if we don't forgive

Forgiveness is the hallmark of Christianity. We have an understanding of the importance of forgiving those who wrong us. The Roman soldiers and the priests crucified Jesus for no legitimate reason, but He still forgave them.

​Mark 11:26 If you do not forgive, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.

What will happen to us if we are not forgiven? Isn't forgiveness the prerequisite to becoming a Christian? I was a very accomplished sinner and after my conversion to Christ, my conscience hounded me for a couple of years. But when I forgave those who wronged me and forgave myself, my conscience no longer convicted me. Unforgiveness is a portal into our lives the devil uses to gain access. Repentance closes the door. One day Jesus spoke a parable to Peter. A man owed another man twenty million dollars and he couldn't pay his bill. The debtor begged for mercy and it was granted him. Then the forgiven man found a man that owed him twenty dollars and he would not in turn forgive that small debt. When the rich man found out what the forgiven man had done, he had him thrown in prison. (Mathew 18:21-35)

Mathew 18: 34-35 The rich man turned the one who he had forgiven over to the tormentor, until he paid his debt. So likewise shall My Father do to you if you will not forgive your brothers.

What does it mean to us to be turned over to the tormentor? A beautiful sweet lady at our church came to me years ago with a problem that had plagued her for years. She had been abused physically, mentally and sexually by her father and uncles. She was in tears as she told me that she could not forgive them no matter how hard she tried. I felt pity for her because her abuse was coming into her marriage and her husband couldn't understand. I read the chapter in Mathew's Gospel to her to help her understand her family didn't deserve to be forgiven but she must find a way. According to Jesus , the debt we owe Him for forgiving us is a twenty million dollar debt. As ugly and disgusting as it was, her family's debt to her amounted to twenty dollars. She began to understand she would not find justice, she would find peace despite what they had done to her. She needed to forget what they had done and focus on what Jesus did. I would like to tell you she got free, but they moved away so I don't know. What happens to a man that God will not forgive?

1Corinthians 11:31-32 If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. God judges us so that we should not be condemned with the world.

The people in the world are under the influence of the devil, they are weak and sickly and many of them are dying prematurely. If we refuse to forgive, our Father won't forgive us and we will suffer the fate of the people in the world. God wants a better life for us than we want for ourselves! Most people who are forgiven don't even know about it, but the one who forgave knows because they maintain their peace with God. Most people who need to be forgiven don't deserve it but we cannot use that as an excuse. It is always far better to forgive than be turned over to the tormentor. The devil encourages unforgiveness because then he gets a free shot at us. That's why he's called a tormenting spirit. So, no matter who you must forgive, it's only a twenty dollar debt.