God will NOT forgive you if you don’t do this!

In Matthew 18: 23-35, it speaks of a servant who owed his master 10,000 talents (over 100 million dollars). He begged his master to forgive him, and the kind and compassionate master did. However, this same man went to someone that owed in 100 denarii (approximately $11,000), and demanded payment from him. The gentleman that owed him the money begged him for more time, but he did not. Instead, he threw him in jail until he could pay the debt. Word got back to the master about how the servant treated that other person. The master was enraged. He called this servant back and rebuked him for his behavior. He told him “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him” (Matthew 18: 32-34). Sad story, right? Actually it was Jesus teaching the importance of forgiveness. He said in verse 35, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” Wow. this is a powerful principle. Read it again. If we don’t forgive those that ask us for forgiveness, God will NOT forgive us. He is merciful and compassionate with us, and has forgiven us a debt that we could never have repaid. He also expects us to extend the same mercy to those that have offended us. If we refuse to forgive others when they ask for forgiveness, it places us in a type of prison where there is torment. There are many people today who are in this form of torment because they prefer to hold on to their offenses or their grudges? Many have a “root of bitterness” which can actually destroy them. Hebrews 12:15 “looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” Don’t allow unforgiveness to remain in your heart. As God has forgiven you your offenses, you forgive those who have offended you! This is God’s will for us.

Matthew 6:12 – And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.