"If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will
forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not
forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:14-15).
There are some people who
stubbornly and willfully refuse to forgive if they have been wronged.
Yet, forgiveness is one of the essential qualities of a true Christian.
When Peter asked Jesus how many times a person should forgive, Jesus
answered, "Seventy times seven!" (Matthew 18:22). He wanted to point out
to Peter how extensive this virtue is. Forgiveness should be a
perfectly normal attitude for the Christian disciple.
The tragedy
of people who are unforgiving is that they cause themselves more harm
than anyone else. Withholding forgiveness from someone is breaking down
the bridge you have to cross yourself. You rob yourself of God's
forgiveness. If you are serious about demonstrating Jesus Christ's
attitude, you dare not have any unforgiving thoughts in your heart.
You can't love Christ, and nurse bitterness toward someone at the same
time. Then strife and frustration are etched on your being instead of
the pureness of Jesus.
Refusing to let go of an unforgiving
spirit proves that your pride and hurt feelings are more important than a
happy and healthy relationship with the Lord. Then it is impossible to
confess, "I believe in the forgiveness of sin." Forgiveness is the
death knell of vengeance and bitterness.
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