Forgiveness

Forgiveness

“You forgave us our debts; as we also forgive our debtors.” — Matthew 6:12

“Because of this, the kingdom of heaven was made like a human king, who wanted to audit accounts with his servants; so, when he began the audit, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him; yet, not having his own ability to repay, his lord demanded him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and everything, as much as he had, to be repaid.  Falling thus, the servant prostrates to him, begging, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you everything’; being so moved to pity, the lord of this servant released him, and forgave him the debt.

“Exiting (or escaping) now, the same servant, found (or caught) one of his fellow servants, who was an hundred denarii indebted to him: seizing him, he chokes him, demanding, ‘Repay me whatever you are indebted.’  Falling thus, at his feet, his fellow servant pleads with him, begging, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay everything to you’; yet, he would not, but departing, threw him into prison, until he could repay the debt.

“So, his fellow servants, having seen what was happening, they were vehemently upset, and coming they explained to their lord everything that was happening.

“Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘Servant!  Wicked!  all that debt that I forgave you as soon as you asked me: Was it not also necessary for you to also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I also had mercy on you?  And his lord being furious, delivered him to the torturers, until he could repay all the debt.

“Thus also, my heavenly Father will do to you, if you would not forgive, each one, his brother from your hearts, their side-falls.” — Matthew 18:23-35

“You forgave us our debts; as we also forgive our debtors.” — Matthew 6:12

“For if you have forgiven men their side-falls, then your heavenly Father will forgive you.  Yet if you have not forgiven men their side-falls, neither will your Father forgive your side-falls.” — Matthew 6:14-15

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Two common mistakes are made:

†       One, forgiveness is not essential to salvation.  Wrong.  Forgiveness is essential to salvation: for, it is impossible to enter the kingdom of God’s forgiveness as an unforgiving person.

†       Two, it has nothing to do with money.  Wrong.  It has everything to do with money: for, money is not only the chief example with good reason: for money is also the chief abuse of forgiveness.