LOC 054 Forgiveness of Others

LOC 054 Forgiveness of Others

In our study in the Life of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are still in the sermon on the mount--those first principles Jesus is giving to his band of twelve disciples.  Jesus starts to devote a great deal of attention to them in order to instruct them as to how they are to live and what they are to teach to others.

The great missing link in modern-day Evangelicalism is true biblical discipleship.  The Church since the 50s has been good at presenting the plan of salvation to many, but it has miserably failed to teach men how to live and why they should live a life that emulates the mercy of God the Father and the grace of his dear Son.

Let me illustrate the point with two illustrations one foreign and one domestic.  That is, one from the history of Evangelical missions in our era and the other from the church in the US.

In the early 90s, the country of Rwanda was looked at by Evangelical missiologists as a great success story.  They pronounced the country to have a majority of Christians giving the impression that it was a place where methods had met with great success and people had been converted.  They expected the influence of the Gospel to effect all levels of culture and society. And, on many levels, that was occurring.  There had been a historic division among the two major tribes.  However, it was believed by many Christians that these tribes had become one in Christ. The work of missions was triumphed as that which brought down decades of difficulties.  Yet in 1994, tribal strife that really had been festering under the surface exploded.  600,000 Hutus and 400,000 Tutsis were massacred by the each other.  The reason was age-old tribal issues.  Had the Gospel really taken root in the society? Or, was it an illusion?  Had the people been evangelized and discipled or only Christianized?  Did they only have a form of godliness without the power? Or, were they actually and really converted.  The great commission is a call to make disciples--committed followers.  Men and women who are stuck to Christ and committed to walk in his ways no matter what.  That did not take place in Rwanda. 

The domestic illustration is that of the Rescue Mission.  In general, missions have the same core of men who come back time after time.  Local Churches are asked to take the evening meetings where the preach to the men or entertain them in some way just before their evening meal.  The dinner is a reward for sitting through the meetings. 

Over the years, many of the men in need would make many professions of faith by walking aisles and raising hands.  It is not uncommon to talk to a man who has spent time in these missions only to discover he has made more “decisions for Christ” in one way or another than he can count.  After working through the system, and they are out on their own once again, they often go back to what they know best--life on the streets, the bottle, drugs or some other thing to which they commit themselves.  They usually know a lot of scripture and become very skeptical about organized religion because it hasn’t “worked” for them.  They see Christianity as a revolving door that they can enter and leave and those who direct these missions are at a loss to deal with the real issues.  That being the case, many “Missions” have become a sort of religious half-way house.  And, one that I had some contact with, asked the churches to not try to evangelize the men but to “bring comfort to the downtrodden.”

The problem in both cases is a wrong understanding of what discipleship entailed.  That is why it is so important to own these words Jesus taught to his disciples.  These are his foundational principles for life in God’s Kingdom.  It will do us well to get them right from the start.

Discipleship beyond the radical commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ that we have already looked at on a number of occasions  means living a life of mercy and grace given to others with no strings attached. 

The Rwandans had not understood the need to forgive those who had offended them and their families in the past.  They therefore held a grudge to take revenge at an appropriate time.  Their cultural grudge was more fundamental than their commitment to the ways of Christ.  They had been Christianized rather than evangelized.  Though in the process, some undoubtedly became true disciples.

In the missions of our land, the forgiveness of God is turned into something presumptive and cheap that requires nothing of the one seeking to be freed from his debt of sin. 

They both sought the benefits of Christ without the way of discipleship.  They both misunderstand biblical forgiveness. However, they are a microcosm of the misunderstanding of biblical forgiveness that is rampant in American Evangelical Churches, too. It does us well to consider this topic many times and in many ways.  In the life of the Lord Jesus, we will hit upon it many times--as we have already.

A few weeks ago we looked at the Lord’s Prayer to see how it was given as a pattern for our praying.  Immediately after the prayer Jesus reiterated the importance of forgiveness by giving this instruction to the disciples......

Matt. 6:14-15  “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15  “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Notice the construction If, then.  If you forgive, then your heavenly Father will forgive.  The conclusion is unmistakable--If you are not a forgiving person, then you have no forgiveness.  Jesus is giving motivation to forgive to his disciples. His disciples are to be a forgiving people, PERIOD--nothing else will do. 

