Can't God forgive me before I ask Him to?

[cathyt]

I’m not trying to be a heretic; just trying to understand. We were talking in my Bible study about the nature of forgiveness and just can’t wrap our hands around it.

Of course confession is a blessing as a sacrament but to what degree is it necessary? Its not that I don’t beleive in confession, but, I know that at times I am capable of forgiving a person even before they ask. If I am capable of that love, of course God is.

At the same time though, we do need to express a desire to be right with God and repent for what we do wrong.

Is forgiveness from God automatic or do we have to ask for it, seek it, really be sorry. If we do have to seek it, that sort of doesn’t make sense to me because how then am I capable of automatically forgiving others?

Hope this makes some bit of sense. Please be generous here. I am not trying to unnecesarily question; I am just seeking understanding.

 

[Della]

I think you may be confusing feelings with actions here. As human beings we like to feel good about ourselves. And one way we do that is by being magnanimous in our hearts. We let some slight or insult go by thinking we have been grand in our forgiveness. But, what we have really done is merely stoked our egos for being so kind and understanding, even though we have done nothing but what we ought to have done.

God is not a human being with an ego that wants to be stoked–even in the person of Jesus he doesn’t have this fault. He cares for us too much to let our faults and sins just slip by unnoticed. He wants us to be perfect as he is perfect, so he expects us to do the right thing and ask for forgiveness for our sins. And he is so merciful in this, that unlike us, who often have to excuse the other before we will forgive him, or see some kind of contrition from him, God will forgive us even if we are merely afraid of paying the price for our sins.

When we go to confession we reconnect our wills with that of God and help the whole Church be united in bringing the grace of God to all persons by drawing on God’s love for us and all others. It is way more than merely going away feeling justified, or forgiven. It is doing our duty to God whose justice we have violated, so that if he were to exercise his rights, would wipe us off the face of the earth.

 

[jpjd]

I think you are asking a very good question.

Not being God I don’t know for sure, but I think God can certainly forgive you before you ask, but the question is not “can God forgive”, but “can you ask”?

What I mean is, are you – the sinner – sorry? The whole point is, does the sinner have a change of heart.

I would write more but I have to go. I’m sure you’ll get other responses.

 

[palmas85]

cathyt:

I’m not trying to be a heretic; just trying to understand. We were talking in my Bible study about the nature of forgiveness and just can’t wrap our hands around it.

Of course confession is a blessing as a sacrament but to what degree is it necessary? Its not that I don’t beleive in confession, but, I know that at times I am capable of forgiving a person even before they ask. If I am capable of that love, of course God is.

At the same time though, we do need to express a desire to be right with God and repent for what we do wrong.

Is forgiveness from God automatic or do we have to ask for it, seek it, really be sorry. If we do have to seek it, that sort of doesn’t make sense to me because how then am I capable of automatically forgiving others?

Hope this makes some bit of sense. Please be generous here. I am not trying to unnecesarily question; I am just seeking understanding.

I think that God wants us to come to Him, openly, willingly and humbly. When Christ died for our sins, He opened the door for us to enter paradise and eternal life. Whether or not we do that is entirely up to us. I believe that we have to make the first move. We have to ask God for forgiveness for our sins.

 

[SMHW]

These are just my thoughts so don’t take them as doctrine…

But since God is really beyond time, to Him there isn’t a ‘before’ or ‘after’ you ask forgiveness. I think that the point is that you do ask. So in that sense I would say that forgiveness isn’t automatic.

Read the story in Luke 7:36-50 of the woman who washes Jesus’ feet with her tears. In verse 47 Jesus speaks of forgiveness and great love. Most Bible versions suggest that forgiveness is a result of love. But there are a few that suggest love is the result of forgiveness. I don’t speak Greek so I can’t say what the original text says but my guess is that there is no clear cause or effect. You just have both or you don’t have either.

Now love is not exactly the same thing as asking for forgiveness but I don’t think they can really be separated either.

I’ve probably just makes things muddier.

 

[mosher]

I think that if we put things in the perspective of love it will be a bit clearer. In the movie “My Fair Lady” there is a point where the main character sings a song called “Show Me.” The words of the song focus on the idea that she is sick of guys trying to express their love for her in words and thoughts but she wants them to show her.

This is the same for God. It is true that God could forgive us before we ever ask but for that forgiveness to take effect he desires us to participate, to cooperate, to demonstrate our love for him. You can’t just tell someone you love them, you must show them and so God asks - “Show Me.”

 

[John-the-Seeker]

God who knows what He knows and has always known it, knew each and every sin to be committed before He created creation. He loved each person then and provided more than enough grace for the forgiveness of sins of all including the demons of Hell. From God’s perspective forgiveness is easy and automatic for those who seek it and forgive themselves thereby accepting His forgiveness. As the perfect prayer the Our Father states…forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive others… By the same measure as we forgive ourselves and others, God can and will forgive us.
I like an example used by a friend in explaining forgiveness and reparation which seems to be a side issue here. My friend uses the example of a mother and daughter playing catch and the neighbors picture window gets broken. Both mother and daughter are extremely sorry for what has happened by their not playing ‘according to the rules’ and the neighbor is willing to accept their apology and sincerity, but the three of them are standing in front of a broken window that needs to be replaced. The adult might offer to pay the homeowner’s deductable on his insurance policy and the child might offer to do some yard work or errands for a specified period to atone for the damage.
The symbolism here is the homeowner is Jesus, the window His creation and the offers of atonement the limit to which we, His children, are able to atone and make reparation in accordance with our maturity and level of responsibility.
I know this is not a complete answer but perhaps it will help.

 

[Ignatius]

cathyt:

I’m not trying to be a heretic; just trying to understand. We were talking in my Bible study about the nature of forgiveness and just can’t wrap our hands around it.

Jesus God calls us to repentance not for His sake, but for our own sake. It is by repentance that we are healed. He knows us perfectly, since He created us, and thus knows perfectly what we need.

God Bless and guide you.

Your brother in Christ.

 

[birdsofdawn]

if you have read the chronicles of narnia, think back to the magician’s nephew, when polly and digory are journeying with fledge to the little oasis over the mountains for digory to get the apple for Aslan.
digory and polly are feeling awfully hungry and tired by the end of the day, and they realise to their dismay that they did not bring any food with them. digory wonders, “why didn’t Aslan arrange for this ahead of time? surely he would have known that we’d need it.”
as fledge thoughtfully chews his grass, he replies, “i’m sure he would know, he seems to know everything that goes on here, but i get the feeling that He likes to be asked anyway.”

that is a paraphrase naturally. hopefully that helps. hah. (big narnia fan, i am)