If I do not forgive others, does that mean my sins are not forgiven?
Matthew 6:14 - 15
ESV - 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
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Asked July 01 2013
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Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Danny Hickman
The scriptures in question here make God out to sound transactional. Some of the responses are proof that many people who call themselves born again believers are comfortable with the idea of God being transactional.
If you think you can bargain with God, you probably should try to get to know him better.
The wording of these scriptures has confused people since they were spoken. This sounds like a business transaction. And regardless of how good the explanation is to correct the misunderstanding of the meaning, many people hold on tightly to their misconception.
Mr Houdmann explained it rightly. He used the example of foot washing. The feet of people wearing open toe shoes and walking the dusty roads of Palestine, needed to be washed each time they entered someone's home. BUT THEY DIDN'T NEED A BATH, just a foot washing.
A bath is synonymous with being washed, cleansed, born again ONCE AND FOR ALL TIME. No more need to be forgiven for the purpose of gaining eternal life (full bath), but forgiving others for the purpose of "loving others the way you love yourself." ( 2 commandments; love God, love others).
You do want forgiveness for yourself, am I right? That's the whole point of how it's stated.
(If you're in bondage to Catholicism, this won't make sense to you. You believe your salvation is an open contract, completely transactional. You've been taught to believe that you're NEVER secure, you must "stay clean" by asking forgiveness for every sin). Undoable!
Danny Hickman
Jesus wants us to know: there's only one way to show that we appreciate the principle of forgiveness.
To appreciate something is to KNOW ITS VALUE! To prove we appreciate the principle of forgiveness (know its value), since we have been freely given forgiveness and it can't be earned, we are to freely forgive others who need it, realizing that we will continue to need it too.
IT CAN'T BE EARNED by practicing it!! That ain't what Jesus was trying to teach! That's a business transaction. Buy cheap, sell high!
Our customs get in our way! (Forgiveness is priceless! It can't be purchased). Our way of life is to keep anything of value under lock and key. There's no way we will give valuable things away for free! We trade! Show me love, I'll show you love in return. That's just the way we are!
Many of us can't be talked out of that way of thinking; not even by Jesus. We'd rather distort his meaning than take a hard look at ourselves. We want God to forgive us when we need it. So we think we can say we forgive someone and can expect God's continued forgiveness.
That ain't what Jesus was trying to teach us (to do). He was teaching us the VALUE of forgiveness. IT'S PRICELESS!! It is one of the treasures found only in God's kingdom.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control are all descriptions of God's character. (Gal 5). Forgiveness is too.
Is 'being loved' by God conditional? No! Neither is forgiveness unto salvation!