Reconciliation is the Foundation

Posted by anointedplace on February 13, 2012 · 2 Comments 

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Matthew 18

²¹ Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” ²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

²³ “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.^[g] 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousandtalents.^[h] 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶ So the servant^[i] fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ ²⁷ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. ²⁸ But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,^[j] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ ³⁰ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. ³¹ When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. ³² Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³ And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,^[k] until he should pay all his debt. ³⁵ So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Sometimes we don’t think about the cross like our heavenly Father does. We don’t look at salvation with the right prespective. We usually see the gospel with the mindset of saving ourself.  We see the gospel message of Christ saving our individual selves alone. our witness messages start with what God did for us only.

Just like sin has spread from Adam to all, also righteousness did the same through Jesus Christ.  So what does this have to do with reconciliation or forgiveness?  If everyone is a born sinner deserving death then we are all on the same level correct?  If my sin is no greater and no less than the people that are around me that means I’m no better right?  So if I’m no better how could I deny someone forgiveness from me when God forgave me when I didn’t deserve it?  God’s gift of salvation through Christ not only secured love, mercy, forgiveness, grace and salvation for me but also from me to others.  This reconciles all back to God for His glory alone.  Forgiveness, love, mercy, and grace; it is not ours to determine who gets the chance to earn it but is freely given to those God chooses to give them to.   We are just sinners under God’s grace, we have not earned the right to pass judgment.  The Father has given that job to Jesus Christ only (Acts 17:31). For us to act as if we have a better view of a person’s heart is wrong. We have no place to judge the world as the christian was just like the world before God saved us by changing our hearts. Salvation is the Lord’s not ours to give.

1 John 4:¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Related articles

• Forgiveness (godsgirlz1.wordpress.com)
• Forgiveness: Is It Always the Best Answer? (africanempress.wordpress.com)
• When the religious cast stones (mormonapologeticstudies.org)
• Double Standards (tamedbygrace.wordpress.com)

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