Remember when we looked at the importance of charitable deeds/works of mercy and their place in how Christ’s disciples are to live?  We looked at Luke 6:36 which says, “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. That is the standard to which we are called.  It is not, well that is just how Fred is, put up with it.  The standard is to be merciful, even in giving forgiveness, as the Father is merciful.  We don't mind a merciful God, but we often cringe at the standard of discipleship.  NO grudges--give mercy.

And remember when we looked at the beatitudes?

Matthew’s summary of the sermon on the Mount includes these words: Matt. 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 

It is the principle of reaping what you sow.  The givers of mercy will get mercy. It is that basic: the way of true spiritual prosperity and contentment includes the giving of mercy to others, even the mercy of undeserved forgiveness.

In Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus just taught the disciples about praying as he gave them the model prayer.  In that prayer, Jesus taught them to pray “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Jesus is serious about this forgiveness business.  In verses 14 & 15 of Matthew six we find rather direct instruction.  But, if we were to search out the rest of Scripture on the subject, we would be brought low by just how unforgiving we have been--even the most exemplary of us.  The way of discipleship is vastly different than the path any natural man would take.  It takes a lot of self-control and a lot of doing things against our flesh in order to show others the grace of God, the forgiving grace of God. Godliness is doing things and saying things as God would.  We know what he has done from his Word. Godliness, mercy, forgiveness is what all professing disciples are called to.  It is not to earn any favor with God, but to show his grace to other men, even our enemies, even those who would revile us and persecute us falsely. 

You see, it is not just Christians that we are to forgive, but all men.  That’s tough.  That means you have to forgive your spouses and children when they have offended you or even ex-spouses.  That is not an easy chore.  That can be extremely hard work.  If you find it hard to forgive those you love the most as your family and friends, imagine how hard it must be to truly forgive those you love to a lesser degree.  Like--those at Church, school, work, at the store, in traffic, you-fill-in-the-blank. Forgiveness is not easy, but it should become second nature to us as Christ’s disciples.

Today we will look at three points with a number of sub-points:

1. That Forgiveness is not an option

2. God gives us motivations to forgive.

3. God shows us what should accompany our forgiveness

Then we will look at some examples of what true forgiveness really is. 

1.  NOT AN OPTION—

IT IS COMMANDED (Mark 11:25; Romans 12:19)

—Mark 11:25 “ ¶ And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

This verse in the midst of Jesus’s teaching on prayer.  When one stands to pray, he cannot have anything (a grudge or resentment) against another.  THEY MUST FORGIVE.

This sort of forgiveness is declarative forgiveness. One declares another to be forgiven even if the forgiveness has not been sought.  Jesus is an example of this.  Upon the cross he prayed that His Father might forgive those who worked to crucify him. Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said,  “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.  The soldiers were fulfilling their duty to the State and fulfilling the Scriptures at the same time. Jesus prayed for their undeserved forgiveness.  What a wonderful pattern for his disciples who follow him after his death and resurrection.

Stephen did the same thing in Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying,  “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”  60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice,  “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

He was praying for the sin of murder to not be charged to them.  Can you give the same sort of godly pray for those who have offended you?  How short we come of the standards of discipleship.  Stephen knew what it meant to forgive after receiving persecution, revilement and even impending death.  We would more likely assert our rights, rather than submit to God’s right to do what he wants with his creation--including us.

Remember--Rom. 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written,  “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Our forgiveness is to be unlimited (Matthew 18:22; Luke 17:4)

This is the hardest part for many moderns.  Admit it, you like to have something over the head of another to remind them they have sinned.  We remember people’s sins in order to control them through coercion or manipulation.  Forgiveness is not to be conditioned by anything selfish--though that is what we do many times, especially with our spouses or children.  We like to remember their sin to use it against them when convenient.  Jesus taught, Matt. 18:22 Jesus said to him,  “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

We are not only obligated to forgive once, nor seven times, but a great number of times and to keep forgiving.  People are sinners and they are going to sin continually.  The only way to live as a disciple is to be willing, ready and able to forgive even when it is undeserved or sought with wrong motives. 

