If I do not forgive someone for something they did that hurt me, does that mean I will not go to heaven?
2007-07-22 08:27:33 · 34 answers · asked by A Voice 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Don'y worry about my feelings - I want the truth.
2007-07-22 08:28:27 · update #1
The Lord;s prayer is in two different Gospels.
"Forgive, as we forgive others" is a common theme to both recordings of the prayer. (Mt. 6 & Luke 11)
The Matthew account of the prayer is immediately followed by a teaching of Jesus:
Mt. 6:14
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
2007-07-22 08:46:25 · answer #1 · answered by Bobby Jim 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Nothing can threaten your salvation, not even holding onto a grudge.
That being said, you really do need to let it go. Forgiving is not just an act that benefits the people who have wronged us, it benefits the forgiver as well. Holding onto the grudge can foster bitterness and the stress can even impact your health. If you can let it go, not only will you be practicing what Christ preached, but you will be setting yourself free from the past.
Forgiveness doesn't mean putting yourself in a position to be hurt again, or even forgetting what happened. But giving the both of you permission to move one without further need to address the topic. (ie: not seeking retribution).
I'm assuming that the hurt done to you was large and that is why your having problems forgiving. In this case I'd reccommend speaking to a counselor at your church for help coming to terms with it.
2007-07-22 08:37:03 · answer #2 · answered by LX V 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I always find it interesting that the predominant reason people need to forgive someone for is that the other person "hurt" them! It's difficult to forgive someone for hurting you but I found one quote that I (unfortunately) do not know who authored that has helped me enormously -- "First the poison destroys the container it is in..." I don't really know if your inability to forgive will keep you from a ticket to heaven (I hope the criteria for admission will be merciful enough to allow for some human frailties and limitations). However, I hope this quote will help you as much as it did me. I've learned that many times people don't mean to hurt us, are totally unaware they have hurt us, or they had extenuating circumstances that caused them to make some bad decisions which resulted in our being hurt. Thankfully, there really aren't too many people in our lives who deliberately set out to do us harm or deceive or betray us. The quick answer therefore is, sometimes you just have to let go and give the person a free pass so that YOU can move on. I hope this helps!
2007-07-22 08:41:28 · answer #3 · answered by felixthecat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, because nothing can keep God's children from Him once they're His. However, He makes it clear that even as He forgave us when there was no reason for Him to, and indeed every reason for Him not to, that we must do the same or not be forgiven. You cannot be His and refuse to forgive, for you yourself have been forgiven. It doesn't matter how much you were hurt, or even if the person wants your forgiveness. You don't forgive someone for them, you forgive someone for you. It's hard, and often takes a long time, but you have to do it sooner or later, and the sooner the better. Remember that this life passes in the blink of an eye, and nothing of this life remains in the next life, even things done to hurt us. The focus of the Christian life is the life to come in Heaven, not this life on earth.
2007-07-22 08:33:43 · answer #4 · answered by Steve 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
How can you not forgive? Hatred, grudges and spite are like a disease that ravages our being. It eats away at us. Everyone is a sinner and some sins are worse than others. When I have been hurt, and believe me, I have been hurt in unspeakable ways, I ask God to forgive their souls. Jesus asked His Father to forgive the people who crucified him, so if He can, I can too. It is such a healing process for those hurts. Satan has such a grasp on some poor souls that they just can't get free of him. I just hope that my prayers help release that grasp. Satan loves when we can't let go of our anger. It makes his work so much easier.
Not being able to forgive someone will not keep you out of heaven, but it sure will make your life misrable carrying that around. God is a merciful and loving God. He loves you no matter what. Your choices here on earth determine whether you will go to heaven or not. If you even think that will keep you out, then you must work on it and let it go. It will make you feel better. I know this for a fact. I can go on with my life and feel true happiness in spite of what has been done to me. My life is richer than ever and I know it has something to do with it.
2007-07-22 08:40:03 · answer #5 · answered by The Watcher 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If we are to have the mind of Christ ( 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 ) we must know what pleases God and be that example. Jesus has forgiven us much and to hold back forgiveness to anyone else only hurts our chances of finding mercy in our time of need ( Matthew 6:14-15 ). I emphatically disgree with anyone who has the false philosophy that you can forgive a person, but you don't forget. One of my absolute favorite promises from the Lord is "As far as the east is from the west I cast your sins and remember them no more" (Psalm 103:12). Think about that... how awesome is that promise! east and west can never meet. When the Lord forgives you of a sin, in His mercy He removes that sin completely away from you so that He doesn't remember it. To say that you will forgive someone but never forget only proves that one has never truly forgiven. Yes. Make your joy and faith grow, be a forgiver.... It is both our privilege and responsibilty as a Christian.
2007-07-22 09:05:42 · answer #6 · answered by HeVn Bd 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You need to forgive others if you want the Lord to forgive you. When you don't forgive others then it's like holding someone captive in a cell in your bitterness, especially if they want to make amends. I won't take it as far as to say you won't go to heaven for that. That's between you and God. If you're having a hard time forgiving someone ask the Lord for his help in that area.
2007-07-22 08:36:32 · answer #7 · answered by Lifeizgood 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You will still go to heaven, but you are only hurting yourself.
Do you think the person who hurt you cares?
OK..here's where I'm coming from....when I was about 10, I was abuse (sexually) by my babysitters husband. I hated him for years. He didn't care about me or my forgiveness. I had a hard time getting over it. I carried this heavy scar with me for years.
I say that I've forgiven him, but I really haven't let go. As much as I want to!!!!
I'm glad he died the way he did..lonely and mean! But what good is it doing me.
I'm (we) are still a work in progress. And God knows that.
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2007-07-22 08:34:04 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The scripture does not say that if we do not forgive others it will keep us out of heaven. That was stated for those who are saved and Jesus was showing us how we should treat others as well as believers.
2007-07-22 15:04:08 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are a born again child of the living God then you are going to heaven. Not forgiving a person just makes life on earth less pleasant for you and the person who has offended you may not even know they have done anything. Christ tells us to forgive and forget. If you hold a grudge, you have not truly forgiven. The life of Christ is our example, he even forgave the Romans who beat him terribly. He even forgave me.
Don't hold on to the hurt, it only hurts you!
A lack of forgiveness on our part does not constitute a lack of forgiveness on God's part.
2007-07-22 08:41:02 · answer #10 · answered by LeeBoy 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