What is forgiveness? What does it mean to be forgiven?
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Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
The servant therefore fell down, and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all." Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, "Pay me that thou owest."
And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, "Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all."
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, "O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?" And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
(Matthew 18:23-35)
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What did it mean to the first servant that he had been forgiven? It meant that he no longer was required to repay that which he owed. It meant he could walk out as a free man. It meant he was not bound under his former obligation.
What would it have meant to the second servant to have been forgiven? It would have meant the same thing-- that he would no longer be a borrower who was in danger of being thrown into debtor's prison.
What happened to the first servant when he refused to live according to the forgiveness he had received? He (and his wife, children, and possessions) was not merely sold , as would have been the case in the beginning. He was far worse off than he would have been otherwise. Not simply because he owed a debt that he could not repay, but because he had abused the grace and compassion that the lord had given to him.
What if we do not extend the same forgiveness and mercy to others, as God has extended it to us? Hmm?
Also, forgiveness and repentance are inextricably linked. Both servants repented and expressed their intention to repay their debt, that is, their intention to change their ways. One servant was in fact forgiven, the other servant clearly ought to have been forgiven (had the first servant been honourable). But if neither of them had pleaded that they would change their ways, they would both still have been in debt. Is not this like God's kingdom? God doesn't grant forgiveness without confession and repentance on our part, so as to make us free to do evil. But at the same time, God does not wait for us to prove ourselves before He grants forgiveness-- God doesn't predicate his forgiveness on some works of righteousness or compassion we do that show Him that we deserve His grace. Does He require us to be righteous and compassionate? Absolutely. Just like the lord in the parable, God requires us to live according to the grace He has given us, but He requires it after He extends grace to us.
And also, what if there is no definite object or substance that is owed? What if there is a more intangible wrongdoing involved; for example, me lying to you? There is no "debt" for me to repay. How then does forgiveness work? What does it mean for you to forgive me? What changes-- on my part and on your part?
Showing posts with label forgiveness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label forgiveness. Show all posts
Monday, May 31, 2010
Monday, April 13, 2009
Offences and Servants
Luke 17:1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
Luke 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luke 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
Luke 17:7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
Luke 17:8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
Luke 17:9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.
Luke 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
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17:1-4... It seems that this section is not concerned about us sinning, it's more about when someone else sins against us, which, because we live in a world of fallen people, is likely. Thus, Jesus is telling us how we are to love others...the same way that God loves us - who forgives us when we come to Him and repent.
Since a key word here seems to be "offences"....we should define it, should we not? It seems that in this section "to offend" is the same as "to try to cause to sin"...Strong's concordance says that it means "to trip up, or entice to sin."
17:1 -- Offences will come...that is, there will always be someone who will try to deceive the weaker brethren. And woe unto him that offends...it is wrong to lead people into sin, and thus God will punish people who do it.
17:2 -- It would be better for one to die a horrible death, than to lead a little one astray.
17:3-4 -- John Wesley writes "If he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day return, saying, I repent - That is, if he give sufficient proof that he does really repent, after having sinned ever so often, receive him just as if he had never sinned against thee."....so these two verses aren't concerned with us sinning, but with us forgiving those who sin against us
17:5 -- The apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith, so we know that that is what Jesus is talking about in verses 6 through 10...He is responding to the disciples' petition.
17:6 -- "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed..." that is, if you have even a little faith, you have it all, for you can do anything (anything that glorifies God) if you have even a tiniest bit of honest faith.
17:7-8 -- A servant is bound to serve his master, and the master need not thank the servant, for the servant's pay is equal to the service he renders - the servant serves, and does merely his duty - what glory is there in doing nothing more than you are told?
17:9 -- Therefore, does the master need to thank the servant? Nope.
17:10 -- So, Jesus says, we are like the servant (God is our master)...if we do what God has said (that is, keep the law), what glory can we claim for ourselves? We have none - all we have done is what we were supposed to - we haven't done anything extra that God should be indebted to us. So in this way, we say "we are but unprofitable servants...we have no merit to our credit, we have only done our duty."
Note that Jesus never says that cannot do our duty, instead, He says the opposite - not only are we bound to do our duty, we can do it, and then say "yes, we have done our duty". So why are we "unprofitable" servants? Because we have robbed our master - while we were in sin, all our time and talents that should have been used in our master's service, we have used in the service of His enemy - this is nothing less than robbery! So even though we render obedience now, we have no way of repaying our debt (this is why we need a saviour). Thus, salvation comes, not by the works of the law (doing our duty), but by faith in Jesus Christ, for he has made it possible for God to forgive us (Galatians 2:16).
