1. “Forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man has quarrel against any, even as Christ forgive you, so also do ye”. Col.3.13. To many, that scripture could look difficult and to some it could look clumsy but it is the right way to follow. Look at another: “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth. And let not thine heart be glad when he stumbled”. Prov 24:17. That to some is also clumsy but it works very well for salvation. To some it might not be elegant enough but it is a command from God.
The contemporary world loves to comply with those things that please it in the Bible and jettison from the Bible what is not to their taste.
Unfortunately, refusal to forgive one another on diverse issues have led to rancor and deep-seated enmity among families. It is deep-seated among people of the same religion, of the same tribe of the same household.
So the Lord looked from above and saw all the evils caused by hatred and taught us to love one another even as he loved us and also, very importantly, to forgive one another. But many are still disobedient and continue in their unforgiving spirit. Are you one of such? Repent if it is so.
2. The lord has taught us over and over again on the need to forgive one another: “Therefore I say unto you, What things so ever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive If ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” MK 11, 24:25.
Obviously those who refuse to forgive will definitely not be forgiven by God. Do you see now the heavy consequence of refusal to forgive others? If you refuse to forgive, and God also refuses to forgive you then that means your eternity will be spent with the disobedient in hell fire. But much grace is still available to you to consider and reconsider the matter and repent.
Even now, brothers of the same parents are still quarrelling over parcels of land and are at great enmity with one another. Are you in that class of people? Quickly heed the word of God and start today to show genuine love even those who have offended you whether over parcels of land or property of another type. The lord Jesus Christ is calling you in particular to reconcile with and forgive one another. It is still in the same vein Christ is still teaching: “but if you forgive not men their, trespasses neither will your father forgive your trespasses.” Mt 6.15
3. It is very startling indeed to see. Saul, with an army of three thousand men, going to seek David in order to kill him: “then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David.” 1 Sam. 24:2
It is greatly amazing to see how David reached the place where king Saul, his arch enemy, was lying, deeply asleep and refused to kill him outright.
Here what Saul said when he discovered later that David forgave him and spared his life: ‘and he said to David, thou art more righteous than I: for thou last rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil”. Psalm 24:17
Now, is there any one you are still pursuing to hurt, harm or kill because you refuse to forgive? Is there any political opponent you plan to kill? The lord is calling you today to stop it. You are called to repent and forgive your enemies. How great is the offence of your enemy? Remember your sins are many, very many before God and you look unto Him for pardon. For how long will you refuse reconciliation as you are still in court, and you are still with the oracles’ or herbalist to kill your enemy because of that scuffle between you. Forgive today so that God will also forgive you, so that our Lord Jesus Christ would also forgive you. Some even pray that their enemies should sleep and never to wake, that their enemies should not see the coming year, that their enemies should have accident on the road and die. They have seen their leaders praying like that. Their leaders who adamantly refuse to follow the teaching of Christ. The kingdom of God is at hand.
4. We ought to keep on following the outstanding teaching, doctrine, examples and instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ. We ought to follow the way he lived in this world.
His purpose for this world is to save sinners, to forgive sins and deliver, to forgive and heal diseases, to forgive and grant salvation, to forgive and cleanse from all evil spirits, to forgive and wash us all from our sins. Our Lord’s glorious life is enough to cause repentance to us and rid us of unforgiving spirit that has also eaten deep into our societies, into our places of work and places of worship.
Jesus was lacerated, terribly wounded with the crown of thorns forced on his head (Mt 27:29).
Such a momentous event is sufficient to draw us to forgive others in that in such an event he still forgave and did not revenge. The nailing of our Lord Jesus Christ to the cross (John 19:23) ought to bring repentance to us and make us forgive our enemies as he forgave his enemies while he suffered for our sins and paid the debt he did not owe. He taught we should love our enemies. “but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you”. (Mt 5:44)
So, do not pray for them to have motor accident. Jesus prayed for his enemies while dying on the cross having forgiven them: “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. (Lk 23:34)