Unforgiveness; a sure ticket to Hell

We all know that God does not send anyone to hell. He is too perfect in holiness to do that to any of his children no matter how bad they have become. The end of world events that will determine the final eternal existence for the devil, the beast, and the antichrist along with those who have followed them is another matter. Anyone who is not willing to follow Christ and does not believe in the Holy Spirit’s premise of total forgiveness places themselves in a precarious position and will, because of their rejection of the mercy of God, will find themselves in hell.

It is in forgiving those who hurt us in any manner or the enemies of humanity that will clear the path for our journey to heaven. Finding the way to wrap our hearts around the enemies of God, who cannot ask for divine intervention themselves, opens the door that Satan attempts to keep closed, is a sure way to receive grace that clears away the cobwebs of hatred and revenge.

There is a Jewish rabbi who said to God, regarding the elimination of six million Jews in concentration camps, he could never forgive Hitler or the Third Reich for such evil on his people. He told God he would have to do the forgiving; he could not. I am certain that there are many people who for one reason or more may feel this way in their own loss of loved ones. Christians, and perhaps other religions, who adhere to the Passion of Jesus Christ realize God did not climb upon the Cross at Calvary to forgive us for little infractions. He became Incarnated to allow himself to be nailed to the tree of life that first birthed him in a cattle shed and then hung him on the Cross of Forgiveness. Never once in all eternity did God make specific requirements for sinners to seek and find his mercy. We sin, ask for mercy, and are given freedom from eternal death. As God forgives all of us if we repent our sins, have found a decision to forgive others no matter how often evil has touched us and we have also returned that same essence of love we ask for the same mercy on our souls as well.

We may be asked about our sins of the flesh, but we had better be prepared to answer the quest regarding whom we did not forgive. The only answer that won’t create a path to hell is that we were mentally crippled at the moment of unforgiveness and did not know what we were doing. Only God knows the circumstances.

You might be a person who gives away money to the poor and assists others in learning about Christ. But, if you hold animosity towards someone and will not forgive them for any reason, your giving time and money will never be enough to balance the scales of judgement on unforgiveness.

A concern from many people will arise and tell us, ministers of God, to put ourselves in their shoes and tell us to be forgiving. St. Stephen, the deacon and first Christian martyr, said to his executioners, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” and when he said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7: 56, 60).

Jesus as he was dying on the Cross said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Lk 23: 34).

Ok this was Jesus, the Son of God! But as he spoke he still was 100 % human and knew what pain is as human flesh and blood. Both natures were present until he took his final breath.

St. Stephen was a Saint, and that doesn’t mean only saints can speak out like that. We all have that capacity to suffer persecution and some may very well become martyrs. The premise to forgive others who by intent or mistakes confront our minds with the option to carry hate and revenge beyond the grave is ours to reach out with forgiveness.

Ralph B. Hathaway