The Forgiveness in Christ Jesus!

“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

The world prompts us not to forgive others when they sin against us, and it also tells us to revenge them at some stage. However, God, our heavenly Father (Ephesians 4:6) repeatedly urges us to forgive others regardless of circumstances. This is because we have been created to be images of God (Genesis 1:27), which means we are supposed to be children of God. “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (Romans 8:29) This means we have to love them, for loving others is the second greatest commandment of God (Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31). In addition, the word of God declares: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8) “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:11-12)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

Therefore, since 1 John 4:7-8 and Matthew 22:39 or Mark 12:31 explains us that loving one another is extremely important—loving others is considered as the law of the Spirit of God (Romans 13:8-10). This means that if we do not love others, the way we should be, we cannot produce any fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and then we get thrown away into eternal fire and death at the end of the age. “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8) This is because John 15:1-17 tells us that we are the branches that meant to stick to Jesus Christ, the true vine and God is the vinedresser (ESV) and the gardener (NIV). Thus, overall, not forgiving one another can be considered as sin (Mark 3:28-29).