Forgiving Those Outside the Church (Proverbs 22:3)

record. There we go. So, we're recording. We're still going to be talking about forgiveness um this week. And today, we're going to talk about in a little more detail forgiveness of unbelievers. And then tomorrow, we're going to cap it off on on what forgiveness for fellow believers uh should look like. Um but let me uh let me pin myself here. And pinned. And I'm pinned. All right. Cool. All right. So, let's go. So, um again, we've been talking about forgiveness uh this week, and today I just want to touch on uh we're going to we're going to touch loosely on the difference between the two.

And then, but today, we're going to talk about what it looks like uh a walking in forgiveness for unbelievers. And then tomorrow we'll we'll finish with what it looks like um uh and what God commands and the process he's laid out for forgiveness of uh of fellow believers um and when something has happened wrong against you. So today I kind of really want to be in uh we're going to just talk about two verses real quick and how they go hand inand together. Um I I'll sum it up with even what what Christ had to say about the the matter. And so the first one is Proverbs 22 and3.

And I did touch on this not yesterday, the day before. I just I think I just threw the the actual verse out there. But Solomon says here that uh the prudent see danger uh and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. And so Solomon is saying here is that listen, we you you don't have to continue to sign up for a hurt. You don't have to continue to s to to to put yourself out there to continue to be hurt over and over and over again by by people who are unbelievers, by people who don't share uh the same values, the same the same faith.

Second Corinthians, uh Paul takes it a step further. In 2 Corinthians 6:14, Paul says, uh, "Do not be yolked together with unbelievers. Uh, for what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? or what fellowship can light have with darkness? And we had a young man yesterday who talked a little bit about uh light and darkness as well too. And he was I believe he was spot on. So, so what does that mean? That that 2 Corinthians 6:14 doesn't give us a license to not be kind to unbelievers. It just says that you shouldn't be bound to them. Right?

We're we're commanded by by God to go out and make disciples of of every nation. the only way to do that is to go out and show them love and to show them kindness. And so he's not saying don't go do that. He's saying you don't have to be bound to them. And that in fact, not only do you not have to be, you should not be bound to them because what does darkness have in common with light? And so when someone who's an unbeliever uh sins against us, uh the the rules for engagement are are a little bit different. When when a believer sins against us, we confront that uh and we do that because they're in our family.

When a when someone who's an unbeliever sins against us, we bless them because they're not a family member yet. That's the that's the difference between those two. We we may be someone has hurt you and they're an unbeliever. Your response may be the only Christ they ever see. It may be the only Bible that they ever get to read. It it becomes an opportunity for us to be able to share why we walk the way we do. So So we're we're to bless them. Jesus said, "Bless those that curse you." Why? Because you're you are you potentially are their path to a different life.

And so that's what Christ wants us to do. He doesn't say stand in front of the machine gun every day with that same person over and over and over again says just the opposite. But uh being unequally yoked again does not give us the right to not be kind to others. That's what he wants us to do. In fact uh Matthew 10:16 Christ says to be uh wise as a serpent but innocent as a dove. And so we're not to just be walked over. That's not the concept. That's not the the place where God would have us be. But we're we're to forgive. When we forgive an unbeliever, the goal is not necessarily reconciliation.

We can't force them to Why would we hold them to a standard that they don't believe in? That that that's unrealistic. We we we can't expect that. Um and so we we we're not necessarily looking for reconciliation. When we forgive an unbeliever, what we're doing is we're exercising our ability to show them what love and kindness is, to show them what the heart of Christ really is. And again, that may be the only time they ever see that in their lives. And so, we have a we have a deep responsibility to make sure that we do that exact thing. When a believer sins against us, and we'll talk more about that tomorrow, that's a whole different set of rules.

That's a whole different set of concepts. That's a different end goal as well, too. And so, it's a very different path. So, are we supposed to forgive people who are unbelievers? Absolutely. God wants us to do that and he wants us to do it as often as we can and as well as we can because again that may be the very path that drives them to the love of Christ. All right. Thoughts, comments, suggestions? Just one comment I guess Dwayne. you know that uh kind of reminds me that we are like the only Bible that people can read and that's that path I guess if that makes any sense right?

