To simplify that, we are imperfect! Yet, knowing this Jesus – The Word of God made flesh taught us this key point/fact!
According to the Bible, we should forgive others because God has forgiven us, reflecting His grace, command, and mercy. Forgiveness is necessary to break the cycle of bitterness, emulate Jesus’s example on the cross, and receive God’s own forgiveness. Key verses include Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13, and Matthew 6:14-15.
Core Biblical Reasons for Forgiveness:
- Because You Have Been Forgiven: Ephesians 4:32 commands believers to “forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” This implies that since God has graciously forgiven us an massive debt, we should do the same for others.
- It Is a Command, Not an Option: In Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus states that if you do not forgive others their trespasses, your Father will not forgive your trespasses.
- To Reflect Christ’s Example: Jesus, while on the cross, prayed for His murderers: “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). We are called to imitate this, especially since it allows us to stop carrying the heavy burden of bitterness and vengeance.
- For Freedom and Healing: Unforgiveness acts as “poison” that ruins our lives and health. Forgiveness brings, in the context of the Holy Spirit, the healing and spiritual freedom that comes from being set free by God.
- To Stop the Spread of Evil: Colossians 3:13 instructs us to bear with one another and forgive. This is a crucial part of maintaining peace and demonstrating the Gospel in our relationships.
Key Bible Verses on Forgiveness:
- Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
- Colossians 3:13: “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
- Matthew 6:14-15: “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
- Mark 11:25: “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
- Luke 6:37: “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Why We Shouldn’t Hold Onto Unforgiveness:
The Bible suggests that unforgiveness is a “torture” that traps us. It suggests that not forgiving separates close friends and keeps us in a state of spiritual damage, acting contrary to the mercy we have received from God.
Too many Christians have people in their past or present that they don’t want to forgive. What happens if a believer refuses to forgive? My significant other said that all fellowship and communion with the Lord comes to an abrupt halt. When we refuse to forgive, the Lord immediately refuses His forgiveness for us, meaning that all sins we commit remain against us, with no prayers being answered—a chilling thought. If we want forgiveness from the Lord, then we must forgive.
Jesus made it plain when He said, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Instead, if the Lord were to say, “I’ll forgive you, but from time to time, I’m going to bring up your wrongdoing and hold it over your head as a reminder of how faulty you really are,” then what kind of forgiveness would that be? In truth, it would be no forgiveness at all. And yet it’s that kind of conditional forgiveness that most Christians offer those who offend them. What does it mean to truly forgive someone? It means that as God has forgiven us, we are to forgive others. This shows that we fully understand just how much He has forgiven us.