I’ve heard many times that forgiveness is for the person doing the forgiving more than the forgiven. We can forgive without being asked to. Why do we have to ask for forgiveness through Jesus?

You don't....but I'm not a religious scholar....

To be like Jesus. If he forgives, we must also.

Are we not asking for forgiveness in the prayer He taught us to pray?

You forgiving someone else is for your own mental health because holding a grudge can consume you. Its good for you to move on regardless of whether or not the person deserves it. If you're waiting for them to ask, you'll likely be holding the grudge for a long time, which is bad for you.

If you have wronged someone else it is appropriate for you to ask forgiveness.

God does not need to forgive you for His mental health. You need God to forgive you.

Compare it to the court system. If you break the law, the courts don't need to forgive you. The courts would be right in punishing you to the full extent of the law. If you don't like that, you need to plead for leniency and hope the courts cut you some slack. Just because God runs what may be compared to a lenient court, does not mean He lets people off unconditionally.

It's called repentance. Recognizing that you have done wrong, wronged Jesus, and turning away from wrong doing.

Are you asking forgiveness from someone else, or giving it to someone else ... ? Not sure how Jesus comes into it....unless you're looking for forgiveness for yourself from him....

I wasn’t sure how to ask the question I really had but y’all’s responses have cleared it up some.

Let’s try again, is it a detriment to you if someone offers forgiveness before you have a chance to ask for it?

Last try. lol

Can someone forgive you if they don’t know what they are forgiving? Just a blanket “I forgive you.”

Should you or would you feel forgiven?

Forgiveness should be a given.


Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”


Jesus forgave you for your sins. It’s your responsibility to do it for your neighbor.

Not sure what verse in scripture says to. (Ask for forgiveness through Jesus)

In the prayor. Doesn't Jesus say, forgive us our trespasses ( as we forgive ) those who trespass against us.

This is my opinion, not sure if it's necessarily found in the Bible. We sometimes are incapable of forgiveness in ourselves. When we have been hurt so bad that we can't forgive, we can ask Jesus to do it for us. In my experience, I might have to do this a thousand times and still fight with resentment, but if that's what it takes to relieve the burden of carrying anger, it's worth it.

He taught us how to pray to the Father and also told us no one comes to the Father except through Him.

1 + 1 doesn’t = 2 ?

My opinion, you can ask for forgiveness from someone you wronged, or insulted, if someone wronged you, you don't ask them to offer forgiveness, that's on them.

clear as mud huh?, lol

Scenario….You are about to confess how you wronged someone and ask them to forgive you. They stop you and tell you they forgive you. Would you genuinely feel free of the wrong?

In that scenario, yes. They just cut to the chase.

So what if two people at work have a one night affair, then both being married feel remorseful. They decide never again will they cheat on their spouses.The guy is even extra burdened by what he has done. Neither his wife nor the womans husband even have a clue of anything. The guy asks God for forgiveness but just can't get over the guilt, should he confess to his wife so his conscience can get relief ?

So his wife would be hurt by the betrayal?, nothing good could come from that, but it's a personal decision, do the crime do the time sort of thing...?