Should we forgive people only if they ask for forgiveness? For instance, if someone intentionally set out to hurt me by hurting my dog, should I forgive them for their sin even though they do not show remorse? While we certainly cannot have the same reaction as John Wick, I’ve heard many Christians agree that we are under no obligation to forgive sins without their repentance. God only forgives sinners when they ask for forgiveness, so why would he expect us to do something that he himself does not do!?

However, the Bible teaches that this line of reasoning is incorrect. There are examples of Christians having a forgiving spirit toward others even though the sinners themselves did not ask for forgiveness. One such example is Stephen. After he stands up to the Sanhedrin council, he is stoned for blasphemy by the antagonistic Jews. His final words as he was being crushed under the weight of their hatred was, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60). We see a similar example from Christ himself while he is on the cross. He prays that God may forgive them of this misdeed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34). Finally, if we do not forgive others who have sinned against us, our heart will grow farther from God. If we do not forgive others of their transgressions, God will not forgive us of ours (Matt 6:14–15).