Senior Pastor Covenant Christian Centre and Convener The Platform Nigeria, Poju Oyemade, has said given his two cents about the act of forgiving.
Oyemade in a Twitter thread said that forgiving someone doesn’t mean being close friends with that person, he said forgiveness is an unconditional, commandment of love regardless of the pain.
He said forgiveness is a decision not to avenge a wrong done or harbour evil towards the offender but to have peace in your heart towards the guilty party.
Oyemade wrote,
“That you have forgiven a person doesn’t mean you must give them access back into your life. To forgive is not to avenge the wrong done unto you, neither to harbour any form of ill-will towards that person. This, however, doesn’t mean you must once again make a friend of the person.
“The act of forgiving must be separated from the restoration of fellowship. Forgiveness is unconditional, a commandment of love regardless of the pain. It is not to seek to avenge wrong done. Restoration of fellowship with a person is hinged on repentance I.e changed behaviour.
“Many are either living under guilt of not forgiving because it is not practical to ‘re open their lives to the abuser seeing the damage he caused. Some then ‘re open their lives prematurely and not only does the damage continue but it enables the person with the character defect.
“The fact that I have placed myself out of close proximity to a person does not mean I have not forgiven that person as also the fact that I am found in the company of a person does not confirm genuine love. Many hide hatred in their hearts with lying lips backstabbing “friends
“People should know the definition of forgiveness which is a decision not to avenge wrong done, to harbour no ill-will towards that person but have peace in your heart towards him. This also means one prays and does good as one finds the opportunity too. Friendship has its rules.”
A Twitter user, identifies as Tunde Karim, @karimu_tunde, however, disagreed with his teaching saying,
“I beg to disagree. God forgave us completely and made us His friends. Once the offender has genuinely repented, I don’t see why we can’t be friends again.
In response, Oyemdae said “So do you forgive before he repents or your forgiveness is hinged on repentance.? That is will you hold a sense of guilt over the head of the person not forgiving till they repent. If you say no, will you, therefore, having forgiven allow an unchanged person access into your life?
Oyemade’s tweets have since generated both positive and negative reactions. Many countered his assertions saying his teachings are not scriptural.
