Posted on 04/14/2024 10:00:47 AM PDT by metmom
“‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing’” (Luke 23:34).
As Jesus forgave others (including us), we should extend forgiveness to those who wrong us.
Jesus had a forgiving heart right up to the end, even after He had experienced a lifetime of mankind’s worst treatment. He came down to a world He had created, but that world rebuffed Him. Its inhabitants’ eyes were blinded by sin, and they could not see any beauty in Jesus. Almost immediately after His humble birth in a stable, King Herod sought to have Him killed (Matt. 2:13, 16-18). And the Jewish leaders on various occasions contested Christ’s teachings and looked for opportunities to seize Him and kill Him. The cross was just the culmination of a lifetime of persecution against Jesus.
Jesus’ death by crucifixion was one of the most humiliating, painful forms of execution the world has ever known. From a human perspective, we would have expected Him to plead with God the Father for mercy or to be enraged at God and denounce Him for allowing Him to be crucified. If we had written the original script for Jesus’ crucifixion scene, we probably would have had Him screaming threats of retaliation at His killers. But our Savior did none of those things. Instead, He asked His Father to forgive His enemies.
The Lord Jesus prayed for the most important need His executioners would ever have. They would never be able to enter the presence of a holy God if their sins were not forgiven. Christ was concerned that His opponents, who were ignorantly putting Him to death, have an opportunity to be forgiven rather than endure God’s vengeance.
Such an attitude of love and mercy should also be ours. We, unlike Jesus, are sinners ourselves who need constant forgiveness. Therefore, when we are wronged, our primary concern ought to be that God would forgive the one who has sinned against us. An excellent model of this attitude is Stephen, who prayed as he was being stoned to death, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60). He followed Christ’s own example of love and forgiveness, and so should we.
Suggestions for Prayer
Pray that you may have a more consistently forgiving attitude toward others who wrong or offend you.
For Further Study
Read Matthew 18:21-35.
What is implied in Jesus’ figurative expression “seventy times seven” (v. 22) regarding forgiving others?
Ultimately, how much does it matter that we maintain a forgiving attitude (vv. 32-35)?
From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.
Studying God’s Word ping
Forgiveness cannot be looked at in isolation. There is repentance, consequences and other things involved in the sin.
We All are briefly on this Pilgrimage through a dry and thirsty land Seeking
Living Waters. Extend your Cup that overflows to your struggling brothers.
I don’t think so. If trust has been betrayed, it makes no sense to do that again.
Also, we can’t forget.
My understanding is that forgiveness means giving up our claim to expect restitution for the wrong done and give it to God. Giving up our right to expect restitution or exacting revenge.
The person wronged us and owes us but generally can never pay back for the wrong they did. It’s hard. I know. I struggle with that when the person I forgave who is still part of my life keeps offending.
Lots of people think that forgiveness means to forgive and forget and act as if it never happened, and that can’t be done. The thing that gave me the most problem is struggling with the feeling that by forgiving them it means that what they did wasn’t wrong after all and I’m OK with it. But they WERE wrong and I think it’s fine to not be OK with it.
One thing that has helped me is to think about how I would feel if the person wronged someone else in the same manner.
This is something I struggle with but if I have an expectation that Christ forgives me as promised, shouldn’t I do the same as commanded by Christ?
Yes.
God wants us to.
Hurt runs deep though and can destroy us if we let it.
If the Father forgave them, they would all be going to heaven, right ? Is that what you believe?
No. We can forgive them for the offense that they committed against us only.
But that doesn’t clear the slate for their offense against God or others.
Well, if God forgives them because they repented and turned to Christ, then yes, they would go to heaven. Just like us.
But if I forgive someone who stole something from me and released them from the debt of paying me back, it doesn’t mean what they did was not wrong or that I was OK with it.
And I would still not trust them.
The offenders making restitution goes a long way to healing the wound of the wrong done.
Like the long lost Luke 23:34 b?
"...as long as they repent, and do the other things that the Church will think up later."
70 * 7
Yes, the Lord’s Prayer makes that very clear.
Forgive us our tresspasses AS WE FORGIVE those who trespass against us.
Forgiving others is actually more beneficial for us, than for those that we forgive.
In fact, our forgiveness doesn’t absolve those we forgive.
Only God’s forgiveness can do that.
But it could very well could inspire those who have offended us to be repentant and then ask God to forgive them.
