subject: There can never be too much emphasis on the Gospel of forgiveness! [print this page] What more can we say to add to what the scriptures have made clear on this issue? Colossians 3:13 states "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Matthew 18:22-35 gave us an illustration of exactly what we do and how wicked we are when we do not forgive. A official owing his King about fifty million silver coins could not pay and the King was about to sell everything this man had but he pleaded and the King forgave him. Just when he left the Palace He met another man who owed him hundred silver coins. He grabbed him on his neck and threatened. But the man could not pay and this unforgiving official cast his debtor to jail. When the king found out, He was so angry and ordered for his torture until he paid back everything. God has forgiven us our sins which have made us doomed for death. We ought to forgive others the little they do to us as well.
The same Matthew 18 but verses 21 and 22a states "Peter came up to the Lord and asked, "How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?" Jesus answered; not just seven times, but seventy times seven times" And Jesus Christ Himself said in Matthew 6:14-15 "If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins". Most Christians have a problem with forgiveness; it is one thing that seems difficult for Christians. Most people say "how can I forgive", "it is difficult I just can't" but Christ our example who came in the form of human laid down a condition saying "forgive'. Un-forgiveness is a sin and a sin is unpleasant to God because his eyes are so pure that they cannot behold iniquity. The Psalmists also say in Psalms 66:18 "if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me".
Un-forgiveness also gives birth to other sins; it results in hatred and vengeance. The Bible says:he that hates his brother is a murderer" God does not hearken to the prayers from an unforgiving heart that is why Jesus taught the people in Matthew emphasizing the fact that if you do not forgive another man/woman his or her fault clearly stated "if" which means it is conditional. It does not matter the gravity of the offence committed or how many times the offence was committed, God is saying forgive because definitely as humans we also go wring at times and God forgives when we ask for forgiveness, he expects us to do the same to our fellows as Christians. The mosaic principle of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth in Matthew 5:38, has been replaced with forgiveness and love.
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