John 20:23
Is there a time to retain someone’s sin? Yes. The Bible says so.
Jesus told the disciples that they had the power to go out into the world spreading the gospel and whosoever’s sin they remitted would be remitted and whosoever’s sin they retained would be retained.
Only the mature believer has this authority and only those who know when God gave them that authority, have it.
It is a huge responsibility. Only the mature believer who walks in obedience to God, who walks in the fullness of Christ Paul spoke of, is able.
They have the mind of Christ and only do what the Spirit of God says to do. They do not operate from their own emotions.
That being said, what is the prerequisite for a person having their sin remitted? So easy. Repentance. Did the offender come and ask the offended for forgiveness? What is the state of the offender’s heart?
If there is no repentance ( recognizing that I have sinned and long to be cleansed of it) then there is no forgiveness, and the consequences for that unconfessed sin are set in motion.
We reap what we sow.
I think unrepentant hearts don’t understand that if they won’t admit they’ve sinned, then they are not forgiven of that sin. They may have entered salvation as forgiven people and walk in that but now if they have one particular offense and won’t go to their brother and say, “ I have sinned against you and am very sorry, forgive me,” they are walking in the repercussions of that particular sin. This won’t affect salvation but will affect their walk.
A believer who chronicly does such a thing makes me very concerned about their salvation. I wonder if this person has ever repented unto salvation then if they are rarely of ever repenting of their offenses?
If one who says they are a believer, assumes they are just forgiven of offenses, but doesn’t recognize the sin and apologize for the sin, wanting forgiveness of that sin…I wonder if they are saved? A saved heart is a repentant heart. That heart recognizes and hates their sin. They are quick to go to the person sinned against and apologize and ask forgiveness. They intuitively know the dangers of not confessing sin. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin. If there is no conviction, maybe there is no Spirit in them?
Now the offended has to forgive. But when do they have to forgive? Only, only, only, when the offender asks. Not until then.
Jesus doesn’t just willy nilly forgive. He has the mission of transforming sinners. Transformation won’t happen if they don’t repent of their individual offenses…asking forgiveness.
Sometimes it makes no sense or is impossible to go to the individual and say you are sorry and ask forgiveness. God is after your heart.
I can’t always go back to people in my past that I offended, and only realize years later when I have no contact with them any longer, that I sinned against them and need to get to them to ask forgiveness. If it is practical and possible then yes. But if not, then a repentant heart and acknowledgment to God is enough.
It also depends on the motive and extent of the sin. God is reasonable. But this is a serious stumbling block in the church today.
People are sick and dissatisfied and weak and unproductive and dying because they refuse to recognize sin and repent of it.
Very serious stuff.
Paul said we should examine our hearts regularly to make sure we are in the faith. This is what he meant. It has to do with our “doings”. Are they pure?
If, if if, “you will confess your sin, God is faithful and just to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness” ( 1 John 1:9).
So look hard at this: by contrast then, if we do not confess our sin, we have not been 1- forgiven, nor 2- cleansed from ALL unrighteousness.
So if we are a believer and refuse to confess a sin and ask forgiveness, then we are walking around in an unrighteous state…not in the salvation sense but in the behavioral sense after salvation…two different things.
If we are saved then we are positionally righteous. But looking at our walk, is it behaviorally righteous?
We are told in scripture that if we don’t forgive then we won’t be forgiven. This is a secondary truth…was there repentance? Repentance is ALWAYS THE PREREQUISITE.
If God brings to mind something I said or did in the past to someone who may not even be aware of it, do I need to go to them? I doubt it. Why cause more trouble than you already have? Does it make sense for all involved to go apologize and ask forgiveness? Then do it. If not then it is sufficient to be burdened over it and run to Jesus and then ask Him to forgive you and to bless the offended person.
God is so reasonable, sensible and ready for renewal for you. He is always examining your heart.
If your heart says, I’m not really sorry. Who cares. They hurt me so they deserve it. Oh well it wasn’t that big of a deal. Then you, my friend, are in trouble. Your heart is wrong, and be sure He will do everything, in increasing measure, to fix it. It’s your decision wether it’ll cost life or limb. What about your offenses? Do you not appreciate that you were forgiven?
There is no sin too great. The only one too great is the unconfessed one.
For Jesus requires confession of sin (repentance) in order to forgive and to restore to new.
So when He says, forgive if you want to be forgiven, this is only after the offender has come and apologized and asked for it.
There is a time to retain sin. Paul said to turn the immoral brother over to Satan to be taught not to sin. This is the time to retain. A believer with the Mind of Christ, will ache to do it. That’s when we know we are qualified to do it…when it hurts to do it. If we have the Mind of Christ, then we long for repentance for the offender. The last thing we want to do is to retain someone’s sin when we know what forgiveness is and how much we need it.
But sometimes we have to. and if we remit someone’s sin who has not confessed, we are robbing them of the joy of repentance. Things then won’t be set in motion to cause that person to repent!! Why? It’s because whatever we bind on earth is bound in Heaven!!! Whatever we loose on earth loosed in heaven! Sometimes a disciple also has to turn an immoral brother over to Satan to be taught not to sin.
If we have experienced the joy of repentance, we long for every soul to know it.
If we have no experienced the joy of repentance, then we don’t know what they are missing and don’t care…
Disciple..walk in forgiveness today! Know when to remit and when to retain. Always be ready to see the slightest tendency toward repentance and seize upon it on behalf of the world.
In Jesus’ holy name!
Amen!