To Receive Father’s Forgiveness Means That We Must Forgive
Luke 11:4 says, “and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”
Now, this is a difficult thing to do. It’s one of those things that sound easy but is very, very difficult. It’s been said that forgiveness is kind of like drinking poison to punish someone else.
We all have people who hurt us. We all have people who have been unjust toward us and in our heart of hearts, we demand justice for them! But we don’t want justice for us -and there’s the rub.
Our Father of grace has offered us unimaginable mercy in letting go of our sins. And so when we come to Father, and we come to Him in the name of Jesus, and the blood of the cross is our appeal, we’re acknowledging the super high cost that God has paid to provide our forgiveness.
It is a cost higher than anyone has cost us, and so to receive Father’s forgiveness it means that we must forgive!
In Matthew 7:7, the scripture says, “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Well, I want then to use a very generous measure of forgiveness toward others, that Father might use that same measure toward me! It is impossible to follow Father, to walk in the footsteps of Jesus with bitterness, with anger, with malice and an inner demand for justice.
And then there’s Mathew 16:15 which kind of seals the deal in terms of the absolute non-negotiable, uncompromised demand of Father -that we forgive if we want to walk in His forgiveness. Jesus said very, very clearly, “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
So why in the world would we want to carry the poison of hell when we are offered the grace of Heaven?
Believing that we serve an infinite God means that we can give our deepest wounds and unjust experiences in life to God in Jesus’ name and know that He can redeem. That He will redeem and that in all things, He will work for good! Dr. Drew Shofner