Freeing someone by forgiving them sets free the one who forgives. This freedom is a great blessing because the forgiver no longer carries the burden of the actions of another person in their heart and soul. But becoming burden-free isn’t the only benefit of forgiveness. Forgiving other people enables us to reconcile with God.
Yeshua says in Matthew 6:14-15: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Forgive to reconcile with God
God commands us to forgive others if we expect and desire His forgiveness. He does so because any sin someone commits against us is insignificant compared to those committed against God.
If anyone fails to repent and ask God for forgiveness, their debt remains. And the only way to pay the debt of sin is by the ultimate penalty: death and separation from God for eternity. But God, in His infinite, immeasurable grace and mercy, provided a way for us to have our debts canceled.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Messiah Yeshua our Lord” Romans 6:23 (NIV).
By sacrificing His own Son, Yeshua, God paid the ultimate price to cancel our debt of sin.
The Two-fold Blessing of Forgiveness
God’s command to forgive others is a two-fold blessing: When God forgives us, He frees us from every debt we owe Him. And when we forgive others, He sets us free from carrying the burden of unforgiveness.
Forgiveness is powerful. The person whom God forgives gains their own freedom. And when a forgiven person cancels the sin debt of others, the forgiver is free eternally and internally.
Every person has to seek forgiveness from God. And God is willing to forgive anyone as long as that person is willing to forgive everyone.
Once you experience freedom, you will never want to be burdened by unforgiveness again.