Forgiveness (1)

Matthew 6:12, 14, 15:

¹² “And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

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

That's how important forgiveness is. Our entire salvation rests on whether we forgive our neighbour. Being unforgiving means not being forgiven by God and ultimately losing heaven. An unforgiving spirit is proof of never having been indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

In Matthew 18 Jesus tells a parable that expounds on this issue of forgiveness. I urge you to read this chapter from verse 21 onwards. It can be found here.

The unforgiving servant was delivered to the torturers (Matt 18:34). Verse 35 says that our Father will do the same if we are not forgiving. We will be delivered over to the unforgiving torture of hell.

Since being forgiving is so important we must know what it is and what it involves.

I think being willing to forgive comes from love. If we love someone it will be very easy to forgive them. But it's so hard to forgive our enemies! If they do something wrong to us, we have no inclination to forgive them for it. If anything, we want revenge.

God forbids this attitude. We are not only to resist tendencies of revenge (Romans 12:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:15), but bless our enemies (Luke 6:28) and seek peace with them (Romans 12:18). Grieve with them (Proverbs 24:17). Come to their aid (Exodus 23:4). Love them (Matthew 5:44).

All the above shows that we are forgiving. That's forgiveness. Loving them in spite of what they've done to you. Blessing them no matter what they've done. Helping them even if they've inconvenienced you.

Forgiveness is hard. That's why Paul said in Ephesians 6:42, “Forgive one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Christ's love and forgiveness underlies, creates and supports our forgiveness. Like all of our good works, forgiveness is performed by us not because we have to, but out of thankfulness for God's forgiveness. “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1-2).

Repentance is also part of forgiveness. If someone has sinned and they repent, forgiveness must follow. God will forgive the transgressor, and so must their neighbour (Luke 17:3-4).

But if they do not repent they must be to us like a Gentile and a tax collector (Matthew 18:17). That still involves peace towards them, that still involves love and goodwill to them (Luke 6:27). We must, however, not be intimate with them as brothers. There is a point at which our forgiveness of an unrepentant person is different to a repentant person.

Forgiveness is vital. Our entire salvation rests on it. Look to Christ and forgive, or else your soul will be in danger.