IF I FORGIVE SOMEONE, DO I NEED TO KEEP LETTING THEM HURT ME?

Apr 30, 2017 -- Posted by : admin
It is so sad to have to answer this question, but it is necessary.

​No. Forgiveness isn’t about saying that it’s ok for someone to do something. Forgiveness is about trusting that God will deal rightly with that person and deciding to not hold that sin against them.

So, if someone is hitting you (as I used as an illustration about another point the other day), run away, make them stop or call the police as necessary. It is not OK for them to hit you. Romans 13 talks about God putting the authorities in charge to punish the wrongdoer. So if a crime has been committed, report it! If you are in an abusive friendship or relationship, you need support from others and intervention to stop the abuse. And in the midst of reporting, or running, or stopping that person’s sin, we need to forgive them, just like Jesus forgave us in the midst of our own sin.

In addition this is where it’s important to have godly leadership in place who will protect, rebuke and generally speak truth to people. The world can be an incredibly cruel, harsh place where people suffer deeply. Being meaningfully plugged in to genuine friendships in a church community where people love Jesus and are willing to protect others who are suffering is essential. Many Christians are isolated, without any real Christian friends, with no one to defend them. This is not a healthy way to be. We’re trying to create a community at Christ Central Preston where people are engaged in deep, meaningful friendships and will look out for one another.

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