A Four-Part Series on The Power of Forgiveness

The Power of Forgiveness:

Part 1: The Mandate of Forgiveness

"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." - Matthew 18:21-22

The temptation to hold on to an offense is one of the greatest and most frequent temptations we face as believers. When listening to believers talk about forgiveness, I frequently hear terms such as "option" and "choice" because they believe whether to forgive or not is based on how they feel about the offense. Many Christians even say taking a long time to forgive is all right because, after all, forgiveness is a process. These kinds of common yet untrue views about forgiveness make unforgiveness one of the most successful strategies Satan uses to create confusion, separation, and stagnation in the body of Christ.

Many believers still feel the pain of some past event and find themselves unable to move forward and figure out why. It's because unforgiveness is a stronghold that will lock on to a past offense, causing it to be more real and important than what God is currently trying to do in our lives. Appreciating what's in front of us becomes hard if we keep looking at what's behind us. We can either let go of the past and move forward or hold on to the past and stay stuck right where we are.

When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother when he sinned against him, Jesus's answer made clear that forgiveness is not a random action. It is the standard for moving forward in the life of a believer. The word forgive in Matthew 18 is the Greek word aphiemi, which means "to lay aside, leave, let alone or put away." The focus is not on what someone has done to us but on how we should respond to the offending party. Forgiving that person means giving up or laying aside all resentment or claim to requital on their account, thereby canceling the offense or debt. So even though we recognize someone has offended or taken something from us, we let it go so we can continue to move forward.

This does not mean we should forego protecting ourselves from those who try to take advantage of us or that we should not remove ourselves from specific environments. It just means we choose not to hold on to the offense so that it does not hold us captive. Think of it like this: if someone slaps you, the physical pain might last an hour. But if you refuse to forgive, that same incident could still cause emotional pain five years later.

The mandate of forgiveness goes beyond simply letting go of past hurts - it's about embracing a lifestyle that transforms how we interact with others and navigate life's challenges. When we choose to forgive, we're not just resolving a single incident but cultivating a Godlike characteristic that shapes our character and relationships. This transformation begins with the understanding that forgiveness is not about waiting until we feel ready or processing our emotions indefinitely. It's about making a conscious choice to release ourselves from the burden of our past hurts and align ourselves with God's will for our lives moving forward.