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"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15)
That's kind of strong isn't it? It can catch some of us right between the eyes! Well, I did a little digging and I found that Jesus expounded upon this teaching in Matthew 18:21-25 in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant:
"Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, "You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.""
We can take several things from this parable. God, or the Master, forgave our debt, which was great. In fact, He sacrificed His only begotten son to allow us that forgiveness. This forgiveness was costly to Him. It wasn't "fair" to Him, and we certainly didn't deserve it. Yet He forgave us still because that is how much He loves us. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
However, God does expect us to love and forgive others in the same way:
"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34)
"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." (Mark 11:25)
We are not to hold grudges, because they can give satan a foothold in our lives: "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:26-27)
"But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:35-38)
It seems then, that the Lord expects us to treat others with the same compassion and charity that He has shown to us. It also seems that we can expect God's mercies toward us to be proportional to our mercy toward others. Let us soften our hearts and, like God, forgive even when it hurts; even when it is undeserved. Because, if we don't...
"But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." (Mark 11:26)