Love is…Forgiving (4/5)

Love is…forgiving

How quick are we to forgive our brother or our spouse?

When we are on the receiving end of ‘forgiveness’ for something we have said or done do we remember the significance to ‘our well-being’ it was for us and our walk with God?  Remembering thus happening in our own lives is the important key found in the “Parable of the Unforgiving Servant”. 

In the parable he was forgiven much but then when he went out from the king, he was unable to give a fraction of debt toward one of ‘his brothers’.

the Scripture reads:

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant  –  (ESV)

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. ²⁴ When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 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 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, 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, 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.”

the value of a commentary that can offer us ideas for understanding scripture:

From the Baker’s New Testament Commentary it states this:

The one and only main lesson of the parable is this: Prompted by gratitude the forgiven sinner must always yearn to forgive whoever has trespassed against him, and must do all in his power to bring about complete reconciliation.

However.. . ,Here are possible subsidiary lessons that are implied from the scripture text.

a. We are all God’s debtors (verse 23; cf. Rom. 3:23).

b. None of us is able to pay either his own or his brother’s debt (verse 25; cf. Ps. 49:7; Rom. 3:20).

c. Nevertheless, this debt must be paid (verses 23, 24; cf. Gen. 2:17; Rom. 3:19; 5:18).

d. By means of Christ’s atoning sacrifice the debt has been paid for all who believe in him (verse 27; cf. 20:28; Rom. 3:24; II Cor. 5:21).

e. Only then can men be certain that their debts are canceled if they themselves also cancel the debts of those who are indebted to them; that is, only then can they experience the assurance of forgiveness if they are eager to forgive the sins that have been committed against them (verse 35; cf. 6:12, 14, 15; Eph. 4:32).

f. It should not be too difficult for those who have been forgiven to forgive in turn, for what they owe God is infinitely more than what men owe them (verses 32, 33; cf. II Cor. 9:15).

g. The unforgiving person is destined for everlasting punishment (verses 34, 35; cf. Rom. 1:31, “unmerciful”).

h. When the question is asked, “Who must take the first step toward reconciliation: the one who inflicted injury, or the one who suffered injury?” the answer is “Both” (verse 35; Matt. 5:23, 24; cf. Col. 3:12–14).

(From: Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Vol. 9: Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew. New Testament Commentary (709). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.)

Dialogue – forgiving at home:

This parable dealt with the forgiving a debt that was owed to the king (God).  However, do we practice this generosity of a giving spirit with our wives?  Do we remember when our wife forgave us for something we did or said that was out of line?  Were we grateful that they did forgive us?  Didn’t we appreciate that they didn’t continue to bring it up, but instead let it be in the past.

In our homes we have the opportunity to be forgiving toward our wives and children.  When we do, do we forgive freely?  Do we let it remain unspoken in the future?  Are we quick to forgive as our spouse was to forgive us?  Do we extract payment from her by our refusing to let it rest? 

The parable here was an illustration of “the King our God” forgiving us for much.  In view of that can’t we forgive others for their short comings?   If we compare the enormous amount God forgave us for because of our sinful self.  With our sin on one side of the scale, can we justify not being forgiving to others?

Basically we need to start at home in learning to forgive.  I’m sure our wives can be a source of opportunities to practice this and in like manner we men are a self-producing source of things for them to practice forgiveness toward us.

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