Forgiving Others - Do They Have To Be Sorry?

This Sunday morning the call to worship was Question 126 from the Heidelberg Catechism, What does the fifth request of the Lord’s prayer, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” mean? As the catechism answer was explained I began to think along another tangent (always a problem for me).

I have always read this verse to say, “I must forgive those who have sinned against me IF they ask for forgiveness.” Along with this I also have as part of the definition of “asking for forgiveness” that the person must have true repentance, in other words they must be sincere.

Isn’t this how God’s forgiveness works?

1. We recognize we are sinners.
2. We ask for forgiveness.
3. God forgives us.

Nope, sorry. That may be the popular misconception but God loved his church before the foundation of the world. My forgiveness was secured by Christ’s sacrifice over 2000 years ago - long before my first sin.

So what does that have to do with me forgiving others? Well, nowhere does it say that I only have to forgive those who are truly sorry they wronged me. But how unrepentant would someone be who wronged me 490 times?

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:21-22 ESV

As a matter of fact Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:44 to

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

How much more forgiving can one be be than to love an enemy?