Matthew 6:12, 14, 15 KJB
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
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This has always been a problem. Far too many in the church have quite wrong views of forgiveness, such as:
- they themselves want to be forgiven easily and quickly; but themselves are slow and find it hard to forgive those who err against them.
-they have “degrees of offenses” and thereby have degrees and even timetables of forgiveness.
-they will forgive those they like (family and friends); will hold a grudge against those they don’t like.
-they say “they have forgiven” but hold on to the hurt/offense that was caused and ever remind “the offending party” that they did/said “such and such”…”forgive but NEVER forget.”
-view forgiveness/forgiving as optional, something they can do at their leisure…."when they feel like it”, attaching their EMOTIONS/FEELINGS to forgiveness.
Biblical forgiveness is NONE of that though.
BIBLICAL FORGIVENESS.
Matthew 18:20-22 King James Version
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
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Luke 17 King James Version
1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
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.
3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
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.
5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
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From the above texts we see NO room whatsoever for the above definitions (excuses) for forgiveness that are ALL man-made, forged in opinion, and wholly unbiblical.
We can NOT “choose to forgive” as Disciples of Christ, NO we are commanded to forgive…The Lord Jesus Christ tells us, His Disciples, pointedly that OUR being forgiven is contingent, completely dependent upon OUR forgiving those who offend us.
Nor can we limit our forgiveness. “I’ll forgive you this time but you better NEVER offend me again.” Jesus said to forgive 490 times, even if it’s the same person, even if it’s the same day.
The Biblical Example of Forgiveness.
Luke 23:33-35 King James Version
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
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Our Lord Jesus Christ was falsely accused, arrested, beaten, cursed, mocked, spat on, questioned, slapped, whipped brutally with a cat of nine tails, a crown of 6 inch thorns was beaten into His head, then made to carry His cross UPHILL to Golgotha/Mount Calvary where He was then thrown down on the cross, NAILED TO IT, raised up between two thieves, and while hanging there on the cross bloody, battered, and bleeding instead of cursing His offenders, moaning, whining, complaining what JESUS did was FORGIVE the very people who put Him there and were at THAT MOMENT gambling for His clothes.
FORGAVE THEM.
It didn’t take Jesus time to FORGIVE.
Jesus didn’t have to think about it and wrestle with Forgiveness.
Jesus did NOT just forgive some. Jesus did NOT forgive just a little. Jesus did NOT say, “OK, I forgive you BUT I’ll NEVER forget it, and if you sin again I’m holding all your past “forgiven” sins against you!!”
NO.
Jesus fully, freely, and instantly FORGAVE.
And if we are going to be Disciples of The Lord Jesus Christ we WILL forgive…even If someone is a repeat offender, when they come back and seek forgiveness we ARE TO FORGIVE. It is NOT optional. It is EXPECTED. It is COMMANDED. It IS Christlike.