Hi,
That would be Mat 6:15
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
My statement applied to unforgiveness, not forgiveness.
Many have counterfeit faith, which even does marvelous works, with no good deeds at all (Mt 7:21-23),
or with all manner of good deeds, such as forgiving, but in the time of testing it falls away (Lk 8:13;
1Jn 2:19) because it was never true faith, it had no root (Lk 8:13) of rebirth,
it was only counterfeit faith which did not persevere (1Jn 2:19).
My point is simply
that forgiving is not the test of salvation, saving faith (belief + obedience)
which perseveres is the only test; and
that unforgiveness is from an unforgiving heart, which gives evidence
that it does not know God's free forgiveness (which is salvation--Lk 1:77).
As I stated earlier, I have been studying faith off and on for more than thirty years, and the only relation I find between faith and unforgiveness is that your prayers won't get answered if you refuse to forgive, according to Mk 11:22-26.
I still fail to see the relation between, faith and unforgiveness. I don't see the connection at all ma'am.
The only thing I can think of at this time to where they come close is, faith takes hold of and unforgiveness refuses to let it go.
You said, an '
Unforgiving hearts give evidence of counterfeit faith'.
I don't see Mat 6:15 saying any such thing.
What is the difference between faith and counterfeit faith?
I personally don't see scripture saying that we have to repent of our sins in order for one to be saved, but when a person receives the Jesus as lord and confesses Him as such, and believes that God raised Him for our justification on the third day, then all their sins are covered in Jesus' blood, and they are forgiven of everything. But after one is born again, if they have unforgiveness in their heart, they need to repent of, and confess that sin, that they may be forgiven by God so that He doesn't send a tormentor on them.
I know you don't believe that, but it is addressed to the child of God in Matt 18.
Ma'am, you do know that you and all Christian, have at one time or another held a grudge or refused to forgive someone of some offense at one time or another for a short spell, at the very least. Have you ever gotten mad at someone? Did you forgive them of that offense while you were angry? I dare say, not!
Like myself, you have to wait till you cool down some before you forgive.
You need to stop sugar coating the doctrines of the bible and the Christian walk with God. We all slip and sin on occasion, and God will chastise us for what we do, which means we are just as much human as those who don't know Christ.