Why do we need to forgive anyone?

Why do we need to forgive anyone?

Freedom Fighters for this week will challenge you to think.

One day I walked into the reception area during a conference. I think it was a Thursday afternoon when I met a young woman who was alone and our conversation went something like this I greeted her with “Hi. You look happy. How is the week going for you?” “Oh, it is just great,” was her reply, “I have finally forgiven my father.” My response at this point caught her by surprise, “Why have you forgiven him?” “I had to. If I did not forgive him, God would not forgive me?” “Really?” was my surprised response? “Yes, if we do not forgive then God will not forgive us.” “Do you really believe that?” “That’s what the Bible says.” Her remark should have stopped my line of inquiry. “It certainly seems to say that,” was my reaction, “but I thought that God’s love (and forgiveness) was not conditional. That is the most conditional kind of love that I can think of.”

Fortunately she agreed with me but timidly continued “Why did God say that we should forgive in order to be forgiven?”  “He didn’t” I pointed out that in the “Lord’s Prayer” we ask God to forgive us in the same way that we forgive others. So it is our request for God to treat us as we treat others, “I am not so sure that we really want God to do that!” “Do you mean that God will forgive us no matter how we treat others?” was her reaction. “Isn’t that more like unconditional love and forgiveness?” “Yes, but now I am confused. I have tried all of these years to forgive my father but I did not have to!” “I didn’t say that. You can hold on to your anger and hurt until the day you die BUT you cannot experience God’s forgiveness without forgiving.” “It sounds like we are back at the beginning. If I don’t forgive, I won’t be forgiven.” “No, it is quite the opposite. God will and has and always will forgive His children but no child of God can sense His forgiveness while holding on to un-forgiveness.” “Why?”  “Because, how can you feel forgiven for everything that you have done when you are unable to forgive another for some slight hurt or small offence. It stands to reason that you are not greater than God so the debt that another owes you can never equal the debt that you owed God.” “Oh, I think I see what you mean. ”Yes, to enjoy the full and free forgiveness of God we must freely forgive one another” “Suppose he never asks for my forgiveness?

“If you wait for someone to ask you, that person has control over your happiness. Do you want to give that control over to another? It is better to forgive and move on with the happiness that one finds when doing what is right.” Why do I write this? Because if you are waiting to forgive, you need to go to God and “By Faith” forgive another, not to be forgiven, but because you are forgiven!

(This week’s Freedom Fighter’s have been written by Pastor George Van Sandt)

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: The difference between the Anti-Christ and Christ is that one gives you a number and the other gives you a name. When Jesus comes will name be called or will your number be up? – Dr. Adrian Rogers