Will you please write something in Sentry <\/i>regarding forgiveness? When is it scriptural for one to go before a congregation and ask for forgiveness, or let them know one has repented? This is not something done by another Christian, who, coming out of a denomination, did not take the Lord’s supper for a long time. Because of that, he wasn’t used in worship. He came regularly, never caused any trouble, then all at once he began to take the Lord’s supper, but he was told he could not be used in worship until he repented, to which he said, ‘I asked God to forgive me. I have repented. ‘ Some insist he needs to go before the church and repent or ask forgiveness. Please do not use my name or the town, as I do not want publicity-I just want some answers.<\/p>\nAnswer:<\/h2>\n
Let me begin with the last question pertaining to “go[ing] before the church.” No principle in scripture requires such as a condition of grace. Nowhere in the word of God is anyone told to go before the church to seek forgiveness from God. Neither is there an example nor a necessary inference for such. The practice is a tradition. Nothing more, nothing less. Simon the sorcerer didn’t do it (Acts 8); the example of going to a brother (Matthew 18) doesn’t require it; and, finally, confessing one to another is hardly the same thing (James 5).<\/p>\n
However, if this brother had left the faith to enter into denominationalism for some time, common sense would dictate that many problems would have been resolved had he made some declaration of his repentance and return to Christ. However, once the brethren had asked him (Matthew 18), they should have been satisfied if the evidence were there that he had, indeed, repented before God.<\/p>\n
As for when it is acceptable to make a public confession and request the prayers of the church, it should be acceptable at any time, but it should never be binding as a condition of grace.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Floyd Chappalear “Question Concerning Forgiveness,”\u00a0Sentry Magazine, Vol. 18 No. 1, 31 March 1992 Question: Will you please write something in Sentry regarding forgiveness? When is it scriptural for one to go before a congregation and ask for forgiveness, or let them know one has repented? This is not something done by another Christian, who,…<\/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":[27],"tags":[51,1571],"class_list":["post-91294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-confession","tag-forgiveness"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31349,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-a-brother-had-an-affair-for-five-years-and-says-he-repented-should-he-be-used-in-service-to-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":91294,"position":0},"title":"If a brother had an affair for five years and says he repented, should he be used in service to God?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 16, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: A brother had a five-year affair. His wife didn't know about the affair. He says he has repented. Can he work in the worship service and be one of the spiritual leaders? What does he need to do? Answer: \"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just\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":24049,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-we-forgive-even-though-the-elders-refuse-to-change\/","url_meta":{"origin":91294,"position":1},"title":"Do we forgive even though the elders refuse to change?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: \"Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, \u2018I repent,\u2019 you shall forgive him\" (Luke 17:3-4). After reading\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":43313,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-i-tell-my-friends-wife-that-he-has-been-unfaithful-after-he-has-repented-of-his-sin\/","url_meta":{"origin":91294,"position":2},"title":"Should I tell my friend’s wife that he has been unfaithful after he has repented of his sin?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 8, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello sir, I hope that God is blessing you in what you do. I am writing you on the matter of infidelity. I am aware of a man who has been unfaithful to his significant other. This is not the first time that he has been so. The previous\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":60416,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/three-quotes-on-forgiving-a-brother\/","url_meta":{"origin":91294,"position":3},"title":"Three Quotes on Forgiving a Brother","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 20, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"From Questions Answered, Lipscomb and Sewell, Kurfees, pg. 260 Question: If a brother in the church offends us, is it right for us to forgive him whether he comes and asks us to or not, or must we hold it against him until he comes and asks our pardon? Would\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21733,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-detailed-does-a-confession-of-sin-have-to-be\/","url_meta":{"origin":91294,"position":4},"title":"How detailed does a confession of sin have to be?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 16, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How detailed does a confession of sin have to be? Do you need to list out all that you've done wrong? Answer: First, we need to remind ourselves what is the purpose of confession. Confessing our sins means we are facing up to the fact that we were 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":95634,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-paul-offer-forgiveness-before-or-after-the-corinthians\/","url_meta":{"origin":91294,"position":5},"title":"Did Paul offer forgiveness before or after the Corinthians?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 14, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day, If Matthew 16:19; 18:18; and John 20:23 are future perfect participles, would the same logic not apply in II Corinthians 2:10? That is, does Paul offer his forgiveness before or after the Corinthians? What did Paul mean by \"in the presence of Christ\"? 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