RECIPROCITY

Forgiveness is a gift that we have received from God, and it must be given to others too. To walk in forgiveness, we must acknowledge our own sinfulness and imperfection before God, and accept his gift of forgiveness. As someone who has received forgiveness from God, it therefore becomes necessary for us to forgive others. As a matter of fact, when we refuse to forgive others, we deny ourselves of God’s gift of forgiveness. To forgive and be forgiven is a law of life; it is a natural law which governs our affairs as men. God only forgives those who are ready to forgive.

Our sins can be categorized into three, these are: our past sins, our present sins and the sins we are yet to commit. Now how does this affect us? God had shown us an example of forgiveness by forgiving us of our past sins, the realization of this should propel us to forgive others for this is how God wants it. When we forgive others, then God forgives our present sins, that is, the sins we have just committed, but when we refuse to forgive, our present sin remains before God. The only way to receive forgiveness for present sins is to forgive those who have offended you. Jesus, while teaching his disciples how to pray said an important prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  He also told a parable about a servant whose debt was forgiven by his master having pleaded to his master for mercy.

However, when this servant was forgiven his debts, he (the servant), saw another man who owed him as well. But instead of forgiving this man as he has been forgiven, he did otherwise‒he dragged this man to the prison. When his master who had forgiven him heard of how merciless he had been to another, he got furious and had him thrown into the prison until he is able to pay his debt. What is the moral of this parable? God can be likened to the master who had forgiven this merciless servant, while the servant can be likened to one who despite having been forgiven, refused to forgive others. Such a person will not be forgiven by their master, and the payment of their debt shall be required of them.

Now, how can one who is in the prison repay his debt since he can’t work? As it is hard for him to pay so also it is for us if God is asking for a just recompense of us not forgiving others. Forgiving others is necessary in order to receive forgiveness from God.