Forgiveness

From the Turning Point devotion: Two Kinds of Forgiveness
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:12

Reading God's Word can produce questions. For instance, Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:7 that we have forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ. But Jesus said that forgiveness is dependent on our forgiving others of their sins (Matthew 6:14-15). So, is forgiveness conditional or unconditional?

Both! The forgiveness Paul wrote about allows us to be reconciled to God for eternity, the forgiveness made possible when Christ took our sins upon Himself and we placed our faith in Him. But there is another kind of forgiveness—the kind that restores daily fellowship between individuals and between a Christian and God. Jesus taught His disciples to ask God for forgiveness for their daily sins while they were forgiving others of their sins. He took it a step farther by saying that if we are not willing to embrace those who have sinned against us and restore fellowship with them, we should not expect God to do for us what we are unwilling to do for others. One kind of forgiveness results in salvation while the other restores fellowship.
If you are saved by the blood of Christ, make sure you are not separated from God and others by failing to forgive.