Forgiveness, and Forgiving Others
1 Jesus concluded the Lord's prayer with this warning.
For if you forgive men their trespasses; your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Mathew 6:14-15
2 A good look at the Greek language of these verses will help us understand them a lot better.
For if you dismiss for men their missteps, your heavenly Father will dismiss them also for you; but if you do not dismiss for men their missteps, neither will your Father dismiss your missteps.
3 The Greek word is "misstep". It is a good picture. People do not know how to walk in this life. They are constantly making errors. Their missteps can cause injury to themselves or others and can even be fatal. A lot of this is due to carelessness. Much of it is unintentional as when someone steps on your toes. Some of it is intentional. Some of it is just plain a complete lack of love. In any case their sins are "missteps", like children who have not learned how to walk yet. We are all so immature. We all misstep, and misspeak. We are all guilty of the same, as Jesus points out.
4 But God has forgiven us! What a relief it is to know this! God, for Jesus' sake, will not hold our sins over our heads. The case against us has been dismissed - removed from the records. Communication has been restored. We can talk to our heavenly Father freely about anything knowing we are loved. If God's forgiveness tells us anything, it tells us we are loved.
5 How can we deny this grace to others? We, who are deserving only of death and hell, have been brought instead into the banquet hall to enjoy the King and all He has for us. The best way we can tell others about this wonderful grace is by doing the same for them! This is the best witness there is. It shows that our lives have been changed. Saying "I forgive you" to someone who has deeply hurt us is the sweetest music to their ears - even if they have not asked for forgiveness. He who has been forgiven much will love much.
6 All this is so serious that Jesus tied it to the Lord's prayer, reminding us of our petition, "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."
"but if you do not dismiss for men their missteps, neither will your Father dismiss your missteps."
7 This warning is issued in the sternest possible language. Refusing to forgive others is a not a good witness. We are to be extensions of God's grace. If we will not do that - then God has every right to refuse forgiveness to us!
8 To err is human - to forgive is divine. The reward for forgiving others is the character of Christ - and (possibly), their salvation.
9 And perhaps, just maybe - they might... forgive us also?
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
Discussion: How often should we forgive those who have sinned against us?
Memory Verse: