Who can afford to pay the price for his or her sins? Many realize that they can’t and have identified with the price the Lord Jesus Christ paid through His death.

But, dear brother and sister in Christ, do you know that when you refuse to forgive others for offences against you, you forfeit the pardon you received through Christ? Can you afford to bear God’s punishment for your sins? If not, then forgive — unconditionally.

The Lord Jesus Christ taught clearly about this issue because He did not want us, having received God’s forgiveness, to lose it. He said:

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings” (Mark 11:25-26)

The Lord also taught us to pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have given up resentment against) our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).

I don’t know about you, but I can’t bear God’s wrath for my sins — for the wages of sin is death — therefore, I need His forgiveness continuously. Because I cannot afford to be without His forgiveness, even for a nanosecond, I continually ask Him to help me swiftly forgive those who offend me, and to do so without conditions. After I’ve forgiven, I turn to Him to heal my scars, which He does faithfully.

As I read Jesus’ sermon on the mount today, I was reminded of the weightiness of unforgiveness and I prayed: “Lord, help me to always forgive.”

May God help all who bear His name to do so. In Jesus’s name. Amen.