Forgiveness is not an option for the Christian.

Colossians 3:12-13
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

The command here is we are to forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. And how is that? How did Jesus forgive us? Let us see what God’s Word says.

Romans 5:8
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

While we still sinners Christ died for us. He didn’t wait for us to stop being sinners. He died for us, which is how He procured our salvation and the way God forgives us. We are called to do the same thing. We are to die to self. This means that even when the sins of others hurt us, we must love them so much that our hurt does not matter. We die to our own feelings and we forgive. Period. Christians, we must stop making excuses for holding on to our anger and bitterness. While we are yet sinners Christ died for us.

Hard, isn’t it? Well it’s pretty much impossible except for the fact that we, as believers, have the power of God through the indwelling Spirit of God living in us.

So what must we do in these terrible days? We must put on holy and beloved compassion for all God’s people. We must be kind, humble, meek, and patient even with those who seek to harm us. We must bear with each other our sinful infirmities. We must forgive.

The greatest of tests of our faith is found in this command. If we are unable to forgive then we must repent. Our own personal salvation is at stake.  I leave you with a stern warning from the very mouth of Christ, Himself. Take it serious people.

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.