“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Matthew 18:35

Who are we?  A short answer is, we are those who, because we follow the commands of Jesus Christ, forgive others and glory in the fact that we are forgiven.  The hard heart is broken, all pride crumbles.  We stand forgiven because of the atoning work of Jesus Christ and we are prepared to forgive others so that nothing stands in the way of life-changing grace that shapes our response to all.

As I think about it, if the followers of Christ do not experience the forgiveness of God and do not truly forgive others, what, then, does it mean to be children of the Kingdom of God that Jesus came to establish?  I do believe that the hallmark of sinners saved by Jesus has to do with forgiveness.  Remove that from the picture and then what?  We are no different from the world!

Jesus stresses this point if we would care to listen to Him!  The main character of the story he just told could not forgive even though he was forgiven!

Jesus closes by reminding us that the kind of forgiveness he is talking about is not just a way to get what we want, but is the result of a mighty work of God in giving us new hearts that do in fact seek forgiveness and forgive others.  Jesus makes it clear, unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”  It is the “from your heart” phrase that shatters all pretense.

Again, the marvelous gift of crying out for forgiveness and then the willingness to forgive others is at the core of our love for God Almighty.  It is as simple as that, and as important.