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19 - The Measure of Forgiveness - Christ's Object Lessons · Philosophy and Faith

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  Speaker 1: Chapter nineteen, The Measure of forgiveness. Peter had come to
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  Speaker 1: Christ with the question, how oft shall my brother sin
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  Speaker 1: against me? And I forgive him till seven times? The
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  Speaker 1: rabbis limited the exercise of forgiveness to three offenses. Peter,
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  Speaker 1: carrying out as he supposed the teaching of Christ, thought
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  Speaker 1: to extend it to seven, the numbers signifying perfection. But
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  Speaker 1: Christ taught that we are never to become weary of forgiving.
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  Speaker 1: Not until seven times, he said, but until seventy times. Seven.
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  Speaker 1: Then he showed the true ground upon which forgiveness is
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  Speaker 1: to be granted, and the danger of cherishing and unforgiving spirit.
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  Speaker 1: In a parable he told of a king's dealing with
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  Speaker 1: the officers who administered the affairs of his government. Some
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  Speaker 1: of these officers were in receipt of vast sums of
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  Speaker 1: money belonging to the state. As the king investigated their
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  Speaker 1: administration of this trust, there was brought before him one
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  Speaker 1: man whose account showed a debt to his lord for
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  Speaker 1: the immense sum of ten thousand talents. He had nothing
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  Speaker 1: to pay, and according to the custom, the king ordered
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  Speaker 1: him to be sold with all that he had that
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  Speaker 1: payment might be made. But the terrified man fell at
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  Speaker 1: his feet and besought him, saying, have patience with me,
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  Speaker 1: and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of
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  Speaker 1: the servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and
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  Speaker 1: forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out
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  Speaker 1: and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him
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  Speaker 1: a hundred pence, and he laid hands on him and
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  Speaker 1: took him by the throat, saying pay me that thou owest.
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  Speaker 1: And his fellow servant fell down at his feet and
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  Speaker 1: besought him, saying, have patience with me, and I will
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  Speaker 1: pay thee all. And he would not, but went and
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  Speaker 1: cast him into prison till he should pay the debt.
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  Speaker 1: So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they
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  Speaker 1: were very sorry and came and told unto their lord
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  Speaker 1: all that was done. Then his lord, after that he
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  Speaker 1: had called him, said unto him, O, thou wicked servant,
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  Speaker 1: I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desirest me,
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  Speaker 1: shouldst not thou also have compassion on thy fellow servant,
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  Speaker 1: even as I had pity on thee. And his lord
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  Speaker 1: was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors till he
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  Speaker 1: should pay all that was due unto him. This parable
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  Speaker 1: presents details which are needed for the filling out of
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  Speaker 1: the picture, but which have no counterpart in its spiritual significance.
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  Speaker 1: The attention should not be diverted to them. Certain great
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  Speaker 1: truths are illustrated, and to these our thoughts should be given.
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  Speaker 1: The pardon granted by this king represents a divine forgiveness
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  Speaker 1: of all sin. Christ is represented by the King, who
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  Speaker 1: moved with compassion forgave the debt of his servant. Man
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  Speaker 1: was under the condemnation of the broken law. He could
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  Speaker 1: not save himself, and for this reason Christ came to
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  Speaker 1: this world, clothed his divinity with humanity, and gave his
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  Speaker 1: life the just for the unjust. He gave himself for
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  Speaker 1: our sins, and to every soul he freely offers the
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  Speaker 1: blood bought pardon. With the Lord there is mercy, and
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  Speaker 1: with him is plentious redemption. Here is the ground upon
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  Speaker 1: which we should exercise compassion toward our fellow sinners. If
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  Speaker 1: God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. Freely.
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  Speaker 1: Ye have received Christ says, freely give in the parable.
