THE UNFORGIVING: RETRIBUTION
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. The Unforgiving
a) The parable of the unforgiving slave illustrates the principle that Jesus also underlined when he taught his disciples to pray. Part of that model prayer pleads with God to... "Forgive us our debts even as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). Jesus commented, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (Matthew 6:14-15).
b) The parable of the unforgiving slave illustrates the goodness and severity of God. It portrays God as merciful to us on the condition that we are merciful to others. If we are not, then we will incur his wrath (Matthew 18:21-35).
2. Retribution
Matthew 18:31-35
“31 Now when his fellow servants saw what he had done, they were very upset, 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 Shouldn't you have been merciful to your fellow servant, as I was merciful you?' 34 So in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 Likewise my heavenly Father will do also to every one of you — if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
a) It shows that the grace and mercy of God, once granted, can be withdrawn and replaced by his wrath, if we do not respond appropriately.
b) Jesus makes it clear that the slave who was forgiven the huge debt, was forgiven completely. He was free of the debt by the grace and mercy of his lord and king. When the king forgave the debt, he forgave it not for a year but forever. The debt was permanently cancelled. The slave did not have to keep going back to the king to plead that the debt remain forgiven.
c) However Jesus also makes it clear that this forgiveness was later withdrawn, and the enormous debt in full was again held against the slave. The king remembered and reinstated the debt. He did not punish the slave with torture only because he was unforgiving. He punished the slave for all the debt that had previously been forgiven. This is the really scary part of the parable.
d) The king forgave freely, fully, and permanently, but conditionally. The king’s kindness was not lessened by being conditional, but his justice would have been lessened by unconditional forgiveness. We see the king's kindness and mercy when he forgives the debt. We see his severity and justice when he reinstates the debt. And we acknowledge both as perfectly right.
e) When the Lord promised, "I will forgive their iniquity and their sins I will remember no more" (Jeremiah 31:34) he meant exactly what he said. God is just like the king in the parable. However God will also do as the king in the parable did. Should we fail to respond appropriately to his mercy, he will recall and reinstate the debt that was forgiven and forgotten. When God forgives, God forgets. But when we fail to forgive, God remembers.
The End ...
1. The Unforgiving a) The parable of the unforgiving slave illustrates the principle that Jesus also underlined when he taught his disciples to pray. Part of that model prayer pleads with God to... "Forgive us our debts even as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). Jesus commented, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (Matthew 6:14-15).
b) The parable of the unforgiving slave illustrates the goodness and severity of God. It portrays God as merciful to us on the condition that we are merciful to others. If we are not, then we will incur his wrath (Matthew 18:21-35).
2. Retribution
Matthew 18:31-35
“31 Now when his fellow servants saw what he had done, they were very upset, 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 Shouldn't you have been merciful to your fellow servant, as I was merciful you?' 34 So in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 Likewise my heavenly Father will do also to every one of you — if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
a) It shows that the grace and mercy of God, once granted, can be withdrawn and replaced by his wrath, if we do not respond appropriately.
b) Jesus makes it clear that the slave who was forgiven the huge debt, was forgiven completely. He was free of the debt by the grace and mercy of his lord and king. When the king forgave the debt, he forgave it not for a year but forever. The debt was permanently cancelled. The slave did not have to keep going back to the king to plead that the debt remain forgiven.
c) However Jesus also makes it clear that this forgiveness was later withdrawn, and the enormous debt in full was again held against the slave. The king remembered and reinstated the debt. He did not punish the slave with torture only because he was unforgiving. He punished the slave for all the debt that had previously been forgiven. This is the really scary part of the parable.
d) The king forgave freely, fully, and permanently, but conditionally. The king’s kindness was not lessened by being conditional, but his justice would have been lessened by unconditional forgiveness. We see the king's kindness and mercy when he forgives the debt. We see his severity and justice when he reinstates the debt. And we acknowledge both as perfectly right.
e) When the Lord promised, "I will forgive their iniquity and their sins I will remember no more" (Jeremiah 31:34) he meant exactly what he said. God is just like the king in the parable. However God will also do as the king in the parable did. Should we fail to respond appropriately to his mercy, he will recall and reinstate the debt that was forgiven and forgotten. When God forgives, God forgets. But when we fail to forgive, God remembers.
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