I understand that it is impossible for a non-Christian to understand the concept of true forgiveness toward another person. Is that correct?<\/p>\n\t
Most spiritual concepts are difficult for non-believers to grasp. Not because the concepts are hard, but because it requires looking at the world from a framework that makes non-believers uncomfortable.<\/p>\n
“These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ<\/em>” (I Corinthians 2:13-16).<\/p>\n\n\n
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence<\/em>” (I Corinthians 1:18-29).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
In a sense, non-believers don’t understand because it is too simple, too straightforward. But the power of the Word is in its simple message. It is not impossible to understand, it is just hard to accept and keep a worldly viewpoint at the same time.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: I understand that it is impossible for a non-Christian to understand the concept of true forgiveness toward another person. Is that correct? Answer: Most spiritual concepts are difficult for non-believers to grasp. Not because the concepts are hard, but because it requires looking at the world from a framework that makes non-believers uncomfortable. “These…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[1571,761],"class_list":["post-31435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-forgiveness","tag-understanding"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":23313,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/were-non-believers-ever-invited-to-assemblies\/","url_meta":{"origin":31435,"position":0},"title":"Were non-believers ever invited to assemblies?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 11, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In the last couple of years, I have come to believe that the assembly is for believers. I haven't seen any examples that non-believers were ever invited to the first of the week assembly. Have you any thoughts on the matter? Thanks. Answer: \"In the Law it is written,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39593,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-you-choose-the-wrong-church-to-attend-as-a-christian\/","url_meta":{"origin":31435,"position":1},"title":"Can you choose the wrong church to attend as a Christian?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 3, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear sirs, I thank you for your site. It has been a great source of information as a new believer. Although I always considered myself a Christian, I never truly understood its true meaning until starting and completing, cover-to-cover for the first time, the Bible last year culminating in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28721,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-the-natural-man-unable-to-choose-anything-that-is-spiritual\/","url_meta":{"origin":31435,"position":2},"title":"Is the natural man unable to choose anything that is spiritual?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 1, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I had someone quote to me I Corinthians 2:14. 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It could even be said that looking\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":91315,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-are-spiritual-blessings\/","url_meta":{"origin":31435,"position":4},"title":"What are spiritual blessings?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: My daughter asked me a question that I couldn't answer as straightforwardly as I would like. Could you help me answer this question? What is a spiritual blessing? Ephesians 1:3 discusses this concept, but the explanation I found was too complex for me to understand fully. I need it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87679,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-unconditional-forgiveness-only-required-for-unbelievers\/","url_meta":{"origin":31435,"position":5},"title":"Is unconditional forgiveness only required for unbelievers?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Brother Jeff, I would appreciate your input on this question. We understand from Luke 17:3 and Ephesians 4:32 that forgiveness is conditioned upon repentance. But is this only applicable in situations where the offender is a Christian (brother in Christ) like yourself? 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