Ron looked at a parallel passage to this idea two weeks ago. Luke 17:4  “And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying,  ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Every time someone comes repenting and seeking to be forgiven, forgiveness must be given. Forgiveness is ....

Forgiveness is therefore an essential characteristic of saints (who by definition are disciples).

Consider also the ...

2.  MOTIVES TO FORGIVE OTHERS

The mercy of God (Luke 6:36)

We have already looked at this important verse.  Luke 6:36  “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

Our need of forgiveness (Mark 11:25)

We have touched on this too.  Mark 11:25 “ ¶ And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

Our own sin and our personal need for forgiveness from God and other people should motivate us to be a forgiving people.  A major problem with unforgiving people is this, they do not see themselves as the sinners they are.  Or, they are slow to admit their own sin and therefore slow to seek God’s remedy through repentance and forgiveness.

Often in a family you find one spouse is more willing to admit their own sin and to seek forgiveness than the other.  It is often the other that ends up with an unforgiving spirit.  We should be honest about our own sin and our ongoing need of the grace of forgiveness. From God and one another.

God’s forgiveness of us (Ephesians 4:32)

This is what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus: Eph. 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Consider again the sin that separated you from comfortable fellowship with God and what God did for you in order to reconcile you back to himself.  He did all that he did in Christ to secure your forgiveness.  He was kind to you, he was tenderhearted to you even while you were his enemy in unbelief.  When you consider the unconditional forgiveness you have received from God, who as the creator and judge of all things has an absolute right to hold any and all of your sins against you.  When you consider one offense against a holy God is infinitely enough to condemn you forever, you should be amazed at the grace of God expressed in and through Christ that you might be forgiven.  The forgiveness of God towards us as sinners should motivate us to forgive others. 

Recall Christ’s forgiveness of us (Colossians 3:13)

Col. 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

Bearing......putting up with each other...forgiving one another....if anyone has a suit against another, IN THE SAME WAY Christ FORGAVE YOU, you are compelled to do. Do you see the past phrase?  So you also must do.  It is not an option--you must extend forgiveness to others.

A glory to saints (Proverbs 19:11)

A forgiving spirit that does not hold grudges is the outward adornment and praiseworthy character of the saints of God.

Prov. 19:11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

3.  SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY

Forbearance (Colossians 3:13)

Kindness (Genesis 45:5-11; Romans 12:20)

Blessing and prayer (Matthew 5:44)

Promises to be merciful and forgiving (Matthew 6:14; Luke 6:37)

No forgiveness without first forgiving (Matthew 6:15; James 2:13)

Listen to these sober words from the book of James: James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Forgiveness is a fundamental grace and essential characteristic of anyone who professes themselves to be a disciple.  It demonstrates that you understand what it is to be a sinner who has been forgiven. 

As our initial text said, Matt. 6:14-15  “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15  “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Why was this so important a truth to drive into the disciples?

I believe it was because of this:

Jesus knew his own fate.  Knowing what would befall him, he needed to prepare the disciples for the work that was ahead.  They would take up his mantle in less than two years.  Upon his death, the disciples would be responsible to go preach in his place.  TO do this, they could not bear a grudge against the multitudes who would seek to crucify Jesus, but they would have to have a forgiving heart towards them in order to bring them the glorious gospel. 

The disciples would go to Jesus enemies and those accused of involvement in his death.  That is what Peter preached at Pentecost that brought about a work of God in 3000 and what brought about Stephen’s death a few days later.  The Disciples had to be a forgiving people to accomplish the great work given to them in the great commission.  And as tradition tells us, most of them died as martyrs for the faith, they were faithful followers unto death. 

They followed the pattern of Jesus who prayed from the cross for the forgiveness of ignorant men. 

In a real sense, among men, the transaction of forgiveness is not complete until and unless the one who has sinned comes seeking forgiveness.  There is to be the one forgiven who must come to be forgiven fully and the one forgiving. Yet, the declaration to extend forgiveness on the one forgiving can be made with pray for God’s grace to be extended.  We are to forgive as we have been forgiven.

