And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. Matthew 14;14
"Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. Matthew 18:27
Jesus never taught nor gave blanket forgiveness to any one. For forgiveness with out repentance and restitution is nothing but cheap grace. Jesus said to the man who had an infirmity thirty-eight years at the pool at pool, Bethesda after He had healed Him:
"See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." John 5:14
Even to the women who was caught in adultery and Jesus had compassion on her and said to her:
"Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." John 8:11
Mind you it seems that some people do not listen to the words of Jesus and give offense to another brother numerous times. God’s word records:
Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. "And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. "But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
"The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' "Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'
"So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' "And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. "So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
"Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." Matthew 18:22-35
Now the bottom line is that Jesus said that those who did not forgive from their heart their brother their trespasses would be dealt with by God. For it seems that some people when they forgive others they do it grudgingly. Their sin seems to be a hardness of heart that does not allow them to have compassion on others and measure the same measure to others that God has measured to them. But forgiveness of a person does not invalidate the Word of God which states:
'You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. 'And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. 'You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. Leviticus 19:11-13
'You shall not steal. 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 'You shall not covet your neighbor's wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.' Deuteronomy 5:19-21
"You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep going astray, and hide yourself from them; you shall certainly bring them back to your brother. "And if your brother is not near you, or if you do not know him, then you shall bring it to your own house, and it shall remain with you until your brother seeks it; then you shall restore it to him. "You shall do the same with his donkey, and so shall you do with his garment; with any lost thing of your brother's, which he has lost and you have found, you shall do likewise; you must not hide yourself. Deuteronomy 22:1-3
God requires honesty, integrity, truthfulness and restoration from those who are called by His name. They are not to steal, bear false witness, nor covet nor desire what belongs to their neighbor be it their wife, servant, or possessions. Those who have accepted Christ are to put of their old nature and its deceitful lusts and are to put on the new man according to the Word of God:
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Ephesians 4:20-28
Men cannot continue doing things which are wrong and sinful and not repenting about it and then asking others for forgiveness. They have to stop lying, stealing and are to work with their hands so that they might give something to those who have need. For God’s word is true:
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:20-32
Weakness of character is one thing and is to be forgiven but a life style is another thing and is not to be so easily forgiven. For God’s word is true especially of those who are religious leaders:
For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. Titus 1:7-16
Paul not only did he not forgive those whose life style was unChrist like but he also advocated that these liars, evil beasts and lazy gluttons be rebuked and their mouths stopped. Especially for subverting others in deceiving and teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. Now this is something which those who talk continually about the importance of love and forgiveness never talk about rebuke and dealing with those who are false. But those who walk in the Spirit of the Lord have put off the old man which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts. They put on the new man which was created in God in true righteousness and holiness. They have put away lying and speak truth to one another. They do not give place to the devil and do not steal from others. They labor with their hands so that they might give something to those who are in need. They do not grieve the Holy Spirit and have renounced the hidden things of shame. They do not walking in craftiness nor handle the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commend themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
Those who do not do justice but injustice become the adversaries and enemies of God on whom He will take vengeance and turn His hand against them. God does not forgive His enemies. Especially those who disobey His commands and have become murderers, rebels, thieves and prostitutes and do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come before them.
God does not forgive those who have not put away the evil of their doings from before His eyes by not ceasing to do evil, learning to do good, Seeking justice nor rebuking the oppressor. Such as these are not His people no matter what they call themselves. The other fact of the matter that such as these never consider that Jesus told the truth when He stated
"For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." Mark 4:25
Yes! Even what they have will be taken away from them while for others who already have too much, more shall be given. Isn't life wonderful?
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