Proposition 2
There can be no forgiveness until the entire debt has been paid.
Your efforts to-date have generally failed because you are fighting against your heart which, at least to some degree is rightly demanding full consolation for the crimes against it.
Note to Christians, Jews and Muslims- God never forgives anyone until there has been full justice paid. God never, ever ‘surrenders the right to get even’! He never ‘cancels expectations’. He never ‘releases the person from the debt that is owed.’ Isn’t that great news! The Biblical God requires absolute payment for all crimes—all crimes. When Moses asked about God’s core character, “What is your name?” God answered him by moving before him and proclaiming this:
“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished….” (Ex 34:6-7)
Whoever God is, there is one thing for sure— He is both abounding in love and forgiveness yet still perfectly requires judgment. How do we reconcile the apparent conflict? He ‘forgives wickedness, rebellion and sin”— but “he does not leave the guilty unpunished”. What is this forgiveness that also requires complete and perfect justice? In our language, we pit the two against each other. Either you forgive or pursue justice—one or the other.
But, there is no conflict between the two in God’s character. God’s forgiveness is a function of perfect justice. Let me put it another way though it will initially sound strange to our western modern ears, once all crimes are fully paid for, then God forgives. God’s forgiveness does not in any way get criminals off any hook. Isn’t this wonderful news, victim?
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:14
So much of modern ‘forgiveness’ counsel asks the victim to be more magnanimous than even God.