"Lessons in Forgiveness" One of the most sobering scriptures in the Bible was quoted by Jesus when He preached the Sermon on the Mount and taught His disciples how to pray: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”  (Matthew 6:14-15).  Jesus clearly taught that if we die without forgiving those who have offended us, then God will not forgive us and we will not receive eternal life in heaven.  Reason would tell us that no one or nothing is worth going to hell over, but reason flies out of the window when our emotions are raw with hurt, anger and betrayal.  In this modern age rife with violence and crime, divorce, splintered families, rebellious and angry youth, abuse, perversion and lawlessness, offenses run rampant and forgiveness seems like an impossible task.  Most people do not know what forgiveness is and is not.  Firstly, forgiveness is not a feeling.  Like real love, forgiveness is a decision and a choice.  Forgiveness does not mean that you have to trust someone who has habitually abused you, setting yourself up to become the abuser’s “whipping post.”  Forgiveness does not require that you have to even like the offender that you choose to forgive.  Forgiveness is not acting as though a wrong was never committed, for without a grievance, there would be no need for forgiveness.  Forgiveness is the canceling of a debt owed, and forsaking the desire for revenge (not justice, which is left up to God and the laws of our land).  Jesus, Who will one day judge the nations in absolute justice, did not retaliate against His enemies; “when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously”(1 Peter 2: 23). Jesus is our model and example.  Jesus emptied Himself of all divine privileges when He walked this earth, demonstrating to mankind how to be totally dependant on the Father: “Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner…I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father Who sent Me” (John 5: 19, 30).   The old adage, “To err is human, to forgive divine” holds much truth.  There are people whose lives have been devastated by the sins of others: suffering the loss of loved one by murder, or victimized by sexual abusers, leaving their childhood innocence shattered by fear and shame.  Betrayal by family members cuts the deepest of all, for our hearts lay bare and vulnerable before them because of our love for them.  Jesus suffered betrayal, persecution, mockery, rejection and violent death, yet cried out on the cross before His tormenters, “Father, forgive them.  They know not what they do.”  When the hurt is so deep and anger festers in our hearts, choking out the desire to forgive our offenders, we can run to Jesus Who will give us His strength and ability to forgive. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 5: 15-16). When we obtain the mercy and forgiveness of God, only then can we show the mercy and forgiveness of God.  We obtained His mercy at the cross, and only through the cross can we exhibit mercy.  If your soul has been wounded by the cruelty of another and you don’t believe that you can forgive, humble yourself before God and acknowledge that you are a hell-bound sinner apart from the amazing grace of His love.  Tell the Lord that you can’t forgive in your own ability, but you are willing for Him to impart to you His ability to forgive.  Forgiveness sets the captive free.  Those who sin against us may never give it a passing thought while we stew in our own bitterness.  Unforgiveness is a sin against God (Psalm 51: 4).  Unforgiveness holds us in bondage to sin.  Unforgiveness binds the offender to his sin.  Forgiveness found only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ is the key to freedom and restores to us the joy of our salvation. “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?    Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect”  (Matthew 5: 44-46, 48). “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’  Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18: 21-22).