Matthew 18:21-35
Jesus tells a story about a servant who owed his master a tremendous amount of money. Because the amount of the money was so great, the master forgave the entire debt. The servant had a fellow servant who owed him a little money, but he did not forgive the debt. In fact, he had this person thrown in prison because of the debt. When the master heard about the lack of mercy of his servant, he chastised him for not having compassion and “delivered him to the torturers until he should pay back all that was due him.”
The servant was forgiven by his master, but refused to forgive his fellow servant. The Father warns us that we place ourselves in severe judgment when we do not forgive. To forgive is an act of the will, not of the feelings.
I believe that a person who refuses to forgive does not understand what he has been forgiven for. He does not understand the gravity of his sin against God. In my opinion, this is evidence of a faith that is not genuine, a salvation that is not genuine. We are commanded to forgive; it is not optional.
