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Forgiveness

One of the requirements for being forgiven is to forgive. Jesus teaches us in Luke 6:37 - Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 

The Apostle Paul teaches us in Ephesians 4:30 - And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

Ephesians 4:31 - Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 

Ephesians 4:32 - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 

I don’t think any Christian wants to grieve the Holy Spirit, but we learn in Ephesians that is exactly what will happen if we do not have a forgiving spirit.

An unforgiving spirit will lead to bitterness and bitterness will destroy a person mentally, emotionally, and physically. So, when God commands us to have a forgiving spirit it is for our own good. As believers, He has forgiven us, and we ought to forgive those who have offended or hurt us.