† Romans 4:6 [Paul reminds us]…as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

† Psalm 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. 3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

( This last week I began preparing an exhortation )

This last week I began preparing an exhortation called “Taken for Granted: the Words of Jesus” and as I began moving through some of the things Jesus taught it became clear that by that theme I was today to reinforce in your minds and hearts (again, it never hurts to over-learn a subject) how very important forgiveness is to our thorough redemption; which is forgiveness received from God and forgiveness given by men, two sides to the same coin.

The words of Jesus make it clear, “Forgive and you shall be forgiven”.

I don’t know how that strikes you but for me it is a very ominous and frightening declaration from Jesus, Who is God; it is a statement that also includes a sure outcome: Don’t forgive and you will not be forgiven.

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Consider this:

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We are commanded to repent as the condition to God forgiving our sins. But does repentance do any good if we hold unforgiveness in our hearts toward another or others? The answer can be, no; repentance without growing in the forgiveness of others does little good once we are a little ways down the road from our being born again if unconditional forgiveness toward others does not take place.

Repentance is in-part about our being forgiven—but if we refuse to forgive others our repentance will fail us in a very needed result by Father God. Today we will look at the weight of this spiritual reality.

To set your mind not at ease but on edge and to draw you personally into this discussion, since so many Christians today either do not think their grudges are a big deal with God or they do not even remember the contempt they still hold against another, I ask you this as a pretense: Is there someone, are there others that you hold unforgiveness toward (Jesus called it “having ought against any”)? I urge you to think hard and to be honest because your being forgiven by God depends on this (the Holy Spirit will help)!

Have you forgiven all the people in your life up to today of things that have happened by them? Oh, a general “I forgive everybody” prayer might feel good and satisfy your still influential flesh but God sees a lot more that needs to be done as you live and grow in His grace as a Christian.

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Let me pry open your memory by being specific:

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Do you have feelings of resentment or bitterness or smoldering anger or even just hurt feelings or a bad vivid memory caused by your a mother or father(?), a brother or sister(?), an aunt or uncle(?) If you are presently married and or in the past you were married to someone else, do you today have ill-feelings toward your spouse in the corner of your heart or for that former spouse(?), a brother in-law or sister in-law or some former in-law(?), a spouses mother or father(?), and what about a former friend, co-worker, classmate, or neighbor(?)

These things carried in the heart over time are usually centered on having been insulted or by unresolved anger over something, a betrayal or abandonment, theft, lies spoken, or some other wrong. But no matter what the issue was, it is a requirement of God for you to be forgiven—that you forgive all others their sins against you.

I remind you that their wrongs against you are one or two or a just a few or a few dozen but your sins and mine against God number in the many thousands—and we dare to think toward God, “Well, you just don’t understand!” Our unforgiveness of others is a very-big-deal with God and He has made that abundantly clear through Jesus!

† Luke 7:36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

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We must face the facts that God sets the terms of your and my forgiveness and acceptance for eternal life anywhere in His kingdom (“anywhere”? Be sure to read to the end!)—and His requirement for forgiveness is that we-must-forgive. I remind you what God’s Word says:

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† Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

† Mark 11:24 ...I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

† Psalm 66:18 If I regard (see, discern) iniquity in my heart [pride, disobedience, rebellion], the Lord will not hear me...

† Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven…

† Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

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I read you the story from † Luke 7 about the woman who loved much for her sins were many and were forgiven; now hear another such teaching by Jesus about forgiveness but one that comes with more of a warning for not forgiving, which result is not receiving the forgiveness of God:

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† Matthew 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

† Colossians 3: (12, 14, 15, then 13) 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; // 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. // 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

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Last week I posed this question:

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“Will there be equal delights, rewards and benefits for all of us in Heaven?”, to which I answered by saying this: “Most believe so but what is waiting for us there and what honors and rewards each person might receive depends on how we each lived as Christians while we were alive on the earth”, and one of the ways in which such things will be had (or not had!) has to do with forgiveness. What is the basis for that assertion?

1. John declared that we are to follow-through with our repentance with fruitful works (turning away from sin, forgiveness, reconciliation, restitution).

† Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet (worthy, suitable) for repentance…[repentance is to produce results in the sight of God]

† Acts 26:19 ... O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

2. Jesus said it many times and in different ways; “Forgive and you will be forgiven by God”—or not and be not (covered already).
3. In His teaching about the servant that was forgiven of 10,000 talents but [later] would not forgive an hundred pence, Jesus said, “And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors [voided his forgiveness], till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”
4. Jesus said many times that certain children of the kingdom and others described as servants by their disobedience and iniquities would be thrust out and to a place of “outer darkness, a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Please understand that this is at least a temporary exile from the glorious near-presence of God and His city and should not to be confused with other passages that describe sinners being cast into a furnace of fire where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth, which is the first death in hell and the second death in the Lake of Fire.

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I have spoken on this in the past:

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I have no doubt that the outer darkness is where the barely saved by how they failed to live as Christians will live after the time of their personal judgment; it is not hell but the reward of not walking in obedience to the Word of God and the commands of the Savior.

This is perhaps also where an unforgiving person will find is their dwelling place for failing to forgive others as God commanded. This outer darkness is not the furnace of fire but will be communities of people that have been redeemed but failed to live up to the divine requirements of a born again one; they are not given abodes near-to the glorious city of King Jesus.

The farther away from His throne one is the less the less is of the Light of His glory. The farthest places out can be considered (lit.) “shady” or like (lit.) “darkness” by comparison to being near the palace of our great King. Who will be assigned to live farther out in the realm of our God and Savior?

The diamond-tipped point of today’s lesson is to say loud and clear to anyone with ears to hear that Jesus plainly declared that though the Father would forgive all, He also reserves the divine right to rescind that forgiveness until a man or woman’s failing to forgive has been resolved to God’s satisfaction (in some way that He prescribes—† Matt. 18:34-35).

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The proverbial moral of this story is this:

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Do-not-fail to forgive, neither those in your distant past that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, nor those in your more recent past, and to quickly forgive each one that today and in your all your tomorrows sins against you.

I desire to live in the glorious Light of His near-Presence and not in the shady places far-off from the city of my God and Savior! if you do also, forgive and be forgiven. ~Bro. Scott