Yeah. That unbelievers you know that unbelievers will be able to see and that you know God will somehow use that. Mhm. Yeah. We talk about heaping coals on on their heads. Uh and the purpose for that is to is to not to humiliate them and not to not and that we're not applying the punishment. That's for God to do. That's not for us to do. Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. I will repay. But it's to show them that we operate under a different life. We operate under a different set of guidelines. and and we want to give you kindness for your wickedness.

And we don't pay we don't repay evil for evil. We we repay evil with kindness. And that's the the point in that scripture. So yeah. Anybody else? Yes. Um I always struggle with when you forgive someone, do you that you don't want to talk to? Do you tell them, "Hey, I forgive you." Or do you just talk to God and let him know that in your heart you forgive them and pray over them and move on? like how how so so my my I'm not going to answer the question entirely, but I'm going to answer it with a question. Are they a believer or are they an unbeliever?

Because the process is totally different. If they're an unbeliever, you have a responsibility to go to them and talk to them about what happened and and try and and and do the best that you can to reconcile. Again, we'll cover that tomorrow. If they're an unbeliever, You don't even have to speak to them. That's not a requirement. That's not their forgiveness is not their forgiveness is not for them. It's for you. It's a release. It's freedom for you. It's what your heart feels. It's not what they get. That's God. God will work on them. You can't fix or change that.

That's not in your ability or your scope or your authority to do. I hope that helps. Yes, it does. Thank you. 30 more seconds. Anybody else? But you said something. I was studying love a few months ago and and obviously we can all go to, you know, Corinthians and look at love. But really what I gained the most from was um near the end of the study, I just I looked at what Christ said about love. And I think that this applies to what you're saying in that Christ was on the cross and he says for father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.

And that really hit me hard. That that taught me more than even the you know love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Does not take into account a wrong suffered. um you know even love where it says in the ending there it says um never fails love never fail and that's I think we got to look at Christ and Christ's example to the unbelievers was forgive them they know not what they're doing and that's man that's hard that's hard when an unbeliever does something whether it's cut you off in traffic or you know have ripped you off in your or whatever.

That's how we're supposed to respond. And so that's that's what I would say. Okay. Amen. All right. We were early, so 30 30 more seconds if anybody wants to add in. Yeah, that sounds right. And that's exactly what Richard just covered as well too with the scripture that love endures. It never fails. Yep. God is love. There you go. All right. Well, let's uh let's bow our heads. Let's pray out and then tomorrow we'll talk about the the formula that God has laid out for forgiveness for for believers. So, Father, thank you so much for today. Thank you for this word and for the participation.

Thank you. Uh thank you to know that you've covered all areas that we know um what's in front of us when we are hurt by someone who doesn't share the same values and the same faith and then we also can learn what it means when that happens and and it can uh and and and will uh with a fellow believer and what how we are to to handle that. You've laid it out perfectly clear and so Father, we just thank you for that. Lord, it is extremely difficult to forgive people who've wronged us. It is probably one of the most difficult things to do. Um, but it's very important.

And why do we know that? Because you talk about it often. Uh, Lord, we we know that we sin against you on a daily basis. Every day we wake up, we're going to do something that is going to go that's going to be unrighteous. And yet, every day you you look a blind eye. And every day you you your son covered that for us. Covered that sin for us so that you forgive us. The grace and that mercy is renewed every day. And if we want to receive that and we know that we're not perfect, then Lord, you ask us to share that grace with someone else. And so Lord, I just pray that we have the courage and the strength to be able to do that and walk that out as tough as it may be.

And and and we know that it's not an easy process. Sometimes it takes days and weeks and months and years to get to that place or that point. But Father, that's what you're for. Uh that's why you carry us. And so, Lord, we just pray that you give us that discernment, that strength to be able to to do exactly what you've commanded us. Father, we thank you for today and all you are doing. Lord, we ask that we get that opportunity to be that only that only source of Jesus that someone might need today or that only Bible that they may they may actually witness.

Father, just give us all an opportunity to not only see that, but to recognize it when it happens. Father, we love you. We praise you. And as always, in your son, Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. All right, I'll see you guys tomorrow. Have a great day. Have a good day.

Transcript generated from the recording and lightly edited for readability.