The most important thing a Christian can understand is the power of forgiveness. In Jesus' time, it was easier for his followers to believe in the power of healing than in the power of forgiveness. To the early followers of Christ, and especially the Pharisees, forgiveness belonged to God alone. In fact, the Pharisees thought that Jesus was stepping on hallowed ground (to the point of being sacrilegious or blasphemous) when he taught on the power of forgiveness.
I say the power of forgiveness, because forgiveness is a power that frees not only the person being forgiven, but also the person doing the forgiving.
During Jesus' appearance to the disciples after the Resurrection, Jesus commissioned them and gave them the power-of-attorney to carry forth his work on the Earth.
John 20:22-23
22: And when He had said this, He breathed on them and saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23: Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins you retain, they are retained. King James
The Holy Ghost gave the receivers the power to carry forth the work Jesus started. Then, Jesus gives the power to remit sins. This is a form of losing or binding (Matthew 18:18). It is interesting that Jesus first gives the power of the Holy Ghost, and then He instructs on the remittance of sins.
To remit means to send or cast away from. In forgiving, we cast away the sin or sins of the person we are forgiving. That offence is no longer attached to the offender, and we no longer hold them responsible for their offence. In doing so, we give up judgement of that person which, in turn, allows God to judge in mercy and righteousness. God's justice can prevail when we are standing in forgiveness and remitting sins. As long as we are standing in unforgiveness, we continue to judge (in God's place) and pronounce guilt upon that person.
According to Matthew 6: 14-15, unforgiveness binds God's forgiveness toward us. This is not where we want to be!
14: For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15: But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses. Amplified
Example Prayer: Father, I forgive ____(name)_____________ for _____(trespass)______________, I remit their sin(s) away from them. I no longer judge and find them guilty, but ask you to judge them in my place -- in mercy and righteousness. Thank you. Amen.
By forgiving and remitting the sin or offence, you have loosed yourself and the person(s) you are forgiving. You will see God's justice after you forgive.
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