Forgiving your spouse (3)

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34); “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation” (Luke 11:4).

                This is what the Bible says, “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Mt. 6:15).  The couple should forgive each other when they wrong each other.  If the husband did wrong, then he should be able to tell his spouse not only by saying "I am sorry" but also "I am wrong".  He must say specifically what he did wrong and how.  And he has to show his commitment that he will try not to wrong her again.  But this isn’t easy to do so.  The reason is that his old sinful nature is selfish and that he believes his spouse’s fault is bigger and greater than his own.  Not only that, his nature expects his wife to ask for forgiveness rather than him forgiving her.  How difficult this is for him to fight his own sinful selfish nature in order to forgive his wife?  For him to forgive her, he has to pay such a high price.  He has to deny himself and take up his cross (Mk. 8:34).  And when he forgives his wife for such a high price, the harvest of that forgiveness is beautiful.  When he asks for forgiveness by pay such high price, she must forgive him.  She must forgive him just as in Christ God forgave her (Eph. 4:32).  She must forgive him just as God already, is and will forgive her innumerable sins she has committed and will commit against the holy God in Christ Jesus.  Moreover, she must accept him and love him as he is with the love of God.  When she does so, she will be able to pray to the Lord, “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us  …” (Lk. 11:4).