Forgiveness

On Sunday I preached about the amazing grace of God in which there is nothing we’ve ever done that is so bad God can’t forgive. All we need to do is confess our sin, turning to him in sincere repentance and faith.

There is another side to that blessing of forgiveness, however.  In Matthew 18:21-35 Jesus tells a story a king who summons his debtors. One of the king’s servants owed about 20 years-worth of wages and couldn’t pay. The king then ordered him and his family to be sold to pay the debt. That man begged the king, however, and the king forgave the debt.

This man then went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him about three months wages. The servant begged the man saying he would pay it all back, but the man refused and threw his fellow servant into prison.

When word about this got back to the king, the king summoned the man and said, “You wicked servant…I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” The text continues saying that “his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed” (Matthew 18:32-34).

The moral of the story? Jesus says, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Matthew 18:35). Obstinate refusal to forgive is evidence of an unsaved heart. Forgiveness may be one of the most difficult things we are called to do.

In fact, sometimes it may seem to be impossible. If that is the case, you can at least begin to pray earnestly that the Holy Spirit would help you forgive. If you are unwilling to even ask for the Spirit’s help—read Matthew 18:34-35 again.