LEARNING DAILY

 

Matthew 6:14-15, “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.” Jesus

 

I remember many years ago just after I had given my life to the Lord, I was leading a Sunday School class. These verses were the topic of conversation and all I remember is I got their meaning all messed up and got called out on it. I will not make that mistake this morning. A casual reading of what Jesus said might cause the reader to believe that you need to forgive others in order for God to forgive you. But to believe that would come in conflict with a variety of Scripture. To believe this, you believe that you earn your forgiveness by forgiving others. The question to be asked, then, is why would we need a Savior? Why would Jesus need to die for our sins? Salvation is God’s gift to us as seen in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” (The emphasis is mine). If these verses do not mean we get forgiveness through forgiving, what do they mean?

 

In the Lord’s Prayer, we are taught to ask for forgiveness. If He has already died for every sin we will commit, why does He teach us to ask to be forgiven? Perhaps thinking about an example would be helpful. Someone in your family does something that is hurtful to you to some degree. How do you react? Do you throw them out of your house or shut them out of your life or does something else happen? Probably not. But your relationship certainly is affected. Are you remembering something that you have experienced like this?

 

The same thing happens when you do not forgive. As a Christian, God does not kick you off the narrow way to His kingdom; but your relationship is certainly affected. One who does not have a relationship with Christ through His offer of salvation may not care about their relationship with others. That comes only with the understanding of the forgiveness that comes through Jesus Christ.

 

If I do not forgive others, my peace with God in interrupted. I lose my joy because I am not acting like I know He wants me to. There is tension everywhere because I have not confessed my feelings about what someone has done. But when I forgive or ask for forgiveness all that changes. Actually, when I confess that I need forgiveness or need to forgive, joy floods in because I have stopped arguing with God. What does that mean? It means God has been wanting me to deal with whatever, forgive, and move on and I have not wanted to. Let me tell you that I am speaking from experience – not only once but many times!

 

 As Christians confessing our sins, forgiving others, does not create a relationship with God but it does nourish it. It does not change our position on the narrow way to His kingdom and eternal life, but it does allow us peace as we walk on it. For one who needs to find Christ as their Savior it allows Jesus Christ to come into their heart, forgive their sins and give them the joy and peace to know they can walk on a narrow way that leads to eternal life in God’s kingdom.