Hello, John and Doves,

 

As you forgive those who persecute you, the tendency is for the world to say, "Okay, so he [she] is no longer talking about it, or complaining at all; therefore, it wasn't a sin for me [to do that]."

This means, they will think it's all your fault, just as they said at first.  Remember, the world that is going to heck in a handbasket hears you say, "I forgive you."  If they despise you, they really think you have said, "I am guilty, not you," meaning the Christian is guilty.

 

But it's all good.  For it is written,

    "Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

    "For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish."

Psalm 1:5-6  KJV

 

Therefore, it is also written,

    "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

    "In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you."

Proverbs 25:21-22  KJV

 

Conclusion:  It's still all about love.

    "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

    "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

Romans 5:8-9  NAS

 

The wrath of God is not coming on the world because Christians have failed to love.

Rather, the world has failed to respond to God's love.

    "We love because he first loved us."

1 John 4:19  ESV

 

Baruch HaShem Yeshua Ha Mashiach,

Mike C.