Matthew 6:14-15 Forgiveness Heart of the Matter

Matthew 6:14-15

14 For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

If the Holy Bible had an unofficial name, it would be the book of forgiveness. Jesus makes it the theme of Matthew 6:14-15 if you want the Father God’s forgiveness, you & I need to forgive others. A lot of Christian believe grace is New Testament teaching & grace can only come from the Lord. But if we call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ, we need to easily give grace & forgive those who have transgressions against me & you. For some of you who don’t know what a transgression is, let me make it more clear. The worldly dictionary says transgression is to violate a law, command, or duty; another definition is like ocean water splashing on dry land & causing solid rock damage. The holy word of God, calls transgressions violation of God’s law & His nature;

Isaiah 24:4 The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. 5 The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant.

If the Lord God can forgive us so easily, me & you for our transgression cause a disturbance in His creation & everything in chaotic motion, we should have an easy time forgiving anyone who has transgressed against us. I know it’s not a Christian song, but the lyric of Don Henley’s song “Heart of the Matter” makes a lot sense & reflects a lot of what Jesus & scripture tells us about holding grudges & forgiveness. Don was making his album “The End Of The Innocence. ” He & another songwriter wrote “Heart of the Matter”  about the end of a relationship with a woman he almost married. The words of the song say bitterness makes the flesh weak, but it is best to have forgiveness, even if you don’t love me anymore. I know from personal experience how someone who you feel is so wonderful & love to hear them say they love you, can end a relationship. I was scarred inside my heart for many years, & even now I am afraid to love another woman. But my loss in love led me to give myself to God, & I am thankful she left me. My ex-girlfriend, from what I know, has no relationship with God, but I want to tell her I forgive her, but within my heart, I did many years ago. Dear brothers & sisters, don’t hold any grudges in your heart & soul, cause like the lyric in Henley’s song, the hate you hold inside will make you weak & kill you. God bless you, the Lord loves you & so do I.Sam H.

Ephesians 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.