Does this passage teach that we will continue in sin? God forbid! Rather, it tells us that we can (and strongly implies that we will) keep His commandments...but we are not justified by our own works, but by faith in Christ, remember, it was faith that the apostles were wondering about - so Jesus lays out how even if we keep the law (which we can), we still can only be saved by faith.
Luke 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luke 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
Luke 17:7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
Luke 17:8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
Luke 17:9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.
Luke 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
__________________________________
17:1-4... It seems that this section is not concerned about us sinning, it's more about when someone else sins against us, which, because we live in a world of fallen people, is likely. Thus, Jesus is telling us how we are to love others...the same way that God loves us - who forgives us when we come to Him and repent.
Since a key word here seems to be "offences"....we should define it, should we not? It seems that in this section "to offend" is the same as "to try to cause to sin"...Strong's concordance says that it means "to trip up, or entice to sin."
17:1 -- Offences will come...that is, there will always be someone who will try to deceive the weaker brethren. And woe unto him that offends...it is wrong to lead people into sin, and thus God will punish people who do it.
17:2 -- It would be better for one to die a horrible death, than to lead a little one astray.
17:3-4 -- John Wesley writes "If he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day return, saying, I repent - That is, if he give sufficient proof that he does really repent, after having sinned ever so often, receive him just as if he had never sinned against thee."....so these two verses aren't concerned with us sinning, but with us forgiving those who sin against us
17:5 -- The apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith, so we know that that is what Jesus is talking about in verses 6 through 10...He is responding to the disciples' petition.
17:6 -- "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed..." that is, if you have even a little faith, you have it all, for you can do anything (anything that glorifies God) if you have even a tiniest bit of honest faith.
17:7-8 -- A servant is bound to serve his master, and the master need not thank the servant, for the servant's pay is equal to the service he renders - the servant serves, and does merely his duty - what glory is there in doing nothing more than you are told?
17:9 -- Therefore, does the master need to thank the servant? Nope.
17:10 -- So, Jesus says, we are like the servant (God is our master)...if we do what God has said (that is, keep the law), what glory can we claim for ourselves? We have none - all we have done is what we were supposed to - we haven't done anything extra that God should be indebted to us. So in this way, we say "we are but unprofitable servants...we have no merit to our credit, we have only done our duty."
Note that Jesus never says that cannot do our duty, instead, He says the opposite - not only are we bound to do our duty, we can do it, and then say "yes, we have done our duty". So why are we "unprofitable" servants? Because we have robbed our master - while we were in sin, all our time and talents that should have been used in our master's service, we have used in the service of His enemy - this is nothing less than robbery! So even though we render obedience now, we have no way of repaying our debt (this is why we need a saviour). Thus, salvation comes, not by the works of the law (doing our duty), but by faith in Jesus Christ, for he has made it possible for God to forgive us (Galatians 2:16).
Does this passage teach that we will continue in sin? God forbid! Rather, it tells us that we can (and strongly implies that we will) keep His commandments...but we are not justified by our own works, but by faith in Christ, remember, it was faith that the apostles were wondering about - so Jesus lays out how even if we keep the law (which we can), we still can only be saved by faith.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Could You?.......Did You?........What Then?
If you could live your whole life to the fullest and honestly love everyone (not just LOOK like you love everyone), yes, God would have to let you into heaven...the only problem is that you've already blown your chances at a pure, holy life, because somewhere along the line, you have broken God's law:
Have you ever told a lie (or a "half-truth")? Have you ever stolen something? (I have...and I was raised by God-fearing Christian parents). Have you ever used God's name as a curse word? Have you ever hated your brother? (Jesus said that to hate someone is just the same as murdering them). Have you ever looked at a girl (or a guy) and lusted after her (or him)?...that's adultery (or fornication) Have you ever envied your neighbor's (or brother's/sister's/friend's/etc.) stuff?
If you (like me) have broken even one of these laws, you are a lawbreaker...and God doesn't let criminals into heaven - you can't make it if you've messed up just once...and if you don't make it into heaven, there is only one place left for you.
