Is God's Forgiveness Conditional ?

Have you ever read a passage of Scripture, and thought to yourself, "That doesn't sound right"? I mean, when what you are reading seems to not fit in with other things that you believe in other passages of Scripture? 

How often have you prayed the Lord's Prayer? We are so familiar with having memorized and repeated it so many times, but have we really thought about what is being said here?

Matthew 6:12 of the Lord's Prayer says: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."  So does that mean that God's forgiveness is conditional on our forgiving others? What about this verse in Matthew 6:14, is Jesus doubling down on the condition of our forgiveness from God when He says:  "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Just recently these verses came to mind. It drew my attention to the implications of what it could be saying about the very opposite of the nature of God I have also believed. Is Jesus actually saying God's forgiveness is conditional? From this verse, it sure sounds like it. And in fact, from many of the commentaries I have read, that is the conclusion they come to as well.

One commentator says this: "Difficult or not, Jesus is speaking with the authority of God, and He always means what He says. We should never dismiss Jesus' teaching because it is hard to understand or to reconcile with other teachings." 

The first thing that stands out to me is what Jesus SEEMS to be saying, is that God makes His forgiveness to you, a condition of your forgiveness to others. In fact, the verse does not qualify how extreme the offense might be you are being asked to forgive. Not all forgiveness is the same. Forgiving someone who bumped into you, is not the same as forgiving someone who murdered your family member for instance. Is that what Jesus meant?

Does that even sound like the character of God to you and the message of Scripture? If it does, then there is a different problem to work out, but if it doesn't then that should be a strong indication that there is something else to what Jesus is actually saying. 

What are we are missing out on at first glance? This is why it is so important to establish a baseline of a firm and solid belief and assurance of the Sovereign and Loving and Merciful, and Forgiving Grace of God! So let's go beyond the first glance and see if we can't get to a better understanding of the verse.

This verse is found in the middle of Jesus teaching the sermon on the mount, and He has already had some shocking things to teach,  so it is not isolated in it's context, and yet it seems to be isolated when it is being quoted, usually by one wanting to put another person under guilt for not wanting to forgive them, or to impose an impossible standard of forgiveness.  But is that verse meant to be used as a weapon?

What makes sense to me out of what Jesus was teaching is that He is giving people a gauge  of the condition of their own heart. We worship the God of our imagination. In other words, if you set a standard to not forgive others, then you will also believe that God has a standard to not forgive you, and you will condemn yourself in your own mind.

Have you ever heard someone say; or said something like this yourself?: God could never forgive me. If He knew what I have done. Our own conscience bears witness against us for our own sins. So we might compare ourselves with others in order to make ourselves feel more worthy, like the Pharisee in Luke 18:11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican."

I think it is similar to the verse that says: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." Matthew 7:1-2. It is not saying don't make a judgment, but rather consider if you would be guilty of the same thing, what would you want others to do to you?

How about deciding on who you think is worthy of salvation? How many Christians believe that God is going to send the vast majority of His creation to a version of a fiery torment in eternal hell? Will Muslims be saved? Will Atheists be saved? Will criminals be saved? Will...(name your category) be saved? If your answer is no, then how have you limited the capacity for the forgiveness God bestows on His creation? What then do you believe about the Character of God? Is He fickle with His forgiveness? 

 To be very clear, one of the characteristics of God is that He is immutable. Meaning He does not mutate, or change. He is the same yesterday today and forever! So then since we know God does not change who He is, then the Scriptures have made it clear that God forgives unconditionally! That IS the message of the cross! But I think what is being said here is that if you hold onto unforgiveness, then you will believe that God will judge you by the same standard you judge others. If you are unforgiving, then you will think God is just as unforgiving toward you.

In an earlier blog post on October 30 2021 I wrote this: "When you harbor un-forgiveness, then it is a prison of self torture! Hate, bitterness, anger, rage, fuming, all of these things are torture to your own well being and peace of mind. But if you learn to absorb the debt that others owe to you, like God has absorbed the debt of our sin, then you now have the key to get out of the prison of your own making, and living a life of peace and joy!"

I will admit that I could be totally wrong about what my reasoning is here. Perhaps all the commentators are right, and I just don't see it? That is what Hermeneutics is all about, which is the interpretation of the text. There are many more confusing texts that become clear once the right understanding is applied. Proper interpretation is key.

In this case, a proper interpretation will give you the answer to the question posed by the title: Is God's  Forgiveness Conditional ?