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. Matthew 6:14-15
One of the most difficult things the believer is called to do is to forgive those who have wronged them in some way. Whatever the wrong against us may be, the Christian’s default should be to forgive and hopefully restore broken relationships.
Some of us men from NCC heard the testimony of a man who forgave others who had hurt him terribly.
This man was in gaol for crimes he committed. While in gaol he began some bible studies that led him to the Saviour. Although this man had committed horrendous crimes, he also had atrocious crimes committed against him, right from his boyhood.
But the moment he was saved, he no longer hated, or was vengeful against those who did him wrong. Actually his first ‘good work” when released, was to face up to his enemies and tell them he had forgiven them for what they had done against him.
The question is: What made this man do this - or anyone for that matter, give up his right to hold a grudge, have a distrust, hold a personal vendetta against another who has committed wrong against them?
The answer simply is this. The salvation of the Lord! When God forgives a person, through faith in Him, they receive a new heart (Ezek 36:26) and that new heart will prove it’s authenticity in the way it responds to wrongs done against them. And one all-important response is to forgive! Why? Because the Christian understands that he/she has been completely forgiven by God for their sins committed against Him. Ken Sande in his book ‘The Peacemakers’ rightly said, 'Christians are the most forgiven people in the world. Therefore, we should be the most forgiving people in the world.' [Grace quotes]