BUT...there is a way. Because God loves us humans so much, He wanted there to be a way for us to be saved ('cause by our own works, there is no way we would make it). So He sent His Son, Jesus (who didn't sin), to become human, just like the rest of us, to live a perfect life, and then to be sacrificed, so that God could forgive us.
Now, in order to make up for a sin that I've done, I would have to do over and above what God's law requires of me. But since it was hard enough to even live up to the law, it would be absurd to think that I could surpass it and do more good than the law requires...so how can my sins be forgiven, if I can't make up for them?
Jesus had not sinned even a single time...he did not have to die...but He chose to die -- this was the one thing that He could do that was over and above His duty...Jesus had to keep the law just like everyone else - He couldn't obey for us (He had to obey for himself), but since He had never broken the law, he didn't need to be punished. Jesus suffered in order to "make up" for my (and your) sins; public justice was satisfied - this means that all could see that God upholds the punishment of the law, and at the same time, was willing to forgive people who have sinned.
If you have sinned -- you have two options; you can suffer the consequences (not a pretty thought), or, thanks to God's grace (Jesus' sacrifice), you can be forgiven.
How does a sinner receive this forgiveness? It is not by trying our best to do better (we tried that already), and it is not by any merit of our own (we deserve to be punished). It is through faith in Jesus Christ...this means two things: that you believe that He died for your sins (and that He will forgive you), and you repent (this means that you stop serving yourself, and give yourself wholly to God). These two things, repent and believe, are all God requires...these are easy, and yet at the same time hard. There is no work involved (all we can do is accept the gift of forgiveness), but at the same time, we are giving our entire lives to God - we are not our own anymore.
If you have accepted God’s gift, God has said that he will give you the power to actually keep His law, so that, as a believer, you don’t ever have to sin again – “live in holiness and righteousness all the days of your life” is how the Bible puts it – and God will admit you to heaven.
Have you ever told a lie (or a "half-truth")? Have you ever stolen something? (I have...and I was raised by God-fearing Christian parents). Have you ever used God's name as a curse word? Have you ever hated your brother? (Jesus said that to hate someone is just the same as murdering them). Have you ever looked at a girl (or a guy) and lusted after her (or him)?...that's adultery (or fornication) Have you ever envied your neighbor's (or brother's/sister's/friend's/etc.) stuff?
If you (like me) have broken even one of these laws, you are a lawbreaker...and God doesn't let criminals into heaven - you can't make it if you've messed up just once...and if you don't make it into heaven, there is only one place left for you.
BUT...there is a way. Because God loves us humans so much, He wanted there to be a way for us to be saved ('cause by our own works, there is no way we would make it). So He sent His Son, Jesus (who didn't sin), to become human, just like the rest of us, to live a perfect life, and then to be sacrificed, so that God could forgive us.
Now, in order to make up for a sin that I've done, I would have to do over and above what God's law requires of me. But since it was hard enough to even live up to the law, it would be absurd to think that I could surpass it and do more good than the law requires...so how can my sins be forgiven, if I can't make up for them?
Jesus had not sinned even a single time...he did not have to die...but He chose to die -- this was the one thing that He could do that was over and above His duty...Jesus had to keep the law just like everyone else - He couldn't obey for us (He had to obey for himself), but since He had never broken the law, he didn't need to be punished. Jesus suffered in order to "make up" for my (and your) sins; public justice was satisfied - this means that all could see that God upholds the punishment of the law, and at the same time, was willing to forgive people who have sinned.
If you have sinned -- you have two options; you can suffer the consequences (not a pretty thought), or, thanks to God's grace (Jesus' sacrifice), you can be forgiven.
How does a sinner receive this forgiveness? It is not by trying our best to do better (we tried that already), and it is not by any merit of our own (we deserve to be punished). It is through faith in Jesus Christ...this means two things: that you believe that He died for your sins (and that He will forgive you), and you repent (this means that you stop serving yourself, and give yourself wholly to God). These two things, repent and believe, are all God requires...these are easy, and yet at the same time hard. There is no work involved (all we can do is accept the gift of forgiveness), but at the same time, we are giving our entire lives to God - we are not our own anymore.
If you have accepted God’s gift, God has said that he will give you the power to actually keep His law, so that, as a believer, you don’t ever have to sin again – “live in holiness and righteousness all the days of your life” is how the Bible puts it – and God will admit you to heaven.
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