Jesus gave a special role and authority to the apostles, not to all disciples. Part of their authority included the power to forgive sins on earth (sins against God too). They were also given special ability to speak for God. We only have the obligation to forgive those who repent just as God has forgiven us when we repent. It is always conditional, on repentance. If they don't seek our forgiveness, then we are not required to forgive them and if we do forgive them then anyway, God is not obligated to forgive them just because we do. Our power to forgive is nothing. It is merely repeating what God has already done. We don't have the right to forgive where God has not forgiven, nor judge against where God has not judged against.
---------------- The End ------------------
Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own ~ H. Jackson Brown
Apostles would not have forgiven where God did not forgive and vice versa. Sometimes they acted without the Holy Spirit's guidance as when Peter decided not to eat with some Gentiles one time and Paul stood up in front of everyone and accused Peter of being a hypocrite. So it even happened to them that they were not always guided in everything they did by the Holy Spirit. I don't know how they knew when the Spirit was telling them and when they were doing their own will. ~ KNT
發表於 
返回列表
