It is easy to skip over the word “as” in Matthew 6:12, but Jesus wasn’t quite done speaking on forgiveness. After Amen, He added verse 6:14-15 for emphasis. “For if you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

In our culture, we loosely use the phrase “that’s unforgivable.”  I have prayed
 with a lot of people. Some of the things they have suffered are truly appalling, and it is hard to encourage them to forgive, especially when the one who wounded them has never apologized and perhaps continues to inflict wounds on them.  When we refuse to forgive, we are demanding that God withhold forgiveness from them as well.  It also gives the enemy an open door to fill us with anger and bitterness.

Jesus set the bar pretty high. The priests, who should have known who He was, condemned Him and turned Him over to Pilate.  When Pilate offered to release him, the same crowd that cried “Hosanna” on Sunday, shouted, “crucify Him” on Thursday.  The soldiers lashed Him, mocked Him, nailed Him to a cross, and then gambled for His clothes. Jesus willingly endured it all and offers His blood as the sacrifice for anyone who will receive it.  The thief on one side of Him received it and the other refused it.  Jesus asked His Father to forgive them all. 

We all want justice. Man’s laws and God’s Word prescribe penalties (even death in rare cases) for all manner of offenses.   Sadly, in this life, justice is not always blind and not always served.  But the Bible also promises that God will repay on our behalf (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19).  Often, our forgiveness is what brings another person to repentance. And that pleases God who desires that no one should perish (2 Peter 3:9, John 3:16).

When we repent and forgive, the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin (I John 1:7). It redeems us from the consequences of our sin which gave the enemy legal rights to afflict us, and restores us to the Father who loves us.