The only hazard in doing what Jesus would do is following his example blindly. It would be insane to do as Christ did to the letter because:

1. Christ was a unique individual. He was a very enlightened being who came in behalf of God. Putting it in terms we can understand, he was an alien being. His nature, though human, was also alien. Beyond our comprehension.
2. Christ had a specific mission. He was aware of his predestined mission and fulfilled the prophecies to their full extent.
3. Christ used his alien rights to do things that humans can’t do. For example, his unique birth; his unique death; his unique administration of godly rights, such as, calling himself the Son of God and his unique methods of forgiving the sins of people. Both of these last points where thought to be blasphemous, and they would have been if Jesus Christ was solely human.
4. Christ lived according to the traditions of his day. Traditions change. It would be a little disconcerting find an individual spending 5 days walking to the next town, instead of using transport.

I would say that every Christian wants to be forgiven by the Father-God. Christians don’t want their sins to separate them from their Father-God. So, when Matthew 6:14, 15 is believed to say, “Forgive anyone who sins against you, or you will not be forgiven by God,” Christians don’t bother finding out the whole truth, but out of some arduous desire to be saved, they do just that. They forgive anyone who sins against them and they don’t bother with the rest of what the Bible says on the methodology of forgiving.

I hear it on Christian radio. I hear Christian psychologists recommending it. I hear pastors preaching it. I see Christians practicing it. I hear an unbiblical method of forgiving. In general, Christendom believes that if someone sins against us, we must forgive them. For example, if we are raped, assaulted, deeply wounded, betrayed and so on, we are to forgive the offender even of the offender is not sorry for what they have committed. That is the problem, forgiving a sin when the sinner has not asked for forgiveness. They believe that this is God’s will. They believe that this will bring inner peace.

Rubbish!

The method of unconditionally forgiving someone who sins against us doesn’t accomplish anything but the prolonging of sin.

Christians continue to support the popular belief that we are to forgive unconditionally, even if the offender doesn’t repent by blindly using certain stories of Christ’s life:

A Bible believer cannot follow this example because the forgiving actions produced by Jesus Christ fall solely on the rights of God, and God alone! Notice all the text in bold. They are all hints that Jesus Christ is saying, "I’m acting as God, not as a human."

Only God can see in the hearts of men (1 Samuel 16:7). Only God can know where we stand in the matter of faith ( ). Only God knows the thoughts of men. Only one who is believed to be claiming to be God and applying God's prerogative to themselves could have been accused by the scribes of blaspheming.

Even as there are hints to show us that Christ was acting as God when forgiving the paralytic man, we also have many verses that show us that when Jesus Christ was being crucified, he took the role of a man.

The consummation of Christ’s salvation for mankind came at the Cross. In no other time was Christ acting in behalf of humanity than at the Cross. When He could have used His godly powers to descend from the Cross, He didn’t ( ). When He could have supernaturally quenched His thirst, He cried out, “I thirst!” like any other human would.

And at the Cross Christians will find out the truth about the Biblical method of forgiving others. A method that is worthy to exemplify.

Luke 23:33, 34 “…there they crucified him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they do.”

Notice Christ’s words above, “Father, forgive them…”

While on the Cross, Christ called on the Father to forgive sinners. He asked the Father, in prayer, to forgive them. He didn’t forgive them himself as He did with the paralytic man, but prayed to the Father to forgive them. During a time where Christ was acting as humanities substitute, he showed us the true method of forgiving others. A method that he preached and taught his disciples.

Christ taught his followers, on the Sermon on the Mount, how to treat those who wrong us. He never taught that we should forgive our enemies or those who offend us, but that we should “love” and “pray” for our enemies.

This is what Christ taught us to do, and this is what He practiced on the Cross.

The grounds to forgive another person is clear in the Bible. And being so clear, I wonder why Christian’s just don’t get it.

Luke 17:3, 4 says: “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (emphasis mine).

Here we are plainly taught that the offender must meet a condition before we may forgive one who sins against us. It teaches us that the one who has wronged us must first “repent”, that is, judge themselves for their wrong and give evidence of sorrow, before we forgive them.

Just like God cannot forgive us, until we have repented (1 John 1:9). And Bible believers can’t forgive one who sins against them until they have repented.

This does not mean that we should hold a grudge against the offender. Or that we should harbour spite or mal intents against one who sins against us. Though Christians may not forgive an unrepentant person, they are to love them, pray for them, and even bless them, just as Christ did while on the Cross.

(another verse on repent before forgiveness)

Matthew 6:14, 15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Instead of following Christ’s and Paul’s example of humbling themselves to lead all to repentance, they follow a false doctrine that batters their impression that they have a secure place in heaven. “Because,” a Christian reckons, “haven’t I done my duty by forgiving this person who has sinned against me? And wont my Father now forgive me that I have forgiven a sinner?”

No, you haven’t done your duty according to the Scriptures, but have followed a selfish path that makes you falsely believe that you have guaranteed forgiveness from the Father.

It is your duty to lead others to repentance. Not forgive them unconditionally. And only when they have come to repentance, are you to forgive them.

The Biblical truth about forgiving others takes patience, unconditional love, sacrifice and good deeds.