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  Speaker 1: When the debtor pleaded for delay with the promise, have
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  Speaker 1: patience with me, I will pay thee all. The sentence
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  Speaker 1: was revoked, the whole debt was canceled, and he was
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  Speaker 1: soon given an opportunity to follow the example of the
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  Speaker 1: master who had forgiven him. Going out, he met a
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  Speaker 1: fellow servant who owed him a small sum. He had
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  Speaker 1: been forgiven ten thousand talents. The debtor owed him a
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  Speaker 1: hundred pence. But he who had been so mercifully treated,
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  Speaker 1: dealt with his fellow laborer in an altogether different manner.
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  Speaker 1: His debtor made an appeal similar to that which he
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  Speaker 1: himself had made to the king, but without a similar result.
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  Speaker 1: He who had so recently been forgiven, was not tender
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  Speaker 1: hearted and pitiful the mercy shown him, he did not
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  Speaker 1: exercise In dealing with his fellow servant. He heeded not
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  Speaker 1: the request to be patient. The small sum owed to
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  Speaker 1: him was all that the ungrateful servant would keep in mind.
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  Speaker 1: He demanded all all that he thought his due, and
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  Speaker 1: carried into effect a sentence similar to that which had
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  Speaker 1: been so graciously revoked for him. How many are today
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  Speaker 1: manifesting the same spirit. When the debtor pleaded with his
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  Speaker 1: lord for mercy, he had no true sense of the
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  Speaker 1: greatness of his debt. He did not realize his helplessness.
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  Speaker 1: He hoped to deliver himself. Have patience with me, he said,
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  Speaker 1: and I will pay thee all. So there are many
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  Speaker 1: who hope, by their own works to merit God's favor.
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  Speaker 1: They do not realize their helplessness. They do not accept
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  Speaker 1: the grace of God as a free gift, but are
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  Speaker 1: trying to build themselves up in self righteousness. Their own
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  Speaker 1: hearts are not broken and humbled on account of sin,
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  Speaker 1: and they are exacting and unforgiving toward others. Their own
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  Speaker 1: sins against God compared with their brother's sins against them,
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  Speaker 1: are as ten thousand talents to one hundred pence, nearly
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  Speaker 1: one million to one. Yet they dare to be unforgiving
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  Speaker 1: in the parable. The Lord summoned the unmerciful debtor and said,
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  Speaker 1: unto him, O, thou wicked servant, I forgave THEE all
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  Speaker 1: that debt, because thou desirest me, shouldst not thou also
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  Speaker 1: have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I
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  Speaker 1: had pity on THEE. And his Lord was wroth and
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  Speaker 1: delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all
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  Speaker 1: that was due unto him. So likewise, said Jesus, shall
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  Speaker 1: my heavenly Father, do also unto you, if ye, from
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  Speaker 1: your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
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  Speaker 1: He who refuses to forgive is thereby casting away his
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  Speaker 1: own hope of pardon. But the teaching of this parable
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  Speaker 1: should not be misapplied. God's forgiveness toward us lessens in
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  Speaker 1: no wise our duty to obey him. So the spirit
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  Speaker 1: of forgiveness toward our fellow men does not lessen the
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  Speaker 1: claim of just obligation. In the prayer which Christ taught
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  Speaker 1: his disciples, he said, forgive us our debts, as we
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  Speaker 1: forgive our debtors. By this, he did not mean that
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  Speaker 1: in order to be forgiven our sins, we must not
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  Speaker 1: require our just dues from our debtors if they cannot pay,
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  Speaker 1: even though that may be the result of unwise management.
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  Speaker 1: They are not to be cast into prison, oppressed, or
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  Speaker 1: even treated harshly. But the parable does not teach us
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  Speaker 1: to encourage indolence. The word of God declares that if
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  Speaker 1: a man will not work, neither shall he eat. The
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  Speaker 1: Lord does not require the hard working man to support
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  Speaker 1: others in idleness. With many there is a waste of time,
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  Speaker 1: a lack of effort, which brings to poverty and want.
