Matthew 6:14, 15 - Forgiveness Is Essential.
Matthew 6:14, 15 (NIV) For if you forgive
other people when they sin against you, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you
do not forgive others their sins, your Father
will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14, 15 (NLT) If you forgive
those who sin against you, your heavenly Father
will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive
others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14, 15 (AMP) For if you forgive
people their trespasses [their reckless and willful
sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up
resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive others their
trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving
them, letting them go, and giving up resentment],
neither will your Father forgive you your
trespasses.
COMMENTARY PEARL
The Bible gives us 76 different word
pictures for forgiveness, but the main word the New
Testament uses for it means to release. In
Scripture, to forgive means to write canceled
over a debt.
However, forgiveness isnt giving in to
another person; its getting free of that person.
It isnt about whether he or she deserves
your forgiveness. You may even think that
youre hurting someone by harboring a grudge
against them. But do you know whos really getting
hurt?
You are.
Its like eating rat poison and waiting
for the rat to die. When we harbor anger and
bitterness toward someone who has hurt us, were not
destroying them. Were actually destroying ourselves.
When you withhold forgiveness, it will eat you up
inside.
And if you dont forgive, then youre
choosing to hate. One person put it this way: The
first to apologize is the bravest. The first to
forgive is the strongest. And the first to forget is
the happiest.
In fact, if you are married, then you
really need to learn how to forgive. Someone once
asked Billy Grahams wife, Ruth, what the secret
was to a strong and lasting marriage. She
replied that a successful marriage is made up of two
good forgivers.
Is there someone you need to forgive at
this very moment? Maybe its your mom, your
dad, your child, your friend, your coworker, or
your spouse. Has someone hurt or betrayed you,
and youre sitting around plotting your
revenge?
That has to stop. Lay it at the foot of
the cross, and put them in the hands of God. You
dont want to be bound by it anymore. Let it go.
Someone has wisely pointed out that when
you forgive someone, you set a prisoner free:
yourself. So learn how to be a good forgiver. [Greg
Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
COMMENTARY
One of the hardest commandments of Jesus,
for me, is the order to forgive. Anything.
Anyone. Seventy times seven. But how do we do this
when whatever wrong we've suffered is raw - and
our feelings still fresh? Worse yet, probably,
when the other person isn't sorry?
Corrie ten Boom helped me with this when
she wrote, Forgiveness is an act of the will,
and the will can function regardless of the
temperature of the heart." I think the idea here is that
we can separate our feelings from our wills -
and sometimes we must. I tend to want to feel
whatever I'm doing. To feel love when I'm supposed to
be loving. To feel compassion when I'm supposed
to be kind. To feel bold when I need to be
brave. And it's nice when our feelings match up
with our will. But it's not always going to be
that way. One time, in the midst of postpartum, I
didn't feel loving when my baby wanted to eat. I
felt like staying in bed and sleeping. Another
time, I almost threw up when I cleaned a cancer
wound on my aunt's leg. I almost never feel bold
when it's time to be brave. I just make myself do
it anyway. Forgiveness can be like this - only
harder. We feel like we cannot forgive someone who
has broken our hearts. Even if they are sorry,
but especially when they're not. But Jesus is
greater than our feelings. He provides us the power
for any commandment He gives. And often, it's
the power of the will. Do what's right in your
will, and eventually your feelings will follow. by
Gwen Ford Faulkenberry
Faith Step: What name comes immediately
to mind when you think of forgiving? Will
yourself to drop the issue you have with that person,
even if the person is you. Don't worry about how
you feel. For today, just forgive. [Mornings
With Jesus 2019 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
Mark 11:25 - Prayer and Forgiveness.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210805-1015.html
Matthew 6:14 - Not Able To Forgive?
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2006/20060510-1239.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.revelationnow.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
