Consider the area of mutual forgiveness. No one who denies himself can ever harbour bitterness or a grudge against another or fail to forgive another human being. Resentment exists only in hearts where Self is still on the throne.

Jesus once told a parable of a servant who, though forgiven much by his master, could not forgive his fellow-servant a paltry debt. His master, on hearing this, handed over the unmerciful servant to the torturers to be punished. "So", said Jesus, "shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart" (Matthew 18:35). However one interprets being handed over to the torturers for punishment, that is exactly what Jesus said would happen to those who adopted an unforgiving attitude or even harboured an unforgiving spirit against any of his fellow-believers. Notice that Jesus emphasized that forgiveness must be from the heart. In other words, it must be wholehearted and not an external ritual. Telling someone that you forgive him is meaningless if there is still bitterness in your heart.

When we violate God's law of love, we hinder the working of the Body of Christ. But that is not all. We harm ourselves as well. Dr. S.I. McMillen, in None of These Diseases, says, "The moment I start hating a man, I become his slave. I cannot enjoy my work anymore, because he even controls my thoughts. My resentment produces too many stress hormones in my body and I become fatigued after a few hours of work. The work I formerly enjoyed is now drudgery. Even vacations cease to give me pleasure. The man I hate hounds me wherever I go. I cannot escape his tyrannical grasp on my mind."

Hidden grudges and bitterness are ruining the effectiveness, and even the physical health of many Christians and Christian workers throughout the world today.

Jesus taught that we were to take the initiative in restoring fellowship, even where a brother feels (rightly or wrongly) that we have hurt him.

If you are standing ....offering a sacrifice to God", said Jesus, and suddenly remember that a friend has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar and go and apologize and be reconciled to him, and then come and offer your sacrifice to God (Matthew 5:23,24- TLB).

Likewise He said,

When you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in Heaven will forgive your sins too ( Mark 11:25 - TLB).

Jesus calls us in all situations to deny ourselves, swallow our pride, and "go the second mile" in seeking to restore fellowship wherever it has been broken. At times, despite our best efforts at reconciliation, a brother may adopt a hard, unforgiving attitude; but if we have made the effort we shall have discharged our responsibility before God.

Jesus' words make it clear that God cannot accept our worship or our service or anything else that we offer to Him, if matters are unsettled between us and any other member of His body, and we have made no effort towards reconciliation. I wonder at times, how many Christians take the words of Jesus seriously. Many treat God's commands lightly and thereby bring spiritual death into the Body of Christ.

A further reason for forgiveness", Paul tells us, is to keep from being outsmarted by Satan (2 Corinthians 2:11- TLB).