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  Speaker 1: If these faults are not corrected by those who indulge them,
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  Speaker 1: all that might be done in their behalf would be
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  Speaker 1: like putting treasure into a bag with holes. Yet there
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  Speaker 1: is an unavoidable poverty, and we are to manifest tenderness
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  Speaker 1: and compassion toward those who are unfortunate. We should treat
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  Speaker 1: others just as we ourselves, in like circumstances, would wish
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  Speaker 1: to be treated. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle, Paul
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  Speaker 1: charges us, if there be therefore any consolation in Christ,
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  Speaker 1: if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit,
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  Speaker 1: if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that
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  Speaker 1: ye be like minded, having the same love of being
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  Speaker 1: of one accord of one mind. Let nothing be done
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  Speaker 1: through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, Let
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  Speaker 1: each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man
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  Speaker 1: on his own things, but every man also on the
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  Speaker 1: things of others. Let this mind be in you, which
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  Speaker 1: was also in Christ Jesus. But sin is not to
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  Speaker 1: be lightly regarded. The Lord has commanded us not to
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  Speaker 1: suffer wrong upon our brother. He says, if thy brother
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  Speaker 1: trespass against THEE, rebuke him. Sin is to be called
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  Speaker 1: by its right name, and is to be plainly laid
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  Speaker 1: out before the wrong doer. In his charge. To Timothy, Paul,
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  Speaker 1: writing by the Holy Spirit, says, be instant in season
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  Speaker 1: out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering
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  Speaker 1: and doctrine. And to Titus, he writes, there are many unruly,
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  Speaker 1: in vain talkers and deceivers, Wherefore rebuke them sharply that
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  Speaker 1: they may be sound in the faith. If thy brother
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  Speaker 1: shall trespass against THEE, Christ said, go and tell him
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  Speaker 1: his fault between THEE and him alone. If he shall
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  Speaker 1: hear THEE, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he
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  Speaker 1: will not hear THEE, then take with THEE one or
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  Speaker 1: two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses,
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  Speaker 1: every word may be established. And if he shall neglect
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  Speaker 1: to hear them, tell it unto the Church. But if
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  Speaker 1: he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto
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  Speaker 1: THEE as a heathen man and a publican. Our Lord
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  Speaker 1: teaches that matters of difficulty between Christians are to be
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  Speaker 1: settled within the Church. They should not be opened before
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  Speaker 1: those who do not fear God. If a Christian is
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  Speaker 1: wronged by his brother, let him not appeal to unbelievers
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  Speaker 1: in a court of justice. Let him follow out the
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  Speaker 1: instruction Christ is given. Instead of trying to avenge himself,
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  Speaker 1: Let him seek to save his brother. God will guard
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  Speaker 1: the interests of those who love and fear Him, and
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  Speaker 1: with confidence we may commit our case to him who
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  Speaker 1: judges righteously. Too often, when wrongs are committed again and again,
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  Speaker 1: and the wrong doer confesses his fault, the injured one
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  Speaker 1: becomes weary and thinks he has forgiven quite enough. But
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  Speaker 1: the Savior has plainly told us how to deal with
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  Speaker 1: the erring. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him,
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  Speaker 1: and if he repent, forgive him. Do not hold him
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  Speaker 1: off as unworthy of your confidence. Consider thyself lest thou
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  Speaker 1: also be tempted. If your brothern heir, you are to
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  Speaker 1: forgive them when they come to you with confession, You
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  Speaker 1: should not say, I do not think they are humble enough.
