Applying Forgiveness When the Other Person Doesn't Seem Worthy
Christian forgiveness is commanded without reference to the worthiness of the offender. Colossians 3:13 instructs believers to forgive "if any man have a quarrel to another: even as Christ forgave, even so do ye" [1]. The standard is Christ's forgiveness, not the merit of the person who wronged us. This principle cuts against the natural human impulse to weigh whether someone "deserves" pardon.
The Christological Foundation
The New Testament grounds the obligation to forgive in the prior forgiveness believers have received. John Chrysostom, preaching on Ephesians, emphasizes that past events—specifically Christ's self-giving sacrifice—carry greater force than future promises, and Paul therefore "founds his exhortation" on what God has already done in forgiving us [7]. The logic is mimetic: we imitate the God who forgave us while we were yet sinners. Augustine reinforces this in his exposition of the Lord's Prayer, noting that "the Truth cannot lie," and therefore one who refuses to forgive "from his heart" a penitent offender "need not suppose that his own sins are forgiven of God" [4]. The condition for receiving divine forgiveness is extending it to others, regardless of their perceived worthiness.
Forbearance and the Undeserving
Calvin observes that Scripture commands us "to do good to all without exception, though the greater part, if estimated by their own merit, are most unworthy of it" [5]. The phrase "most unworthy" is deliberate: Christian ethics do not wait for the offender to earn forgiveness. John Gill's commentary on Colossians 3:13 specifies that believers are to forgive "all trespasses and offences, so far as committed against themselves," and to pray for God's forgiveness of sins committed against him, "let him be who he will, high or low, rich or poor" [6]. The universality is absolute.
Augustine addresses a correspondent who claimed "it is of no importance what the quality of the fault may be in any case in which forgiveness is craved," provided the offender is penitent [3, 8]. Augustine agrees that penitence—demonstrated by asking pardon—obligates the offended party to forgive, but he insists the purpose is to "overcome the temptation to hate the man who has offended him" [8]. Forgiveness is less about vindicating the offender than about freeing the forgiver from bitterness.
Josephus, reflecting a broader ancient moral tradition, notes that forgiving "crimes which are capital" and "heinous offenses against thyself" is "a more glorious thing" than merely relieving the hungry [2]. The greater the offense, the more the act of forgiveness reveals the character of the one who forgives.
Sources
- Colossians “Colossians 3:13 (Geneva1599) — Forbearing one another, and forgiuing one another, if any man haue a quarel to another: euen as Christ forgaue, euen so doe ye.”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 6, section 10: who, on other accounts, stand in need of thy assistance; since it is indeed a right thing to do well to those who are in distress for want of food, but still a more glorious thing to save those who deserve to be punished, when it is on account of heinous offenses against thyself; for if it be a thing deserving commendation to forgive such as have been guilty of small offenses, that tend to a person's loss, and this be praiseworthy in him that overlooks such offenses, to restrain a man's passion as to crimes which are capital to ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — TO MY LORD AND BROTHER, AUGUSTIN, RIGHTLY AND JUSTLY WORTHY OF ESTEEM AND OF ALL POSSIBLE HONOUR, NECTARIUS SENDS GREETING IN THE LORD. (part 3): demerit in the faults of some as compared with others, it is of no importance what the quality of the fault may seem to be in a case in which forgiveness is craved. For, in the first place, if penitence procures forgiveness and expiates the crime-and surely he is penitent who begs pardon and humbly embraces the feet of the party whom he has offended -- and if, moreover, as is the opinion of some philoso”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 74.--GOD DOES NOT PARDON THE SINS OF THOSE WHO DO NOT FROM THE HEART FORGIVE OTHERS.: Now, he who asks forgiveness of the man against whom he has sinned, being moved by his sin to ask forgiveness, cannot be counted an enemy in such a sense that it should be as difficult to love him now as it was when he was engaged in active hostility. And the man who does not from his heart forgive him who repents of his sin, and asks forgiveness, need not suppose that his own sins are forgiven of God. For the Truth cannot lie. And what reader or hearer of ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 62: drawn between sacred oblations and alms as now corresponding to the offerings under the Law. 6. Moreover, that we may not weary in well-doing (as would otherwise forthwith and infallibly be the case), we must add the other quality in the Apostle’s enumeration, “Charity suffiereth long, and is kind, is not easily provoked,” ( 1 Cor. 13:4 ). The Lord enjoins us to do good to all without exception, though the greater part, if estimated by their own merit, are most unworthy of it. But Scripture subjoins a most excellent reason, when it”
- Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 3:13: Forbearing one another,.... Not only bearing one another's burdens, and with one another's weaknesses, but forbearing to render evil for evil, or railing for railing, or to seek revenge for affronts given, in whatsoever way, whether by words or deeds: and forgiving one another; all trespasses and offences, so far as committed against themselves, and praying to God to forgive them, as committed against him: if any man have a quarrel against any; let him be who he will, high or low, rich or poor, of whatsoever age, state, or condition, and let his quarrel or com”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: Homily XVII. Ephesians iv. 32 and v. 1, 2 “And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you. Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.” The events which are past have greater force than those which are yet to come, and appear to be both more wonderful and more convincing. And hence accordingly Paul founds his exhortatio”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. 3. -- 8. You say "it is of no importance what the quality of the fault may be in any case in which forgiveness is craved." In this you would state the truth if the matter in question were the pu (part 1): 430 fault, to do otherwise than either anticipate or at least promptly answer the petition of him who asks forgiveness; but let his purpose in doing this be, that he may overcome the temptation to hate the man who has offended him, and to render evil for evil, and to be inflamed with rage prompting him, if not to do an injury, at least to ”