The Life and Mission of Jesus Christ: Episode 23

Rev. Sun Myung Moon: The Life and Mission of Jesus Christ
Chapter 3: The Sermon on the Mount, Forgiveness, Page 66-69

Forgiveness

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

 

Today’s human society is corrupt, and philosophies are becoming self-centered. To sweep away these philosophies, only God’s love—true love—can suffice. True love is the love to give and give without expecting any return: Give and forget.

True Love and the Unified World
November 28, 1986

As human beings, we want to see our love partner become thousands of times greater than ourselves. Where did we learn that? From God. God wants to see human beings, as his love partners, become this way. That’s why we should give and forget, give and forget and live our life for the sake of others. God has been investing himself and forgetting throughout human history. Isn’t that right? Logically, this is the principle; even God has no choice but to follow it.

It even applies to the conjugal relationship. If as a wife you want to see your husband become ten, hundred, thousand times greater than yourself, what you have to do is invest yourself, living your life for the sake of your husband over and over again, forgetting what you have done for your husband. Then naturally it will happen. Step by step, you and your husband will develop a mutual relationship of living for the sake of each other. Together you will go up toward the summit.

Everybody Wants True Love
March 14, 1999

My attitude is to forgive and forget … . As long as I follow God’s way my worst critics will eventually apologize, and in the future their families will respect me, and my children. I have been in prison many times, particularly in communist prisons. I was called a prisoner but I was never ashamed; I always walked with dignity. Although I never committed a crime, after I was released I never desired to return to gain revenge. Rather, I prayed to God, “Father, forgive them so that these people can open their hearts and be united with me.” With that heart I walked out of the prison camp. This is the path God has been walking for thousands of years.

Where Do We Go?
September 17, 1978

When I was persecuted by the communist regime in North Korea, the police arrested me and tortured me until they thought I was dead. Don’t you think that I could have felt resentment toward my situation at such times? I could have demanded of God, “Why are you allowing me to suffer like this? Why can’t you do something to protect me, since you are so great and powerful?” This would have been the common reaction. But even though my hands were bruised and bleeding, I clasped them in prayer for those who tortured me. I know that those who beat me were only acting on orders; they could not reject me completely. I longed to embrace them and forgive them. I refused to write them off. You likewise should not give up when you encounter opposition or difficulties.

True Parents and Our Responsibility
December 27, 1981

Church leaders here, when you take care of your people and see someone with a shortcoming, don’t directly criticize his faults simply as his. Rather, observe how you can forgive him. See if you can find something praiseworthy in his wife. If the wife is worse than the husband, then look at his children. If even the children are worse, then look at his mother and father. A man’s parents must have some good points. If I thus treat him with the heart of parent’s love, the blessings that have been accumulated within his family emerge and make a relationship with me. This is the way to engraft blessings. Do you understand?

With Jungsung and Love
January 5, 1999

Have you African-American members carried some kind of hidden grudge against white people? You can have two thoughts—one, that some day you will get revenge for injustice done, or two, that you sincerely love them, becoming one with them in true love. For hundreds of years you have been oppressed and enslaved, but can you forgive and forget that, and tell God you want to love others regardless?

Let Us Think
May 6, 1979