Forgiving One Another - A Commodity of Our Trade
Offenses beget either forgiveness or revenge. As long as we live in this material world, the Bible tells us that offenses must surely come - either that we are the offending ones or that we are the offended. Offenses here refer to constituting traps, temptations or stumbling blocks to another. In Matthew 18:21, Apostle Peter asked a question, "Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him, till 7 times? Jesus' answer to his question shows that we are expected to forgive always and not to retaliate or take revenge.
We are commanded to forgive the person that has trespassed against or wronged us and when we trespass against or wrong anyone, we should apologize and ask for forgiveness. To forgive someone means to let off holding one guilty for any deed or misdeed, to let off offense or give up resentment against one. Part of the forgiveness commanded by God is to willingly let off the indebtedness of your debtor, if he sincerely does not have, to pay and humbly pleads.
Whether it is forgiveness of sins and trespasses or excusing the faults/failures of another, feeling of compassion is necessary. Those who are stony-hearted find it difficult to forgive and excuse one another but to God's children, forgiveness is a commodity of our trade. If you say, you are a Christian; you should pray to receive that broken heart that is always filled with compassion.
However, the direct consequence of not forgiving your brother or neighbour is that you will not be forgiven your own trespasses and sins when the time comes. This does not mean that God expects an unregenerated person to have been forgiven, before he receives initial forgiveness of sin, as God does not expect anyone to give what he has not received. It should be noted that Jesus has paid the price for our forgiveness, justification and redemption. We got as a gift from Him. It is not based on the work of righteousness which we have done. What is required of any man to receive forgiveness and regeneration is repentance from dead works and faith in the finished work of Calvary.
When one is forgiven and regenerated, one is expected to forgive anyone who has sinned against him or wronged him. One, who fails to do this, is asking God not to forgive whenever one makes any mistake or manifests any fault. Besides, one who hardens one's heart against those indebted to one even after God has given us the example of what we should do in such times, God will cause other people's heart to be hardened against the person, for the Bible says that what a man sows, he will reap (Galatians 6:7; Matthew 7:12).
We are commanded to forgive the person that has trespassed against or wronged us and when we trespass against or wrong anyone, we should apologize and ask for forgiveness. To forgive someone means to let off holding one guilty for any deed or misdeed, to let off offense or give up resentment against one. Part of the forgiveness commanded by God is to willingly let off the indebtedness of your debtor, if he sincerely does not have, to pay and humbly pleads.
Whether it is forgiveness of sins and trespasses or excusing the faults/failures of another, feeling of compassion is necessary. Those who are stony-hearted find it difficult to forgive and excuse one another but to God's children, forgiveness is a commodity of our trade. If you say, you are a Christian; you should pray to receive that broken heart that is always filled with compassion.
However, the direct consequence of not forgiving your brother or neighbour is that you will not be forgiven your own trespasses and sins when the time comes. This does not mean that God expects an unregenerated person to have been forgiven, before he receives initial forgiveness of sin, as God does not expect anyone to give what he has not received. It should be noted that Jesus has paid the price for our forgiveness, justification and redemption. We got as a gift from Him. It is not based on the work of righteousness which we have done. What is required of any man to receive forgiveness and regeneration is repentance from dead works and faith in the finished work of Calvary.
When one is forgiven and regenerated, one is expected to forgive anyone who has sinned against him or wronged him. One, who fails to do this, is asking God not to forgive whenever one makes any mistake or manifests any fault. Besides, one who hardens one's heart against those indebted to one even after God has given us the example of what we should do in such times, God will cause other people's heart to be hardened against the person, for the Bible says that what a man sows, he will reap (Galatians 6:7; Matthew 7:12).
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