Dangers of Unforgiveness

Three Dangers of Unforgiveness

By Pastor Steve Cheung

Have you ever struggled to forgive someone? I know I have. Unforgiveness can profoundly affect our spiritual health and the health of the church.

In Acts 9:20-31, we see a powerful example of the transforming power of Jesus Christ. Saul was a passionate persecutor of Christians, but after encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul (eventually called Paul) repented and became a bold preacher of the gospel.

But when Saul returned to Jerusalem after being saved, the believers there couldn’t trust him. They hadn’t yet forgiven him for his past.

This account from Saul’s life highlights three dangers of unforgiveness: it clouds our judgment, isolates us from community, and hinders the work of the Holy Spirit.

Unforgiveness Leads to Irrationality

Jerusalem is where Saul made his first terrible mark on the Christian community. As a reminder, before his conversion, Saul dragged Christians out of their homes and was involved in the martyrdom of Stephen, among other things. So, the Jerusalem believers’ fear of Saul was not unfounded.

But the now saved Saul who tried to enter Jerusalem was not the same man who once had persecuted Christians. Now as a believer in Jesus, he was led by the Lord and fleeing to his own persecution.

Chuck Smith’s commentary on Acts 9:19 says that Saul may have spent up to three years with the disciples in Damascus. I believe these were the same disciples in Acts 9:25 who helped Saul as he escaped and made his way to Jerusalem.

Even though Saul may have been gone for three years, and other Christians like Barnabas knew his conversion was sincere, the disciples still doubted. At this point, their mistrust of Saul was unfounded and irrational, at least partly because they hadn’t forgiven him for his past.

Unforgiveness in my life also clouds my judgment. I make irrational decisions to protect myself. As Christians, we cannot minister effectively this way. We need a clear and sound mind to minister the gospel.

Unforgiveness Leads to Isolation

In this passage, there’s a point when Paul was not accepted in his previous group—the Pharisees, and nor was he accepted in the group he wanted to be in—the believers in Jerusalem. He was isolated.

One of the greatest apostles of all time was effectively in “no man’s land.” If you’ve found yourself in a position like this, you know it’s a difficult place to be. Fortunately, this did not last long for Paul but you can imagine the ramifications of not being plugged into the leadership team of believers in Jerusalem. He missed out and they also would have missed out on the blessing and influence of this godly man.

It is noteworthy that Barnabas is a key character in this passage. He brought Paul straight to the apostles and declared the truth of Paul’s path to salvation. Barnabas reconciled Paul to the community of believers in Jerusalem.

This is the role we are supposed to play in the community of Christ. We need to reconcile divided parties in the church, and not cause divisions so that we can all follow the direction of Hebrews 10:25: “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Unforgiveness Inhibits the Work of the Holy Spirit

So far, we’ve discussed Paul’s escape from Damascus, his arrival in Jerusalem, and his rejection and reconciliation with the Jerusalem believers.

Now, in Acts 9:31, we see the move and work of the Holy Spirit.

“Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied (Acts 9:31).”

This is no coincidence. Once the local body accepts and forgives Paul, the Holy Spirit’s work increases in the region, and the fear of God multiplies.

The church prospers when we walk in faith, offering forgiveness to individuals we deem undeserving.

Forgiveness Benefits the Body of Christ

Sometimes, we think personal grievances are small matters that God doesn’t pay attention to, but unforgiveness is a big deal. Remember Matthew 6:14–15—

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matthew 6:14—15).”

We must take Jesus’ words at face value. We need to forgive to be forgiven.

Fortunately God, in His great mercy, will continually reveal our deficiencies so we can have fellowship with Him and with one another.

Unforgiveness is a huge dividing force in the body of Christ today, and it’s often left unchecked. Ephesians 4:13 reminds us that unity is necessary for the entire body to reach maturity—

“Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).”

This means unforgiveness is no small matter and cannot be stalled or avoided. The benefits of forgiveness restore and bless our individual lives and allow the whole body of Christ to attain maturity.