Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Are You A Slave Too Unforgiving?

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. 23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. ~ (Matthew 18:21-27, ESV)

This is the first half of the parable of the unforgiving servant, this is the half where the master forgives his servants debt. This is part of the parable point to how God forgives us, asking nothing in return. When God forgives us it frees us from paying our debt of sin, a debt that we could never repay. God’s forgiveness frees us of our slavery to Satan’s grip, from the appeal of fleshly desire, the forgiveness that frees us from the very grips of hell.

When Christ took upon Himself our sins, He freed us from regret, from lying, deceitfulness and thievery. Jesus cleared the mist of our imperfect reasoning. When Christ became our sin, He gave us permission to forgive ourselves and the ability to forgive others; conceitedness gives way to respect and compassion for those around you.

Jesus tells a story here of two men who owed a debt, the first one owed more than he could repay in 500 lifetimes, he was ecstatic when the king absolved his debt. However he was not as forgiving as the king had been to him when a slave who owed him only 100 days wages could not repay and had him thrown in jail. How could this man be so merciless after having such an enormous amount just given him? Did he not realize that in prison this man could not repay him even if he wanted to?

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” ~  (Ephesians 4:32, ESV).

Living in the limitless grace of Yahweh-M’Kaddesh, The Lord Who Sanctifies in our life through Jesus absolution, our gratefulness develops in mercy and humility. God’s forgiveness is a merry-go-round of liberty. Abba Father forgives us because of His grace through confidence in Jesus. We thankfully welcome God’s forgiveness with a delightful soul allowing mercy, compassion and tenderness to forgive ourselves and to forgive others. Because of our ability to forgive, others may turn to God seeking forgiveness. This is how Christ’s redeeming absolution grows across the face of the earth, to all peoples and all nations. Jesus Christ has absolutely freed us giving us the ability to forgive.

Who is it that is in need your mercy and compassion? Your Christ given ability to show mercy and to forgive others may be the only opportunity they have had to experience Christ. Discharge trespassers from the grievances you may have, lift the burden of grudge and anguish against them; then you both will be released to benefit from the fruits of God’s grace allowing peace and all the fruits of love and God’s Spirit to enter into your hearts. It is in Jesus Christ that we have the freedom in forgiveness to receive and give!

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” ~ (Galatians 5:1, ESV).

Why would we live in slavery when Christ has broken the chains that bound us and set us free!? Amen. <><

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