Free To ForgiveSample

Day 7

Let’s turn to one of the most familiar passages in the entire Bible to help us understand more fully. It’s the Lord’s Prayer:

Look closely at these words: “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Jesus was not pulling any punches. If we don’t forgive those who sin against us, God won’t forgive us when we sin against Him.

Wait, what? Was Jesus saying, “If you don’t forgive the accountant that embezzled money from your business, or forgive your spouse for having an affair, you’re going to forfeit your eternal forgiveness and be condemned to hell”? No, that’s not what He was saying. Eternal salvation from our sins comes from Christ’s death on our behalf. It is not related to any work that we do—including forgiving others.

If you have been born again, your eternal life is not in jeopardy. But your temporal life on earth? That’s a different story. The consequence for unforgiveness is torment before we die, whereas the consequence for rejecting Christ is torment after we die.

According to Jesus, when we fail to forgive, God has stopped forgiving us. When you fully grasp this truth, it becomes evident that both the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 and the parable in Matthew 18 both focus on our forgiveness of others.

Could it be that because of our lack of forgiving others that God has a grievance against us that withholds His forgiving power from our lives?

Jesus underscores the utter importance of our forgiveness again in Mark 11:25–26.

Not only do we have the difficult task of coping with such painful torments, but we also forfeit so many blessings that could be ours. There could be a whole life of His joy, love, and peace, just waiting for our open hearts, but finding no way in.

Let me be very clear about something. Forgiveness is not a silver bullet that can magically solve all of our problems and suffering. The truth is that there’s no way to know exactly what suffering is connected to your unforgiveness . . . until you forgive. The truth is also that God calls all of us to be like Him—a forgiver.

None of us can afford to live without answered prayer or God’s ongoing forgiveness. And unforgiveness locks the door, shutting out the many good things that our loving Father wishes to lavish upon us.

But there is good news. This does not have to be the story of your life.

God wants you to know you are free. And he wants you to experience that freedom.

This is an excerpt from The Freedom Factor: Finding Peace by Forgiving Others… and Yourself, by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson with Mark E. Strong. Used by permission.