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Matthew 6:15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Forgiveness is something that many of us wrestle with. It is possible to forgive someone and not allow them to have an ongoing relationship with you. Not all relationships are profitable. Sometimes we have to separate ourselves from those who would cause us harm.
However, we are required to forgive whatever harm they may have already caused. This morning I thought about the fact that during the millennium when satan is bound, there will be no evil in the earth. This shows clearly that satan is the source of evil. The bible tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this present world (Ephesians 6:12). It is easy to focus on the person we can see and attribute all the blame to them, while not perceiving the true source of the evil.
We must enlist the power of the Holy Spirit in order to be able to forgive. One way to get to that place of forgiveness is to pray for that person. Paul wrote that when he would do good, evil is still present in him. He said only Christ could deliver him from the body of death (Romans 7:24-25). Sinners are going to sin. Sometimes their sin may impact us. Many times, it is the hurt that the person caused that makes it difficult to forgive. When we are hurt, we may become angry and resentful. The betrayal of a “friend” hurts much more than the acts of a stranger.
The bible is very clear in its instructions for us to love our enemies and pray for them. This is a high calling that Jesus has placed on His church. He says even sinners can love those who treat them well. The challenge is to love those who don’t. I think people who hold on to hatred make themselves more miserable then the people they hate. Your “feelings” of hatred will not impact them. It will, however, rob you of your peace. Think of how much angst and turmoil must be in the mind of a person who is racist…a person who hates an entire group of people who have done nothing to them. They are their own worst enemy.
Jesus came to make a way for us to be forgiven of our sins. He, in turn, wants us to extend that to others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we do not, our prayers can be hindered, and we will not receive the Father’s forgiveness.
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