Have you ever considered what this world that we live in, would be like if there was no forgiveness? What if God did not forgive us? What if there was no forgiveness in churches from one member toward another member? Sometimes when I think I cannot forgive someone that I feel has wounded me in some way, I am made to feel ashamed of the thoughts and intents of my heart.

In Matthew 6:11 thru 12 we read these words, Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. This is the manner that Jesus has set forth that as we pray, that God would give us this day our daily bread. We are talking about a daily prayer, that we are to pray each day and that in each daily prayer; we are to ask for daily bread. We are to live one day at a time trusting in God to supply our daily needs.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Do we not see in this passage of scripture that if we do not forgive our debtors, then we are not to ask God to forgive us our debts? Then in verse 14, we read, for if we forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. The word { for } carries the thought or the meaning { because } that is, because if we forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you in the same way that we forgive others, God is going to forgive us in the same manner.

I do not think that anyone would not like for God to forgive him or her when they trespass or offend someone else. Oh! How happy that we ought to be that the God we believe in is a forgiving God, and that when he forgives, he also forgets. This passage of scripture is teaching us that as we try to serve the Lord there must be forgiveness one toward another. As we forgive, God forgives.

In verse 15 we read; but if we forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. In the sense of this text, it is saying that if we want God to forgive us, it is a must that we forgive others. Do you realize that our trespasses, our sins have offended the God of heaven and that only through the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ that God forgave all our sins?

All of this came about because God loved you with an everlasting love. Jesus is using this same lesson when he says love ye one another as I have loved you. If you love me, keep my commandments. If we love one another, as we ought, then forgiveness will be there. If forgiveness is not there, then there is no indication that love is being made manifest.

How sad it would be if someone offended us and we could not find a place in our heart to just reach out to that individual and forgive him or her. I think that at times like this, we need to turn our minds to the Lord and think about how great a sinner that we are and think about what a great forgiver God is. I have seen families torn apart because of a non-forgiving attitude, yet on the other hand, I have been able to see families that manifested forgiveness one toward another and that God blessed them and forgave them in such a manifested way that it was evident that there was love one toward another.

I have seen churches that did not exercise forgiveness one toward another and the results of a non-forgiving attitude caused a division among its members. Oh! How we ought to pray that God would give us a spirit of forgiveness, one toward another. The church that we have today is the greatest blessing that we have as we travel in this life. Let us esteem each other above that of ourselves and let us love one another as God has loved us.

As the Apostle Paul writes to the different churches, he always adds, Grace and peace be unto you. I love to think about the grace of God that took place in Jesus Christ yet; also, there is a peace that we can have in this life as we forgive one another their trespasses. Looking at how our Lord has forgiven us our trespasses: How can we not forgive one another? AMEN