Trespasses and Offenses

Recently, while discussing the biblical practice of forgiveness, a statement was made to the effect of “I was not offended by the issue, so I do not need to deal with it.” This sentiment could be true, but if the “non-offended” person continues to dwell upon the issue either with themself or others, they are dealing with it and in an unbiblical manner. I think it is important to recognize the words used here. (I am not a Greek scholar.) The Bible uses the term ‘trespass,’ not ‘offend,’ (which probably could be interchanged sometimes). This, to me, takes the emotion out of the issue. Whether my sensibilities or emotions were offended or not, if a brother commits a trespass against me, it is my biblical responsibility to go to him and “tell him his fault between [me] and him alone.” Many things can be overlooked — love covers a multitude of sins, but they must be honestly overlooked. We can’t overlook (cover) a sin and then tell everyone we know about how righteous we are for ‘forgiving’ the person and at the same time telling everyone we know how bad the person was that needed our ‘forgiveness.’ If we are continually bringing up another person’s sin that we have ‘forgiven,’ we haven’t forgiven. God remembers our sin against us ‘no more’ when He forgives us.