3 Reasons to Forgive Someone Who is Unrepentant

One of the commands God gives throughout Scripture is to forgive. God says if we don’t forgive others of their sins against us, He will not forgive us of our sins against Him. Depending on the nature of the offense, it may be difficult to forgive someone. This may be especially true if we’ve forgiven someone once and that person continues to be unrepentant, continuing the same pattern of unhealthy behavior.

It may be easy to justify not forgiving someone if they’re unrepentant. However, God seeks for us to be free so we can live lives that mimic Christ-like behavior.

3 Reasons to Forgive an Unrepentant Person

Here are three reasons to forgive someone who is unrepentant:

We need freedom

It’s easy to rationalize why we don’t need to forgive someone if they are unrepentant. Yet, we are still stuck in emotional bondage when we choose not to forgive them. On the cross, God said, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.”

Sometimes people are unaware of their actions. Forgiving them allows us not to stay stuck replaying the offense and damaging our mental health. Rather, by releasing the person of their sin we also release ourselves of the power that sin has over our lives.

We need to be like Christ

We live in a works-based world. Society honors those who work hard and do good things. This also translates to our spiritual lives as well. Churches honor those who model lives of righteousness. While this is appropriate and necessary, we also need to be like Christ and forgive others even when their behaviors are not good.

This does not mean we let things go or sweep things under the rug. Rather, we put others’ sins in proper perspective. We understand they are sinners just like us. When we understand that the little white lie we told, compared to someone’s gossip about us is equal in God’s eyes. When we understand the severity of our sin and that is equal to other sin, it is easy to prioritize forgiveness because we know how much we have been forgiven of.

When we forgive others regardless of the offense, we exhibit Christ-like behavior. We represent not only to believers but also to unbelievers, the presence of God in our lives. People were astonished when Christ would forgive those in his midst. This allowed miracles to take place in people’s lives.

These miracles may not have taken place if Christ did not forgive their sins. When we forgive others, despite whether they repent of their ways, we demonstrate to an unbelieving world who Christ is.

We enrich relationships

Consider for a moment a time when you’ve had to forgive someone. What did it feel like when you finally forgave that person? It probably felt like an emotional weight was lifted off your shoulders.

When we forgive others even if they’re unrepentant, we release ourselves from that emotional burden. We allow ourselves the opportunity to feel the freedom that God offers us. It’s the reason why He came. When we forgive others, it is easier for us to love them. This allows trust to be rebuilt and allows our love and light to shine for others to see.

Forgiveness is just one of the many ways the world sees us as Christ’s followers. When we forgive someone as Christ has forgiven us, even if they don’t repent of their ways, we not only become more Christ-like in our behavior but also produce the character and integrity Christ modeled for us on earth.

If you would like more help in understanding reasons to forgive or how to forgive others in light of the forgiveness we have received, please contact our office at Carlsbad Christian Counseling to schedule an appointment with a Christian counselor in Carlsbad, California today.