Is it better to ask for forgiveness than permission?

People say it's better to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission. Truthfully, it's just easier and selfish.

Every time I have heard this, it was regarding an action someone was about to take. The question arises first, "is this wrong?" or "will I be in trouble if I'm caught?" Next, the decision is made to just do it and then apologize after if it doesn't end positively... after all it's better to ask forgiveness than permission, right? ...

The funny thing is that you were originally concerned you might get in trouble or someone might get mad if you do this. Since you were concerned in the first place, don't you see that the thing you're about to do is probably wrong? Do you realize that God wants us to obey? That includes obeying by not acting in a way you already know is wrong.

As a parent, would you rather your child run off and do something that they know defies you and then apologize later, or would you prefer that they actually come to you and ask your permission? I would think it would be the latter because I know that I would rather have the chance to stop my son from doing something wrong or stupid instead of forgive him and watch him suffer the consequences.

As a friend, would you rather your good friend go and do something that betrays you and then come back and say, "sorry", or would you prefer that they avoid crossing that line by discussing it with you first? I would say it's a lot more difficult to heal a friendship after a betrayal, even when you forgive that person, than if the issue was avoided by talking beforehand.

The root attitude is one of laziness and selfishness. The laziness is when, Instead of being responsible and approaching the situation in advance in order to make the right decision, you decide to just go ahead with your plans because you don't want to deal with bringing it up and asking for permission. The selfishness is when you would rather avoid the confrontation of asking for permission or the possibility of being told, "no". You choose to gratify your own desires by following through with your intended actions, instead of taking into account the other variables of the situation you are about to impose.

Why do we do this? Because of our sinful nature. We can get saved by grace, but we are born sinners. That is the threads of our human bodies. When we are saved by grace, we grow and learn that our Father wishes us to obey him, instead of intentionally do wrong and then apologize later, just as you want your own children to obey.

Now do you you think your apology even means much if you knew you were doing wrong and still decided to do it? What would you say if your child looked at you and then hit his little brother smack in the face and then look at you again and say, "sorry, Dad"? You would tell him he knew better and he decided to hit his brother anyway, then give him consequences because you knew he didn't really mean it when he apologized. It's the same with us. What difference does it make if I apologize for doing something I knew was wrong all along?