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  Speaker 1: I do not think they feel their confession. What right
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  Speaker 1: have you to judge them as if you could read
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  Speaker 1: the heart. The word of God says, if he repent
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  Speaker 1: forgive him. And if he trespass against THEE seven times
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  Speaker 1: in a day, and seven times in a day, turn
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  Speaker 1: again to THEE, saying I repent, thou shalt forgive him,
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  Speaker 1: And not only seven times, but seventy times seven, just
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  Speaker 1: as often as God forgives you. We ourselves owe everything
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  Speaker 1: to God's free grace, grace in the Covenant ordained our adoption,
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  Speaker 1: grace in and the Savior affected, our redemption, our regeneration,
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  Speaker 1: and our exultation to airship with Christ. Let this grace
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  Speaker 1: be revealed to others. Give the erring one no occasion
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  Speaker 1: for discouragement. Suffer not a phariseical hardness to come in
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  Speaker 1: and hurt your brother. Let no bitter sneer rise in
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  Speaker 1: mind or heart. Let no tinge of scorn be manifest
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  Speaker 1: in the voice. If you speak a word of your own,
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  Speaker 1: if you take an attitude of indifference, or show suspicion
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  Speaker 1: or distrust, it may prove the ruin of a soul.
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  Speaker 1: He needs a brother with the elder brother's heart of
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  Speaker 1: sympathy to touch his heart of humanity. Let him feel
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  Speaker 1: the strong clasp of a sympathizing hand and hear the whisper.
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  Speaker 1: Let us pray, God will give a rich experience to
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  Speaker 1: you both. Prayer unites us with one another and with God.
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  Speaker 1: Prayer brings Jesus to our side and gives to the fainting,
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  Speaker 1: perplexed soul new strength to overcome the world, the flesh,
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  Speaker 1: and the devil. Prayer turns aside the attacks of Satan.
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  Speaker 1: When one turns away from human imperfections to behold Jesus,
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  Speaker 1: a divine transformation takes place in the character. The spirit
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  Speaker 1: of Christ working upon the heart, conforms it to his image.
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  Speaker 1: Then let it be your effort to lift up Jesus.
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  Speaker 1: Let the mind's eye be directed to the lamb of God,
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  Speaker 1: which taketh away the sin of the world. And as
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  Speaker 1: you engage in this work, remember that he which converteth
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  Speaker 1: the sinner from the error of his way, shall save
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  Speaker 1: a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
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  Speaker 1: But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will
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  Speaker 1: your Father forgive your trispasses. Nothing can justify an unforgiving spirit.
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  Speaker 1: He who is unmerciful toward others shows that he himself
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  Speaker 1: is not a partaker of God's pardoning grace. In God's forgiveness,
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  Speaker 1: the heart of the erring one is drawn close to
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  Speaker 1: the great heart of infinite love. The tide of divine
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  Speaker 1: compassion flows into the sinner's soul, and from him to
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  Speaker 1: the soul's of others. The tenderness and mercy that Christ
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  Speaker 1: has revealed in his own precious life will be seen
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  Speaker 1: in those who become sharers of his grace. But if
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  Speaker 1: any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is
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  Speaker 1: none of his. He is alienated from God, fitted only
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  Speaker 1: for eternal separation from him. It is true that he
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  Speaker 1: may once have received forgiveness, but his unmerciful spirit shows
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  Speaker 1: that he now rejects God's pardoning love. He has separated
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  Speaker 1: himself from God and is in the same condition as
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  Speaker 1: before he was forgiven. He has denied his repentance, and
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  Speaker 1: his sins are upon him as if he had not repented.
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  Speaker 1: But the great lesson of the parable lies in the
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  Speaker 1: contrast between God's compassion and man's hard heartedness, in the
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  Speaker 1: fact that God's forgiving mercy is to be the measure
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  Speaker 1: of our own. Shouldst not thou also have had compassion
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  Speaker 1: on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee.
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  Speaker 1: We are not forgiven because we forgive, but as we forgive,
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  Speaker 1: the ground of all forgiveness is found in the unmerited
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  Speaker 1: love of God. But by our attitude toward others we
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  Speaker 1: show whether we have made that love our own. Wherefore
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  Speaker 1: Christ says, with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged,
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  Speaker 1: and with what measure ye meet, it shall be measured
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  Speaker 1: to you again. End of Chapter nineteen.