The Greek word is informative to define what forgiveness is.  The word used in Matthew 6:14-15 is the word translated elsewhere as leave, stop or cease.  The context governs how the word is to be understood.  It can mean to dissolve a marriage--that is to make is cease to be a legal entity.  It can be used to convey, leave the dead to bury themselves.  But in the context of forgiveness, it means to remove the guilt resulting from wrongdoing — ‘to pardon, to forgive, forgiveness.’ and ‘forgive us the wrongs that we have done’ Mt 6:12.and ‘my blood … which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’ Mt 26:28.  ‘forgive and you will be forgiven (by God)’ Lk 6:37.

        It is extremely important to note that the focus in the use of this word is upon the guilt of the wrongdoer and not necessarily upon the wrongdoing itself. The event of wrongdoing can never be undone, but the guilt resulting from a transgression or sin from such an action is pardoned. To forgive, therefore, means essentially to remove the guilt resulting from some wrongdoing. To not hold it against the one seeking forgiveness ever again.

        We need to have a clear distinction in our minds between guilt that comes from sin and the sin itself.  Terms for forgiveness in Greek are related to guilt and not to the action or wrongdoing. That can never be changed. The deed was done it will remain forever.  Therefore, ‘to forgive sins’ is literally ‘to put away guilt.’ Though terms for ‘forgiveness’ are often literally ‘to wipe out,’ ‘to blot out,’ or ‘to do away with,’ it is obviously not possible to blot out or to wipe out an event, but it is possible to remove or obliterate the guilt.  Christianity alone has the remedy for what plagues men in our day and age--guilt.  The way to deal with it is to admit it and seeks forgiveness from God and man.  God is merciful and in Christ will grant what he commands.  Men however are often slower to grant what they are obligated to give--a full forgiveness of the debt owed. 

Many of you have been profoundly sinned against.  I will not mention publically some of the despicable things that I know of, though doubtless there are many I don't know about.  There are many who wrongly bear the guilt of having been sinned against.  As the one on the receiving end of another’s sin, you are not guilty.  There is nothing for which you can be forgiven if you have not sinned.  Often the guilt comes from not being able to forgive the one who has sinned and should rightly bear the guilt before man and God. 

But let me ask you if you are ready willing and able to forgive those who have sinned against you?  If they were to come in repentance seeking your forgiveness would you be able to declare that you will no longer hold the guilt of their sin against them?  Would you for the sake of the well-being of your soul pray for those who have wrongfully sinned against you?  Can you extend to them the grace God has given to you?  That is grace in obligation and in declaration.

A parable:

There was once a man with a beautiful mansion with wonderful grounds.  This man had a young son.  When his son was of age, the father sent his son out in the year to play.  A stranger came by, saw the young son, climbed the walls to the estate and murdered the boy in cold blood.

The Father watched all of this from the window in his study.  He immediately ran out to see what had occurred.  What do you suppose Grace and mercy demand?

Well, this father did not act according to his passions, but according to his convictions.  He took the murderer into his house, bathed him, gave him the now empty room, dressed him in the clothes he had bought for his son and changed his will to make this adopted son his heir.  He did this in grace.

You probably think this is too lofty and idealistic.  That would never happen in reality.  It is like Communism, people think it is good in theory yet impractical. 

However, I believe that God the Father did what is exactly parallel to my little parable.  The Father had a beautiful world into which he sent his Son.  Men took and killed him in their rage as they intruded upon the Father’s domain.  God the Father then used the death of his son to give those who believe the greatest benefits man can have--sins forgiven and intimate fellowship with himself.  God then dresses up his adopted children in the righteousness of his son, who has gone away to prepare an eternal resting place which in one place is called a mansion.  God the Father has purposed to make his adopted children Joint heirs with Christ to receive all that God has in store for his son;s disciples. 

We are the one’s for whom Christ came to die at the hands of wicked men.  He came to secure our salvation and that we might be made into his faithful disciples.  Disciples that forgive as we have been forgiven.  The next time you find it hard to forgive, consider the Father’s sending of the Lord Jesus that you might be forgiven.  Or, consider if you have really sought forgiveness from God to have you guilt removed from your account.  That can be done by God’s indescribable grace alone on account of his son’s righteous life and vicarious death for sinners like you and me.  Think about these things.  Forgive as you have been forgiven. 

AMEN!