Matthew 6:14-15 14For if you forgive the people their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15but if you do not forgive the people, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
God’s forgiveness of our sins is directly related to our forgiveness of others. The key word in these verses is trespasses (paraptōmata). This word can mean sin or a moral violation of a law. We trespass against God’s laws and, therefore, are guilty of sin. Sin separates us from God and God’s kingdom with all of its benefits. It is crucial that God forgive us of our wrongs if we want to be his children and citizens of his kingdom. Another important word repeated four times in these verses is forgive (aphēte). This word basically means to let go or release. When it comes to debts, it means to cancel what is owed. In grace and love, God removes our guilt when we repent and come to him with faith.
There are two critical issues in these verses. The first is what it means for people to trespass against us. Sin is usually defined in relationship to God’s laws, so it does not make sense to say that people sin against us. We can extend the meaning of the idea law to include the barriers, protections, or principles that we have in our lives. With that sense, people often attack us, sometimes in physical ways but more often, in mental or emotional ways. The most common way to express that is that our “feelings were hurt.” We need to offer people the same grace that God offers us.
Jesus shows the challenging connection between how our relationship with others determines how God will respond to us. Unforgiveness is a form of sin because it is the result of bitterness that can grow into hatred. Any sin creates a spiritual barrier between us and God because we reject what the Holy Spirit wants to do in our lives, which is to grow within us the love of God in Christ. Unforgiveness is a weed seed that quickly sprouts and cuts off the good seed of love God plants in our hearts. Disciples of Jesus should act like Jesus by showing love and forgiveness. When we forgive others, we are released from the burden of guilt and freed from the hatred that wants to grow within us. The pain may still be present, but the healing can begin.
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