The Danger of Unforgiveness

Those of you who know me are probably aware I frequently go to McDonald’s to drink coffee and work online with my laptop. You may be surprised to learn I once had a long standing grudge against the restaurant. 

Back in 1976 as a twelve-year-old, I went inside McDonald’s one day to pick up dinner for my family. Initially, there were many other customers waiting to order. Over the next 45 minutes, everybody had been waited on except me! For some reason, employees asked people in line behind me for their orders. I didn’t speak up because I thought I was doing the right thing by being patient. By the time someone finally asked for my order, I was extremely upset. Back home I ate my McDonald’s food but then vowed never to eat there again.

You might ask yourself, “So what’s the big deal? If you receive terrible service, don’t go back there.” I took my resentment towards McDonald’s to the extreme. Whenever my parents bought me food from there, I refused to eat it even if that meant going hungry for the night. One time I was about to ride with my dad and noticed McDonald’s wrappers in the car. I grabbed some paper towels to avoid contact with those wrappers while throwing them in the trash. If I rode with someone who decided to stop at McDonald’s, I usually waited in the car. If I had to sit inside the restaurant, I refused to touch French fries offered to me.

During my sophomore year in high school, my best friend David got hired by McDonald’s and suggested I work with him there. Even though I wanted a job, I wouldn’t consider his idea. The following June, I went on a week-long field trip with my Sunday school class. Occasionally, the pastor stopped at McDonald’s. Because I still refused to eat there, he gave me money so I could get food someplace else. It wasn’t until a decade later when I finally ended my McDonald’s boycott and bought myself an eggnog shake. What did I accomplish by holding onto a fourteen year grudge? Nothing!

Because we live in a fallen world, we will occasionally get mistreated. We can respond by forgiving the offenders or continue pondering the mistreatment and let it build inside our heart. That can have dangerous consequences. Hebrews 12:15 says, “looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”

Many times I’ve heard it said the only sin that stops people from receiving eternal life is rejecting Jesus. There is actually one more hindrance to heaven: unforgiveness. Look at what Jesus said in Mark 11:25-26…

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

One pastor I recently exchanged emails with contested the idea that unforgiveness prevents a Christian from going to heaven. God confirms His word by the mouth of two or three witnesses. In the Reinhard Bonnke video “Raised From the Dead”, a Nigerian pastor named Daniel Ekechukwu testified of being resurrected three days after dying from injuries suffered in a car accident. Before coming back to life, Daniel briefly stood outside the gates of heaven and learned he would’ve gone to hell for having unforgiveness towards his wife.

There’s also an eye-opening testimony in John Bevere’s book “The Bait of Satan.” John wrote about a man from the Philippines who briefly died on the operating table and was shown a vision of hell. This Filipino was amazed to see his wife’s mother burning in flames. She had said the “sinner’s prayer,” confessed to being a Christian, and had attended church. 

“Why is she in hell?” the Filipino asked the Lord.

The Lord told him that she had refused to forgive a relative and therefore could not be forgiven.

Forgiving others is not an option. Jesus makes it clear in His word…If we don’t forgive those who wronged us, God won’t forgive us of the wrongs we’ve done to Him.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire” - Matthew 5:21-22

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Gospel Soul Winning Script

Image
During my early days with evangelism, I developed an approach called the Survey Technique . By asking short direct questions, you can maintain control of the conversation and find out quickly what a person’s spiritual beliefs are. Although the Survey Technique has helped me lead thousands to the Lord, I’m still open to utilizing new methods in reaching people with the gospel. Rodney Howard-Browne 's ministry uses a tool called the Gospel Soul-Winning Script , which originated during their Good News New York campaign in 1999. I became familiar with it a few years later during evangelism outreaches with Rodney’s church in Tampa, Florida. At first, I resisted using the script. I found it restrictive and thought sinners wouldn’t be receptive to me reading the whole thing to them. Then while taking part in a 2009 outreach with Rodney’s ministry in Washington, D.C., my team leader asked me to “stick with the script.” Wanting to maintain unity, I complied with his request. Initially it fe...
Read more

Toking the Ghost Revisited

Image
Back in February 2007, a fellow missionary I was traveling with started talking about “smoking the weed from heaven.”   He would pretend to have a joint of marijuana between his fingers and have “smoke breaks with Jesus.”   He also encouraged other believers to take “hits.”   I was a bit uncomfortable with this idea but didn't contest it. Then in October of that year, I heard John Crowder preach on “toking the Ghost” at a church in my hometown of Fargo, North Dakota.   I was inspired to make a video with John to share with my missionary friend.   During the filming, I experienced much laughter. I decided to make the video public figuring other people might enjoy it also. Two weeks later at a church in Minnesota, I heard Benjamin Dunn share testimonies of people getting healed from “toking the Ghost.”   This was just before he and John Crowder started ministering together.   I believed this was God confirming His word in the mouth of ...
Read more

A Tribute to Al Best

Image
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. This tribute is for one who went home to be with the Lord last Sunday. Al Best oversaw Light in Anoka Church in a northern suburb of Minneapolis. Originally from Florida, Al first gave his life to the Lord at 17 but then backslid. Meanwhile, he served 21 years in the Navy and worked various jobs. That included selling Rainbow vacuum cleaners. I would eventually get to know his sales manager. Eric Gonyon became an associate pastor at Rodney Howard-Browne ’s church (I usually attend services there when in Tampa).  A few years after recommitting his life to the Lord, Al became a pastor. In 2007, the Lord directed him to head north to Minnesota, where his wife Jean is from. First, they ministered in the small town of Dassel. What started as a youth mission transitioned into regular services for all ages. Then in 2016, Al and Jean moved to Anoka to take on a church originally called New Day Fellowship. To counter the city’s motto as the “Hallowee...
Read more