Forgiving's Responsibility

If you are the injured party... do you have a choice whether you accept another's seeking your forgiveness? Do you have options when someone comes seeking forgiveness and/or restoration? Simply - No. Whether we like it or not, want to or not, IF someone comes seeking our forgiveness for something they did - we must provide it unhesitantly and unconditionally. And, is it possible to forgive but not restore? Is that how God responds to us? That He forgives but He will never forget... or have you forgotten Psalm 103:12? 

   "For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful 

    sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not 

    forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that 

    it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father 

    will not forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15, AMP)

   "So if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and while there 

    you remember that your brother has something [such as a grievance 

    or legitimate complaint] against you, leave your offering there at the 

    altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and 

    present your offering." (Matthew 5: 23-24, AMP)

Those 2 scriptures tell us just how important forgiving one another is to the Lord. He does not consider forgiving lightly. Why should we? I think part of the concern is that His people act in one accord. It's impossible for us not to grieve one another (intentionally and not) however, once we are aware and seek forgiveness, we need to forgive each other and come back into fellowship. How often? I believe Jesus’ response to Peter’s question was 70 times 7.

   "Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, how many times will my 

    brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven 

    times?” Jesus answered him, “I say to you, not up to seven times, 

    but seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22, AMP)

Part of the reality is that forgiveness should always be accompanied by restoration... at least of relationship. And don't try and hide your 'never forget' because it is always expressed whether we intend to or not... however, I suspect a case could be made of a touch of deliberate on our part. That's not how the Lord treats us and it shouldn't be how we treat one another. I realize that the argument about not casting pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6) could be attempted, but it really doesn't apply, does it.

While the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the verb "restore" as to bring back to or put back something to a former or original state, many times this is not the case or intent in scripture. I believe when we are talking about restoration and forgiveness, we are speaking of relationships, of second up to seventy plus chances. How can we dare withhold restoration and yet expect the Father to always restore our relationship with Him? Forgiving is required... forgiving includes restoration. It's the one offended that has to take that extra step because the extra step was taken for them.