What If I Don't Forgive

Matthew 18:34-35, “ and his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your heart forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”
Forgiveness is a two way street. As believers we often lose many spiritual blessings we should be enjoying. The question comes to mind if I don’t want to forgive some one what then, will God punish me; will God send me to hell? If Christ was invited into your heart and you accepted Him as savior hell will not be a place you will go. Will you lose blessings? It appears so. If a believer elects not to forgive another for what ever reason then I believe Jesus is showing us what will happen. In the story Jesus mentioned the one who would not forgive the debt owed him as his debt was forgiven was turned over to the tormentors till he should pay all. It did not mention being cast our or put in prison. Having an unforgiving spirit is a sin. Sin will rob us of our joy. David prayed Lord restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. Could it be that a very large number of unhappy believers found in the church today are unhappy because they can’t or won’t forgive another? The unhappy child of God will find it difficult to be satisfied with spiritual things when they are not right with God in their heart. When the right relationship is restored with the Lord the result will be peace and happiness. Jesus said by their fruits ye shall know them. If a person has a sour spirit it will show. What could cause a child of God to have a sour spirit? Unforgiveness!
You might be surprised how your church would look if only you asked the Lord to take away your overly critical spirit and attitude, and give you a heart of real love for Him and others. What then was Jesus talking about when he said this man was turned over to the tormentors? The torments of an evil conscience and a proud covetous heart are never small, nor are they few. Nor are they secluded to the believer they will affect all around them. If someone had a grudge against another they can’t be comfortable in the others presence. Why? Guilty conscience I guess. Maybe they are always looking for what’s wrong and critical of everything. You can’t change the world around you until you change the world within you. There is a way of escape from these things. In 1 John 1:9 we find, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
So then what must we do? First we must forgive to the same degree we were forgiven. We must do it completely and totally. Jesus told us that the servant was forgiven all his debt. It was only after he would not extend the same level of mercy he was given that his debt was required of him. Could God withhold blessings if we don’t forgive? That is something only God can answer. However it does appear from the story Jesus told this may truly be the case. We must be able to forgive so we can be forgiven.