After all, the Bible makes it clear that all sin is against God, so it is Him we need to ask for forgiveness.
I believe it was David who said “It is you oh God against whom I have sinned”
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
KJV; Psalm 51:4
The Lord recently showed me some things to think about regarding forgiving others.
First, in a way, since His will is sovereign, to hold something against other people is to also hold something against Him. You can often see that in people’s bitter remarks about others. It’s a sobering thought.
Also, when thinking of forgiveness, think of what God’s Word says about mercy and truth:
“All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.” Psalm 25:10.
“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” Psalm 86:15.
“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face.” Psalm 89:14.
“Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.” Proverbs 3:3-4.
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10
Forgiveness involves both mercy and truth. Truth is a help to us.
Then, we can consider some different parables Jesus taught.
Of course, the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21-35. We all owe so much more to the Lord.
Our real problem in this life is with our sin and rebellion against the Lord. And even when we’ve been forgiven after repenting, believing on Christ’s sacrifice to pay our sin debt and then living to please God, we cannot start to accrue any “pay” from God, as if to put Him in debt to us, for our “good works.” As Paul wrote, then we’d be earning our salvation and it would be due to us from God like a pay check. Like with the crimes of worldly criminals, our sins are crimes against God that are like scattering seeds for the devil. We can never recapture them and undue what evil our sins have done in this world. We can never “pay our debt” to Him and undue the wrong things we’ve done. We can only repent and live to please Him by following Him to the best of our ability.
The Lord also pointed me, too, to the Parable of the Prodigal Son. At best, like the prodigal son, we decide to turn to God because we see it’s in our self-interest. He reveals that to us. Many people who deny God don’t see that. But because being reconciled to God is actually quite selfish and self-serving on our part, we should be ready to be merciful to others and realistically deal with their selfishness, as it is ours too.
Then the Lord also brought to my mind the Parable of the Unjust Steward. As Jesus often preached on money and mammon, and connected them to our sin and need for forgiveness, we can also take from this parable that we can forgive a certain amount of what is owed to God, the Master, and ourselves in a human sense. Think of the Lord dispensing mercy, and also how a human court can dispense mercy. Part of forgiveness can mean not going after what is fully due one, as God doesn’t.
Also, “love covers a multitude of sins.” And “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. We are able to, with the Lord sustaining us, work through these most difficult human situations, doing His will and serving Him, and trying to help others to be reconciled to Him.
Excellent insights.
I especially liked the one about the fact that we can’t pay our sin debt back to God because we really don’t know the full scope and ramifications of the damage our sin has done to to others and for how long.
I never really considered that before. I may have heard it but it never really hit home like it has tonight.
Thanks for sharing that. I’m keeping your posts.
“If you have anything against anyone, forgive them”
...it pretty much includes everything and everyone and leaves no room for exceptions.
Who is the one who is imprisoned and tortured in Matthew 18, but the one who did not forgive?
Those who wronged us have moved on, not even thinking about their harm and destruction. It is us who toil over the transgression. We, in unforgiveness imprison ourselves and torture ourselves until we forgive. We do this to ourselves. It is the sentence imposed upon us through our own choice, until we choose to forgive. We chose that result. However! When we forgive, we are released from our own prison and torture.
It has been said that unforgiveness is like drinking poison, hoping the other person dies.
What is forgiveness?
The best definition I’ve heard;
“Forgiveness is releasing someone from the debt, or obligation they owe you when they harmed you.”
Yeah, but who will pay the price for the harm against me?
I will.
It is ALWAYS the one who is harmed that pays the price to reconcile the relationship.
Look at the cross.
We sinned against God.
He and He alone could only pay the price for what I’ve done against Him.
He, innocent and harmed, paid the ultimate price to restore our relationship with Him.
He is our example in this matter.
Just “...as God in Christ Jesus forgave you.”
Bitterness, wrath and malice must be replaced with kindness and tenderheartedness. This is the work part assigned to us This is the answer to; “yeah but how do I DO that?” Recognize that you too need forgiveness, see them in that light and show love, kindness and tenderheartedness. Love is not a feeling, it is work (hard work) and humility. Release them from their debt and obligation to you when they harmed you.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” EPH 4:30-32
...not directed at you personally metmom
I know it wasn’t meant personally, that *you* is the generic you.
Also great insight. Thanks.
Holding a grudge is a Lesson to be learned from the book of Jonah.
Probably the Biggest Revival of All time..
Jonah Still hung onto his hatred.
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