Sometimes when you have a family with more than one child, when a new toy or similar thing is bought, everyone wants to use it. It is new and interesting and everyone just can’t wait to use it. Just as an example, if a family bought a small four-wheeler or mini bike for the kids, everyone usually wants to be the one riding it. But something like that needs to be shared with the other brothers or sisters, so that everyone gets a turn using it.
When I was very young, at the daycare that I went to there was a game system for us to play on, and everyone wanted to play it. You wrote your name on the list and when it was your turn to play you had about 15 or 20 minutes to play your game until you had to let the next person use it. But what do you think happened when someone refused to let someone else have their turn once theirs was over? They lost their game priviledges for that day, and couldn’t use it anymore.
Forgiveness from God is one of His gifts to us. And just like the examples above, it needs to be shared with others. Forgiveness is not something that is exclusive to one single person, it is a gift given to the entire world. And just like the kids playing the game, either we share the forgiveness we have received by forgiving others, or we ourselves will lose that precious gift of forgiveness.
Someone who doesn’t show forgiveness is not showing love. They continue to hold a grudge for a sin or misdeed that someone has done, and won’t let it go, even after that someone apologizes and repents of it.
Forgiveness is like a well of water in the middle of a desert. Without water, you will die, as your body needs it to survive. And everyone else needs it as well, not just you. To deny someone else forgiveness would be like someone being so angry with another that they begin filling that well with sand until it is completely full to the top so that all the water is cut off, and gone. What they have done is cut themselves off from the thing that they need to survive.
Forgiveness is such an important part of our faith that it cannot be emphasized enough: that we all need forgiveness from Christ, and we also need to be forgiving with others.
What causes someone to not forgive another person? Bitterness, anger, hatred, even pride. All of these things have something in common: they are not love. Because love will forgive. Love will not be bitter, will not hold grudges, and will not be filled with pride. Love your neighbor, the Bible teaches. Love one another, Jesus taught in John 13. Have fervent charity among yourselves, Peter taught in 1 Peter 4:8. John taught in 1 John 4, Let us love one another: for love is of God.
I have collected a handful of verses from the Bible and grouped them together below to show that over and over again it is written how we NEED to be forgiving with others, and the result that will happen if someone does not heed our Lord’s command.
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Mark 11:25
Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
“But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:15
“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” Luke 6:37
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Colossians 3:13
“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” Proverbs 10:12
“He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.” Proverbs 17:9
“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” Micah 7:18
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 8:12
Just as Jesus’ love for the world is shown by His death on the cross and His offer of forgiveness, our love for others should lead us to offer that forgiveness as well.
Before I end, I have a request that I would like all of you who read this to listen to. I have someone very dear to me who is having a very hard time understanding this simple truth of forgiveness. This person is not an unbeliever, but knows what the Word of God teaches. However, they do not want to forgive someone for things that the other person has already apologized and asked forgiveness for. Repeatedly this person has been asked to forgive the other, and as of the time of this post they have not given it.
Many tears have been shed over this person dear to my heart, and I ask all who read this that you would please say a prayer for this person, that the Lord would soften their heart, and return the love that once used to be there. Pray that He would open this person’s eyes to the truth that we need to show love, and to show love is to show forgiveness. Again I plead to all who read this to say a prayer for this person.
Thank you.
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 