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This Weeks Feature Article be Jack Kelley Some one once said that if we ever realized just how much the Lord has forgiven is us, we wouldnt hesitate a moment in forgiving others. I wonder. I think the Lord pretty much nailed us in His parable of the unmerciful servant. Its in Matt 18:21-35. Peter began the dialogue by asking how many times were required to forgive a brother who sins against us, up to seven times? Not seven times but 70 times 7, replied the Lord. I think that means, As often as he asks. Then He gave them and us the parable. Heres the Readers Digest version.
life. You received it simply by believing that He died to pay the price for your sins. At that moment you were forgiven once and for all, and your salvation was assured. Like the servant, your debt was canceled. At that time you were given irrevocable union with the Father (Ephe 1:13-14) and became as righteous as He is (2 Cor 5:21). This union is forever and carries eternal blessings for every believer. If thats the case, why did John in his letter to believers counsel us to confess and be restored every time we sin (1 John 1:9)? Its because of the other level, what I call fellowship. Fellowship is temporal, carries earthly benefits, and is subject to interruption. God cant relate to us while our hearts are full of anger, lust, envy, greed, or any other of the destructive human emotions that imprison us, because during those times were like the unmerciful servant, needing discipline. In the context of the parable, Hes still our Master and were still His servants, but we cant enjoy the full benefits of the relationship. Somethings come between us that has to be resolved before we can go on. More often than not, its our failure to forgive someone whos wronged us.
The Greek word translated rebuke in this passage means to admonish or censure. We should advise fellow believers when we think the way theyve treated us is contrary to Gods word (see also Matt 18:15-17). Repent means to change ones mind or reconsider, and has to do with the way we perceive things. In each of the 34 times the word repent is used in the New Testament, people are being admonished to change their perception of themselves and admit theyre sinners in need of a Savior. Forgive means to lay aside or leave alone.
A Tragic Misunderstanding
Somehow weve come to believe that repent means to stop doing something, and if we dont stop doing it, then we havent repented and therefore dont qualify for forgiveness. If thats true and the required salvation sequence is to repent and be saved, then none of us is saved, because none of us has stopped sinning. All of us are living in deliberate and open sin because in each human life there is observable behavior that violates Gods word, and is knowingly and willfully repeated. Its not that we discover one sin in our behavior and root it out only to be made aware of another. We deliberately repeat the same sinful behavior over and over. If we could progressively root out and eliminate the sins in our lives we could eventually stop sinning and wouldnt need a savior. When John the Baptist warned the people of Israel to repent for the Kingdom is near (Matt 3:2), he wasnt telling them to be on their best behavior because the King was coming. He was telling them to reconsider their need for a savior while they could. When Peter admonished the Jews at Pentecost to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins so they could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) he wasnt saying, Clean up your act. He was telling them that as soon as they changed their perception about who Jesus was and what He had done for them they could be forgiven and receive eternal life. When the evangelist tells his audience to repent and be saved, hes not telling them to become good enough to someday be accepted by the Lord. Hes admonishing them to realize they cant be good enough and to ask the Lord to take them right now just as they are.
Please Forgive Me
Just as repent doesnt mean, Ill never do it again, forgive doesnt mean, Its OK to do it again. Remember forgive means to lay aside or leave alone. Neither word is behavior driven. Both are perception driven. Jesus doesnt condone sin, but if weve accepted His remedy for our sins and confess (1 John 1:9) He chooses to leave it alone. Hes done that for us because we asked Him, and now He asks us to do likewise for each other.
In Luke 6:37 the clear implication is that judging or condemning another persons behavior constitutes sin, as does the failure to forgive. The parable of the unmerciful servant in Matt 18:23-35 demonstrated that pretty clearly and Luke 6:37 concurs, with positive admonitions. To receive the forgiveness that preserves fellowship for us, we must grant forgiveness to others as well as seeking forgiveness from the Lord.
Simon the Pharisee answered, I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled. Good answer. He who has been forgiven much, loves much. Have we been forgiven much? As I have loved you, the Lord said, You must love one another (John 13:34, 15:12 and 9 other places). He could just as easily have said, As I have forgiven you, you must forgive one another. The forgiveness that brought your salvation is good forever. No one can ever change that, not even you (John 10:27-30). The forgiveness that maintains your intimacy with the Lord in the here and now has to be renewed whenever you sin. Like the forgiveness that saved you, its automatically granted to everyone who asks. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) Weve all heard the Scottish Proverb, Confession is good for the soul. Now we know why its true. Forgive everyone who sins against you, confess early and often, and live a blessed life.