So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” Matthew 18:35 NABRE
Peter asks Jesus about forgiveness and it leads to a parable about the Kingdom of heaven and a King who first forgives the debt of a servant and then recalls that forgiveness because the same servant doesn’t forgive his servant. The parable is about debt owed, the servant is completely forgiven all his debt but when he sees a servant that owes him debt he demands payment, in today’s vernacular he does not pay it forward. The king hears of this unforgiveness and takes his forgiveness away from that servant and hands him over to the torturers until all his debt is payed. Jesus says our heavenly Father who has already forgiven us will withdraw His forgiveness for those who do not imitate His forgiveness. We have this idea we won’t forgive until the other asks for forgiveness, and if we do forgive we won’t forget. Lysa Terkeurst’s new book addresses forgiveness, she looked through the bible to find biblical support for the phrase “forgive and forget” and did not find it. God forgets but people don’t have to forget, but we do have to forgive. Lysa also tells us that with forgiveness we may never receive reconciliation but there is still a need for redemption. We have to get to a place where we heal the hurt from an offense we receive even when there is no reconciliation. Forgiveness is critical for Jesus who wants us to forgive so that we may be redeemed.
If you only work to improve in one area, it should be to become a person of forgiveness. Work through the hurt first, then find the means to forgive the person who you feel owes you. It is good for you and God desires it for His forgiveness of you to be eternal.
How easily do you forgive? Do you seek redemption for yourself?
If you only work to improve in one area, it should be to become a person of forgiveness. It is good for you and God desires it for His forgiveness of you to be eternal. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #forgive #redeem #Matthew #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #Matthew #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways