Why Is It So Important To Forgive When We’ve Been Wronged?

"Jesus’ prefacing words make this ‘kingdom’ parable of the unforgiving servant especially crucial. The human capacity to forget God’s gracious gift of forgiveness and allow smallness of soul to breed unforgiveness is soberingly warned against. 1) Jesus showed how unforgiveness can restrict what God would do in others. (Note: the jailed fellow-servant is still in prison at the story’s end, revealing the power of unforgiveness to "bind" circumstances to an undesirable level of perpetual problem.) 2) Jesus teaches how the spirit of unforgiveness (the torturers, literally ‘bill collectors’) exacts its toll on our bodies, minds, and emotions. Finally, every ‘kingdom’ person is advised to sustain a forgiving heart toward all other persons. Kingdom privileges and power must not be mishandled. The ‘binding’ power of unforgiveness is potentially dangerous to any of us.

"Matthew 18:18, 19 is frequently quoted to assert the believer’s authority in prayer. But the power to "bind and loose" is quickly shown to be as much of a liability as an asset if unforgiveness remains in the people of God’s kingdom."

"The Old Testament taught again and again that the kingdom of God is a righteous kingdom (see Psalm 45:6, 7) and Jesus affirmed it (see Matthew 6:33). Paul declares, therefore, that the unrighteous, of whom he proceeds to give examples, will not inherit the kingdom of God, thinking of its future consummation. Paul’s point is to warn the Corinthian believers (who were apparently deceived into thinking that life-style is relative for believers) that if they willfully and unrepentantly persist in the evils of the wicked, they face the same final danger as the wicked. As his point is to arrest their attention and stop their deception, he does not address the question as to when such practiced behavior causes saints to cross the line to being ‘disinherited’ in God’s sight, nor does he draw conclusions regarding the issue of Christians yet caught in the struggle of these sinful habits but who sincerely desire freedom (see Romans 7:7-25)."