Matthew 6:14-15 (New Living Translation)
14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:34-35 (New Living Translation)
34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. 35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters[a] from your heart.”


Because we are the children of the living God and have been forgiven of our sins through the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son, Our God makes it very clear that forgiveness of others should be in our hearts and the way we are to live our lives. This is not a suggestion but a very stern warning for those of us that belong to are saved and have been forgiven of our own great debt of sin.

So many things happen in our lives to us, people sin against us in so many different ways. It is hurtful, it is humiliating, it is personal and purposely done to us by others. I see many Christians struggle with forgiving offenses that have been committed against them or against a loved one. Yes this is a hard thing to do for most people it doesn’t come easy. And I do not want this to be confused with forgetting what happened because when we forgive it does not mean that we are going to forget. And of course we are not to let it continue or be allowed to be done to us or our loved ones again either.

But As Christians being bought and paid for by the Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and understanding the debt that we owe because of our sin and the wrongs that we have committed against our God and against others and the forgiveness that we have received. Forgiveness for others should be in our hearts and a way of live being a reflection for the world to see for what the lord has done in our own lives.

I wonder when someone really realizes just what our God has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ and the amount of sin and transgressions that has been forgiven and forgotten us as far as the east is from the west, how we as Christians could refuse to forgive. So I believe that the Lord made these very strong statements to us to help us understand that our being forgiven by Him is how we are to forgive others weather they deserve it or not.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father please help us not to harbor hate and bitterness in our hearts against others. Help us to forgive others in our hearts and give us the strength to overcome the wrongs committed against us. Thank you Lord for your forgiveness of our own sin against you and the Eternal Salvation You have given us through Your Son Jesus Christ In whose name we pray AMEN.