Misusing "Forgive Me?"
Forgiveness is a foundational practice, command, and gift of the Christian life. And we need to avoid a strange trend.
Can Christians be prone to over-asking for forgiveness?
I don’t mean asking for the forgiveness of too many sins. 70 x 7 = more than 490. Christians are commanded, empowered, and eager to forgive when sinned against. And because of the gospel, Christians are liberated to ask for forgiveness. Jesus’s blood changes everything about us.
The trend I've noticed is the abuse and misuse of saying, “Forgive me?”
"Forgive me?"
Have you ever seen a Christian asking for forgiveness when something was not a sin? Have you done this?
“Forgive me for not texting earlier; I was in a meeting.”
“I can’t make it because I already have plans. Forgive me?”
“Forgive me, I ran out of flour to make cookies.”
When we use “forgive me” as a synonym for “sorry” or apologizing, we dilute and cheapen actual, biblical forgiveness. Generalizing forgiveness guts how we understand the power and fruit of the gospel, how Christ paid for sins. Careless handling of forgiveness erodes the wonder and amazement that God forgives us.…
