The Forgiver That Would Not Forgive

Matthew 18:21-35
 
What if God did to us what this man did to another?
 
This passage of Scripture responds to Peter's inquiry concerning how often he ought to pardon a brother (or sister) who sins against him. Jesus explains with an illustration concerning the servant and a king. The king excuses the man's tremendous, unpayable obligation. However, the servant will not pardon the more modest debt owed to him by another and has that man tossed behind bars. The king is enraged and asks the servant for what good reason he did not show similar leniency that he had been given. The king has the man imprisoned until he pays everything. Jesus says that God the Father will do likewise to the individuals who do not pardon their brothers.

The rabbis instructed that individuals ought to pardon the individuals who irritate them multiple times. Peter, attempting to be particularly liberal, inquired as to whether seven times (the "perfect" number) was sufficient to excuse somebody. Yet, Jesus replied, "Until seventy times seven" (the number of time everlasting), implying that we ought not monitor how frequently we pardon somebody. We ought to consistently pardon the individuals who are truly contrite and sincere, regardless of how frequently they inquire for forgiveness.

• Luke 17:4, And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
• Colossians 3:13, Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

 
In Biblical times, significant repercussions awaited the individuals who could not pay off their obligations, their debts. The person loaning the money could hold onto the borrower who could not repay him and enforce him or his family to work until the debt was paid. The debt holder could likewise be tossed into jail, or his family could be sold into subjugation (slavery) to assist in paying off the debt. It was trusted that the borrower, while in jail, would auction his landholdings or that family members would pay the debt. If not, the borrower would stay in jail forever.
 
Our Status:

• Romans 3:23, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
• Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• James 5:9, Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
• Matthew 7:3, And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

 
Jesus and Forgiveness:

• Matthew 9:2-8: paralyzed man lowered through roof.
• John 8:3-11: woman caught in adultery.
• Luke 7:47-50: woman who Jesus’s anointed feet.
• John 18:15-18, 18:25-27, 21:15-19: Peter denying he knew Jesus.
• Luke 23:34: people who crucified Him.
• Luke 23:39-43: thief on the cross.

 
Forgiveness in General:

• Psalms 32:5, I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
• Isaiah 1:18, Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
• Romans 4:7, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
• Romans 10:9, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
• 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 
Status of Sins:

• Micah 7:19, He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
• Hebrews 8:12, For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

 
Since God has excused every one of our wrongdoings, he has forgiven every sin that we have or will commit, we ought not retain absolution from others. That means we should forgive others. Acknowledging how totally Christ has excused us should deliver a free and liberal demeanor of pardoning towards others. At the point when we do not forgive others, we are setting ourselves outside or above Christ's law of law, as if we are better than that. We are not.​

• Mark 11:25, And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.