Forgiveness – the ultimate expression of the love of God for His elect children – Ephesians 1:3-6,7-14; I John 4 (all):
To forgive others is the command of God to every believer, that is to be obeyed as is any command of God. To forgive is an act of obedience, not a process of human deduction based on human reasoning, as some teach and would have you believe – Matthew 6:12-15; Luke 17:3-4; 23:34.
Jeremiah 31:33+; Matthew 5:23,44+; Ephesians 4:32-5:1 (Romans 12:1-2,14-21); Matthew 6:12 & I John 1:9 (these 2 passages speak, not of eternal forgiveness in justification, but of temporal forgiveness in sanctification).
As God’s chosen, beloved children (Ephesians 5:1) we are never more like God than when we obediently, lovingly, willingly forgive others – to forgive is to love the one forgiven (I Jn 4:1-4,5-19/all). True forgiveness will always pursue sincere & increasing reconciliation & renewed loving fellowship.
Matthew 18:34 – God’s chastening comes on the believer who harbors unforgiveness, in the form of stress, hardship, illness, difficulty (James 2:13). This is not final judgement to eternal hell, but righteous Divine Godly chastening intended to bring repentance of that sin of unforgiveness in the heart of that believer – Hebrews 12:4-11***
Unforgiveness is a heart/mind murderous attitude of hatred; it is arrogant, vain, selfish, prideful, unloving; Christ declared that the one who practices unforgiveness harbors a murderous mind/heart attitude, thus making it clear that unforgiveness is, in essence, a desire for the other persons harm. Herein is exactly why our Lord describes Satan in John 8:43-45 as a”murder” & a thief – because his wicked, evil mind & heart have, from his rebellion against God, been filled with hatred & his evil desire to 1) rob Him of the glory & worship due Him & 2) destroy His glorious, uncreated, always existent, sinlessly pure, radiantly beautiful, majestically Holy, transcendently Sovereign Omnipotent Person – Isaiah 44:6 (I John 4*** all); 55:6-7,8,9-13; 66:1-2; 46:8-10 (Revelation 20:11-15; 21-22).
Matthew 5:21-24,43-48; Mark 6:14-15; 11:25+; Ephesians 4:29-32***
All sin must ultimately be seen as being against our Holy God and yet in His infinite grace & love He forgives – Psalm 41:4; 51:4***; I John 1:9; 4:5-19; Ephesians 4:32.