Well,
it has been a “few days” since we have last visited this topic. These thoughts
were garnered from my devotion of May 8th, 2015. Principles,
questions, observations and thoughts are generated in my mind as I meditate and
contemplate on an event in the life of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.
As I have mentioned I am using John MacArthur’s One Perfect Life, published by Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am
examining and meditating through an event a day from this marvelous harmony.
MacArthur has broken the life of our Lord down into 215 events. So for the first
215 days of 2015 my topic for devotion is the life of Christ.
We
now come to some of my thoughts on this particular event. MacArthur lists this
event as number 95 in his harmony. It is taken from Matthew 18:15-35. What
really intrigued me about this passage, not to discount the obvious spiritual
application for my soul, was that this passage is known as the official “church
discipline” procedural guideline.
I
have come to wonder if this is correct. First of all, as you may recall, I have
already stated that I do not believe the gospels are written for the primary
use of the church. I don’t think they are teachings, doctrinal treatise,
procedures, or standard operating procedures for the church. I think the
translation of ekklhsia was incorrect. I think it was
forced on the translators by King James himself. I think it should have been
translated “assembly.”
Second, I don’t think it is an
instructional guideline for the church to follow as a means of disciplining church
members. If you read it correctly it was written to individuals who had been
sinned against or offended by a fellow believer. It is instructions for the
offended believer to utilize in order to restore fellowship with someone who
has sinned against them.
Thirdly, don’t be “hog-tied” by the
future tense used by Christ when he said, “…I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades shall not
prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18, NKJV) It was revealed in the
Old Testament and reiterated in the New Testament that God through Christ the
Messiah would form an assembly for His glory of both Jews and Gentiles. The
completed realization of this formation is yet future. It was future when Peter
made his declaration and Christ voiced His response. So, I do not think that
the church is mentioned in the gospels, including Matthew nor do I think that
this is a procedure directed to the church.
Having stated these things, let me get
to the topic of this third and final post on Jesus and Forgiveness. The topic
is the seriousness of the forgiveness of someone who has offended us or sinned
against us. Many who considered themselves believers and even as believers in
good standing of a local fellowship have failed to consider just how serious a
matter it is in failing to forgive someone who has sinned against us.
I have seen believers throughout my
years in the church who have held grudges and resentment against fellow
believers and/or church members, even for years. I have seen on one occasion
where a member would not sit on the same side of the building as another member
who have offended them. We are all aware of churches that have split and remain
“out of fellowship” with fellow believers over issues of sin and offense.
Are they not aware of just serious this
is? Apparently not! Well Christ illustrates how serious this matter of refusing
to forgive a sinning brother/sister and then makes an almost unbelievable
summary statement. One would almost not believe it if Christ Himself had not
said it and it had not been recorded under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Christ told a story of a King who
wanted to settle financial matters with his servants. He called in a servant
who owed him 10,000 talents (this may or not be a literal amount – it was used
to show a huge or significant amount of debt owed). The servant begged for
mercy and time in order to pay. The King ultimately forgave the debt.
This same servant went out and came
across an individual who owed him a hundred denarii (approximately 3 months of common
labor wages). I think Christ used this amount to contrast the great debt of the
original servant.
We know that the second servant begged
for mercy and time in the same manner as the original servant. However, the
original servant was not moved by the compassionate plea for mercy and demanded
payment. Since the fellow couldn’t pay he had him thrown into debtor’s prison
to work off the debt.
Somehow the King got wind of this
event. He sent for him and accused him of refusing to have mercy on someone who
owed him a little amount when he had forgiven an infinite debt of the servant.
He demanded to know why he did not show the same mercy that he had been shown.
So the King through the original servant into debtor’s prison until he paid the
entire debt that was owed the King.
Then Christ made an extraordinary
statement; “So my
heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not
forgive his brother his trespasses.” (Matthew 18:35, NKJV) Read that
a number of times and let that sink in. Do you see have serious it really is if
we refuse to forgive a fellow brother or sister in Christ?
First of all, the “infinite” debt of
10,000 talents is to be taken as a representation of the debt of sin Christ
forgave each one of us who are genuine believers. This was an infinite debt that
we could never pay if we were required to pay our debt of sin.
Second, the little debt of the second
servant was used to show our little these offenses against us really are when
people sin against us in relationship to the debt Christ forgave us.
Third, if we as believes fail or refuse
to forgive other believers, Christ will discipline those who fail to do so. Let
me say God will not at any time or for any reason revoke the salvation of a
true and genuine child of God. But God will begin to chastise the believer who
refuses to forgive. Listen God will not overlook the harshness or lack of
compassion of His children against other Children of God. Some believers spend
most if not all of their days under discipline or chastisement because they
refuse to forgive someone who offended them or sinned against them.
As believers and children in the family
of God we are required (and enabled) to display the activities of the divine
nature that has been implanted in us through the indwelling Holy Spirit towards
any who offend us or sins against us. If we refuse to do so we can and will be
severely chastised or disciplined by God in order that the order and unity of
God’s family be maintained. It is a proven fact that many personal,
psychological, and health related problems are at the core of being unwilling
to forgive someone.
Listen to Titus 3:2-7, “…for we
ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts
and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But
when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not
by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He
saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom
He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that
having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope
of eternal life.” (Titus 3:2-7, NKJV)
The lesson is this: prompted by the gratitude
that we as having been forgiven by Christ for all of our horrible sin, we must
always desire to forgive anyone who has sinned against us. We must do
everything in our power to affect reconciliation with anyone who sins against
us.
Otherwise we will pay the price of discipline and chastisement for as long
as it takes for our will to break and submit to the will of God and forgive
those who have sinned against us.
No comments:
Post a Comment