The Danger Of Unforgiveness - Soul Choice Ministries

Have you ever heard someone say, “I can never forgive that person because of what they have done to me?” Many of us have. We’ve either uttered those words or held on to those thoughts. When we entertain those deadly thoughts, we forget how much Jesus Christ has forgiven us. If we understood the seriousness of our unforgiveness, we would learn to be quick to forgive others. Eventually, it will cause physical harm to our bodies, pollute our soul and possibly jeopardize our eternal destination.

So many Christians continue to hold a grudge against someone who hurt them. Perhaps they were the victim of a horrific crime or abuse. But does it benefit us to hold onto unforgiveness in our heart? When we do, we are yielding to a dark emotion, which only can damage us on many levels.

God commands us to love one another. 1 Corinthians13 tells us that love keeps no record of wrongs committed against us. Love doesn’t keep score. When we justify our unforgiveness, we are not walking in love.

In addition, Proverbs17:22 says, “A merry heart does good like a medicine.”

Being joyful is health to our bodies. It’s hard to experience joy when we harbor unforgiveness, bitterness and anger. Our bodies will eventually break down. For each of us, it is a choice. If we don’t forgive, we invite sickness and disease, we won’t enjoy peace in our heart, and we won’t experience a healthy mind and body.

This next verse shows us how important forgiveness is, and how we are to treat someone who asks for forgiveness:

In Matthew 18:21-22 Peter came to Him (Jesus) 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. Some have trouble forgiving someone only once yet Jesus said up to 490 times! In other words, we must continually forgive.

As a side note, the number Jesus mentioned was not just an arbitrary number. God had forgiven Israel for the 490 years they didn’t let the land rest but instead continued to grow crops, disobeying the law that instructed them to let it rest every seventh year (Leviticus 25:3-4).

Expositors Study Bible, page 782 says, “The law of Moses had demanded that every seventh year the entirety of the land (Israel) should rest. It was called ‘a Sabbath of rest unto the land.’ In the seventh year the Lord said, ‘you shall neither sow your field, nor prune your vineyard’ (Leviticus 25:3-4).

For some 490 years, Israel ignored this law of God. Consequently, Israel ‘owed’ the Lord 70 years of Sabbaths. Her deportation to Babylon would be for 70 years, thereby guaranteeing that the land would then lay fallow and would ‘enjoy her Sabbaths.’ God says what He means.”

*See Leviticus 25:4; 26:34-35; 2 Chronicles 36:21; Exodus 23:11; Deuteronomy15:1, 31:10; Jeremiah 34:14; Daniel 9:2

Jesus said in Mark 11:25-26, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” That is a scary verse.

The even more important question here is, “Can we enter heaven if we have not been forgiven? I don’t see how! Does this mean we are merely living out of fellowship with God if we don’t forgive, as many Bible teachers claim? I think you have to add to the scripture to arrive at that conclusion. Either way, it is extremely unwise to place ourselves in this position.

Matthew 18:34 is a parable that may support the belief that forgiveness is a requirement to enter heaven. It tells of the man that was forgiven of an enormous amount of debt, but then refused to forgive someone who owed him a very small debt. The master then retracted the forgiveness of the large debt owed and cast the man into prison. Jesus said, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Acts 3:19, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” What if some sin is not blotted out? Can a person enter heaven? I will leave that question for you to decide.

And just to prove that the value of the debt owed was an unpayable debt, the commentaries explain:

Nelsons, page 1175 reads, “The person the servant would not forgive owed him 1 days’ worth of wages. The servant was forgiven 60 million days’ worth of wages – (164,383 years) –IMPOSSIBLE TO REPAY!”

Believer’s Bible Commentary page 1274 says, “Galilee’s total revenue only amounted to 300 talents. (He owed 10,000 talents). So the debt owed could never be repaid, and the man would never be let out of prison.”

This is an example of the impossible debt we as sinners owe and could never pay. Jesus forgave us of all, if we repent. Since we have been forgiven of such an extreme amount, how could we not forgive what others have done to us?

A Pastor told us a true account of a Christian man in the hospital who was dying and retained unforgiveness in his heart… He was terrified of dying, and was experiencing darkness and fear until he forgave a person from his past. As soon as he forgave that person from his heart, he suddenly was unafraid, and died in peace.

Let’s not live another day with unresolved turmoil in our soul caused by bitterness. We would be foolish and we would invite the enemy to bring harm into our lives.

Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.”

Forgiveness is a gift we have been given by God. It protects us from evil, produces peace in our hearts, and assures us of God’s acceptance.