In Psalter 83 we sing, "How blest is he whose trespass hath freely been forgiven." What a joy and happiness that is when the Lord speaks forgiveness to a lost sinner! Were we ever truly happy because there is such a thing as forgiveness? Then there must also have been a time when we needed to be forgiven because of our sin.

In the temple dedication prayer of King Solomon a statement is found between parentheses, which reads, "For there is no man that sinneth not." Thus we see that there is not anyone who does not need forgiveness to enter heaven. On the one hand it will be impossible to enter heaven without for­giveness of our sins, but on the other hand it will also be impossible to enter heaven without   forgives, but our duty is also to freely forgive each other, and therefore I would like to write briefly concerning freely forgiving one another, pausing beside (1) why, (2) when, (3) who, and (4) how.

First then, why? It is God's command. "Forgive and ye shall be forgiven." In Matthew 6:14-15 there is written, "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespas­ses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Another reason can be found in Ephesians 4:32, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." If we may have an impression of what it cost the Son of God to forgive our sins, namely, shedding His precious blood, laying down His life, suffering on the cross of Calvary in order to forgive sinners, then there is no comparison to be made with us forgiving one another. Then our forgiving is negligible.

Secondly, when? When must we forgive? Let us forgive one another while it is still possible, while we still have the opportunity. It is written, "If thy brother trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him." In another place Peter asked the Lord Jesus, "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? till seven times?" Jesus saith unto him, "I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven." In other words, not even 490 times, but every time our brother or neighbor asks to be forgiven.

Thirdly, who? Those whom we are to forgive are: friends and enemies, brother and sister, father and mother, husband and wife, teacher and pupil, the good and gentle, but also the forward. Indeed, the Lord teaches us in Mark 11:25, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any." Not only those who love us, but any.

In the fourth place, how? It is written, "If ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses." From your heart includes no malice or to any person, no revenge or desire for revenge, recompense or vengeance. Not railing for railing, not only forgive­ness with our mouths, but from our hearts, showing by our deeds also what is in our hearts. The great example is the Lord Jesus Christ, who forgives His people their sins and remembers them no more. What a lovely display of for­giving is found in Psalm 86, where is written, "Thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee." In the conversation between Hopeful and Christian in Pilgrim's Progress, the one tells the other, "Go and thou shalt find Him upon a mercy seat, where He sits all the year long to give pardon and forgiveness to them that come." In the gospel there was a man sick of the palsy, let down by four friends in front of the Lord Jesus through the tiles of the roof. The sick man was seeking a cure for his body, but the Lord Jesus first forgave him his sins and then healed his body.

How ashamed we must be, how bitterly we should weep, how sad is the way in which we forgive one another! Sometimes a slight accusation, a wrong word, a mean look, a wrong thought, can cause us to carry within us an unforgiving heart for such a long time, a heart which also needs forgiveness. Surely, when we consider ourselves and our own need for forgiveness, it should be the smallest thing, the easiest thing, to forgive one another.

"Love is kind, love never faileth," no, not in forgiving one another also. When the sinful woman came into the house of Simon the Pharisee to anoint the feet of the Lord Jesus, Jesus said to Simon, "Wherefore I say unto you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." When it comes to forgiving, the one with the most love will forgive the most, the quickest, and the easiest.

Dear Lord, teach us to love one another, and give us the grace to forgive one another.