Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. —Colossians 3:13.
Today’s message is an important but very challenging message to obey. How can I forgive someone who has grievously sinned against me?
Maybe the better question may be: How can I not forgive a brother or sister for whom Christ died (Romans 14:15; 1 Corinthians 8:11) when I know what Jesus did to forgive me? How can I withhold that grace from others? In addition to our verse today, the Holy Spirit emphasized this principle several times in the New Testament Scriptures:
“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)
“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25)
These words from Jesus are powerful, but he even further dramatized the importance of this principle in the “Parable of the Unmerciful Servant” (Matthew 18:21-35). So, how do we live by this principle? How do we obey it when many of us have people who have sinned horribly against us?
Part of the answer lies in recognizing the enormous gift of forgiveness and salvation we have received. When we do that and recognize the costly grace we have received, we should be willing to extend grace. In addition, we can tap into the power of the Holy Spirit as followers of Jesus. We can ask for the Spirit to produce godly fruit in us that helps us forgive. Finally, we trust that while we may not have it in us to forgive on our own, with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:25-26).