What did Jesus say about forgiving others?
One of the most distressing moments in my work as a Salvation Army minister was when a man I knew from church was dying and wished to make peace with a friend because of an argument they’d had many years before. When the friend received the invitation to visit the dying man he refused to see him. I felt incredibly sad and distressed for the dying man, but much more disturbed for the friend who refused to forgive. Not only did he deny his friend forgiveness, but he denied himself the opportunity as well. This very same principle is reflected in the words of Jesus, found in the gospel of Matthew: ‘…if you forgive others 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’. When we refuse to offer forgiveness to others we deny ourselves God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness begins with God, and we are reminded of this when we think of Jesus’ death on the cross. ‘Because of the sacrifice of the
