Where does it say in God’s word that we have the right to not forgive someone? What does it really mean to forgive? Will God really forgive us? Does forgiveness have conditions?
Isaiah 55:6 … Seek the Lord while He may be found; call to Him while He is near. Let the wicked one abandon his way and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will freely forgive.
There are conditions to forgiveness. First we have to seek God, next we have to abandon our wrong doing. We have to return to the Lord and follow his path. The Lord our God will even forgive the wicked. Do you know this forgiving God?
Jeremiah 31:34… No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.”
God says he will teach us so we can come to know his ways. Christ taught his follows to pray the following 5 points: about God’s name, God’s kingdom, our need for food, forgiveness and temptation.
Matthew 6:9-15… “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Was being able to forgive a problem in the nation of Isreal at the time Christ came? Yes, the nation had become so judgmental to the point of turning their backs to one another, so Christ pointed out a condition for being forgiven.
14 “For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing.
Where was this attitude of being judgmental coming from? What did Christ say about someone who is not forgiving?
The Unforgiving Slave
What should we learn from this story? What part does compassion, mercy and strong deep feelings of our heart play in with our being able to forgive?
Matthew 18:21-35… Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven.For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began to settle accounts, one who owed 10,000 talents was brought before him.Since he had no way to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. “At this, the slave fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!’ Then the master of that slave had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan.
28 “But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ “At this, his fellow slave fell downand began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he wasn’t willing. On the contrary, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. So, My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive Your brotherfrom Your heart.”
What if God handed us over to the wicked to be tortured because we fail to be forgiving to one another? What if someone has a legitimate cause for a complaint?
The apostle Paul list out six things that we should be doing:
Colossians 3:12… Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt…
- compassion,
- kindness,
- humility,
- gentleness,
- and patience,
- accepting one another…
and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. Above all, put on love—the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful.
We have to let the love and peace of Christ control our hearts not this judgmental, unloving and unforgiving attitude from the spirit of the world.
Go Make Peace
How are you going to make peace with God when you are still angry with your brother?
Matthew 5:23-24… So, if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother and then come and offer your gift.
Love does not keep account of the injury! 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
If we can count the times someone has hurt us, then we are in fact keeping account of the injury. It is time we drop what we think is the wrong done to us and go make peace.
Writingwithlogos.com – Last Revised 11/14/25