by God not our forgiving one another? If not....nevermind.

Although God forgives our "wrongdoing", nevertheless, we need to make amends to the best of our ability. If we steal, we need to make restitution, if someone wrongs us, we need to forgive, etc.

Quote

Does forgiveness often clash with your idea what conventional justice requires?

No, because God is way and above "conventional justice". If He wasn't, we'd all be doomed.

Of course, the Roman Catholic church invented "purgatory" because they don't believe Jesus paid for the effects of sin.

Joined: 05 Jan 2011 Posts: 39

Thanks for the replies. I take it that letting go of grudges is in line with being non-judgmental and is independent of whether or not to let go of recompense by wrongdoers.

The heaping of coals language in Romans is congruent with normal human impulses towards enemies and helps encourage acts of kindness.

Thanks again.