Matthew 6:14-15
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.“
Matthew 6:14-15 NIV
For when we refuse to forgive, we stagnate the forgiveness God longs to give us. We hold onto our bitterness and hurt, clogging our hearts to receive the life-giving grace God longs to give us that can refresh our souls as we bless others.
As I have heard it expressed, "Forgiveness is releasing the captive bird from its cage, then realizing that we were the captive bird." Until we forgive others, we can't experience God's full, free for us, loving, and undeserved forgiveness of God. When we do not forgive, we hold ourselves captive to the past and our bitter resentments.
As many of us will remember, the 5th petition of the Model Prayer is “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” That is a powerful and convicting segment of prayer. It means that at least every day, we are to spend some time confessing our sins to God. But Jesus said this 5th request was not only to be a time where we confess our sins to the Lord, but in which we also make sure that we have forgiven anyone who has sinned against us.
Remember the request says: “And forgive us our debts AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS.” So we are asking God in this prayer to forgive us, the same way that we are forgiving others. That is quite a statement, isn’t it? If you run by it real fast without thinking about it, you may get by it ok, but if you really stop and look at it, that is a strong and convicting prayer, you’re praying, God, forgive me, the same way that I am forgiving others.
The truth is, you’d better be careful when you pray a prayer like that. Someone said that a lot of people have basically called down a curse on themselves by praying that prayer, because they are not forgiving other people.
And just in case we didn’t get it when He said it in the Model Prayer of Matthew 6:9-13, after He had concluded the prayer, Jesus made sure to add verses 14-15 here: “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”
It’s like He’s reminding us here: “Be sure you heard what I just said in the Model Prayer.” Be sure you got that part of the prayer right. You are praying that I will forgive you the way that you forgive others. And just in case you didn’t get it the first time, I am going to repeat it and clarify it again: if you do not forgive others, then your transgressions will not be forgiven.
That is the context of these verses. They come right after He has talked about forgiveness in the Model Prayer, emphasizing and clarifying what He had taught us to pray in the 5th petition there.
Now, we need to remember that it means just what it says. Jesus was just talking here about our praying for forgiveness of our daily sins in our morning prayer time. He is not talking about the forgiveness that we receive in salvation.
But listen I think one of the best ways you show that you really get the gospel of Jesus, is not by anything you write or say, but by the way you forgive others. When you are gracious, and forgive those who have hurt you deeply, just because you know that God has been gracious to you, and has forgiven you, it shows that you get it. It shows that you understand what salvation by grace, and what forgiveness is all about.
So, let's take the first steps toward our souls freedom. Let's begin forgiving others while we ask for the Holy Spirit to empower God's love to help us forgive. Let's ask the Spirit to help us release our captive souls from the cages of our bitterness, hatred, and resentment!!!
Father, thank You for this day and Your amazing grace to walk into it. Lord, let Your abundant blessings be my friend and family’s portion. Thank You for Your forgiveness and grace. Lord, help us let go of all bitterness and vindictiveness and forgive those who have harmed us. May Your work of redemption and grace touch their hearts as it has ours. Lord, use us to be a bold witness of Your Gospel today.
Father, we love You. Amen. !
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