Articles
Why Forgive?
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"Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses." (Mk. 11:25)
Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. (Col. 3:13)
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There are many reasons NOT to forgive those who harm us: we want to make the perp suffer as much as he made us suffer; to ensure that he does not get away with his crime; to even the score; to send a message to others not to mess with us. Yes, we have plenty of good reasons to hold our enemy's transgression against him.
Yet the Bible demands that we forgive those who harm us. Why? How is forgiveness even possible in those circumstances? There are three reasons why we must learn to forgive our enemies.
First, we must forgive so we can heal our relationship with God. Jesus directly links our willingness to forgive our enemies with God's forgiveness of our own sins (Mk. 11:24; Matt. 6:12-15). In His parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt. 18:21-35), Jesus likened our refusal to forgive others to a servant who is ungrateful for the forgiveness of his own enormous debt. If we appreciate the magnitude of the relief God has extended to us, we should be able to release the debt others owe us. Refusal to do so shows contempt for what God has done for us.
Second, we must forgive so we can heal the relationships in our life. Many of those we consider "enemies" are people who should be our friends: estranged family members, neighbors, co-workers, even brethren. Forgiveness does not deny that wrongs have been committed; but it looks past the wrongs to the people whose companionship is so essential to a happy life. It is no coincidence that people who nurse grudges are often lonely and miserable. They inflate the offenses committed against them into barriers that prevent the development of healthy relationships.
Finally, we must forgive so we can heal ourselves. People who carry grudges usually become bitter and angry on the inside. The animosity in their hearts becomes a cancer on their souls, eating away at their self-respect and dignity. Conversely, when we practice forgiveness, we display a nobility of character that our enemies cannot touch. True, the wrongs may never be corrected; but God will take care of that. We must not allow these grievances to drag us into the gutter with our adversaries.
In demanding that we forgive those who harm us, Jesus was not pontificating on abstract theology. He practiced what He preached. As He hung dying on the cross, His prayer for His executioners was, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Lk. 23:34). And remember, these people never asked for His forgiveness.
If you claim to wear the name of Christ, you must follow His example. Forgive those who have wronged you. Period.
--David
