Matthew 6; Luke 11:1-4, 12:22-34;
Matthew 7; Luke 6:37-49, 11:5-13
…and forgive us our debts,
Matthew 6:12,14-15
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
…
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.
How often do we pray the Lord’s prayer, desiring the Lord’s forgiveness but thoroughly glossing over the second half of Mt. 6:12? Yet immediately after giving us this prayer, that is the one point that Jesus specifically calls out for special attention: If we don’t forgive, we won’t be forgiven. Jesus is not wishy-washy about this principle. His words are crystal clear. And yet many of us — almost certainly most of us and probably every one of us — at times cling to unforgiveness and resentments, imagining that, somehow, Jesus’ words do not apply to us, that we will be forgiven despite our unforgiveness of others.
Think again.
See also:
Shew buddy. This is a difficult concept even for a one-time offense if it hurts enough. To forgive a chronic offender who will undoubtedly hurt you again is another proposition. As John pointed out yesterday, an offense can be murderous. That is a huge horse and carriage of a pill to swallow for the persecuted. What a wrestling match.