Well, good afternoon, everyone! I trust everybody is doing well. I'd like to say a special "Hello" to Tom and Rachel and George and Nicole. It's good to have you with us. And also say "Hello" to those that will be perhaps listening to this at some later date via the DVDs or the audio.
I'd like to start today's sermon with a verse from 2 Corinthians. You can begin turning over to 2 Corinthians 2. As you're turning, I want to give you just a brief summary of the two letters to the Corinthians.
The first one, if you will recall, was a very corrective sermon. And among other things, Paul really came down on the Corinthians for their tolerance over the person that was in their midst that was committing incest with his father's wife. And, of course, in my mind that was a very autocratic approach because there was no compromise. He basically said, "Get him out of there. What you're doing is not right."
And between the two, they did, in fact, take what he said to heart. And that person did repent and came back into their midst. But then there were always these hard feelings that they had toward him.
And in the second letter, Paul was not only praising them for responding to his admonition, but he was also encouraging them to accept this repentant person back into their fellowship.
What I'd like to do is kind of start at the end, the summary of it, to get the context. Then we'll go back and read the first part, but it's going to give us some insight into the influences that we face from the spirit realm. We'll pick it up in 1 Corinthians 2:11. And it just says:
2 Corinthians 2:11. lest Satan … take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. (NKJ)
And I want to spend just a few minutes—I want to give this out of some of the other translations. That was out of the New King James. The King James says:
2 Corinthians 2:11. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: (KJV)
The New Jerusalem Bible says:
2 Corinthians 2:11. To avoid being outwitted by Satan whose scheming we know only too well. (NJB)
The American Standard Version says:
2 Corinthians 2:11. that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices. (ASV)
The Bible in Basic English says:
2 Corinthians 2:11. So that Satan may not get the better of us: for we are not without knowledge of his designs. (BBE)
The Darby Translation says:
2 Corinthians 2:11. That we might not have Satan get an advantage against us: for we're not ignorant of his thoughts. (DARBY)
The English Standard Version says:
2 Corinthians 2:11. For we would not be outwitted by Satan: for we're not ignorant of his designs. (ESV)
The Geneva Bible says:
2 Corinthians 2:11. Lest Satan should circumvent us: for we're not ignorant of his enterprises. (GEN)
In other words, what he does on a regular basis.
And the New American Bible says:
2 Corinthians 2:11. So that we might not be taken advantage of by Satan: for we're not unaware of his purposes. (NAB)
I think these are some very strong words. It gives us, again, a lot of insight into what we deal with and what Satan and one of his devices that he uses.
And now we're going to go back because the action or the inaction that's being addressed by Paul in this will allow Satan to gain a controlling grip on us. The point being made in this issue of paramount importance is related to overcoming the evil one or to allow oneself to be overcome by his workings.
Now let's go back, up just a little bit, and look at what action or inaction is. And we'll see it's very, very relevant to God's Church in the twenty-first century. Let's go back up to 2 Corinthians 1:21. It says:
2 Corinthians 1:21. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, (NKJ)
And I want you to, as we read this, let's get the sense that Paul is approaching this from the perspective of a companion and a friend. Not as one lording something over another. Again, in the first epistle, he was very autocratic, but he was dealing head on with sin, with blatant sin. In this one, he's really more exhorting them. He's more as a friend. He uses the word "establishes us with you"—again as a companion. And although he did have the authority, what's he's accentuating here is his friendship as a fellow worker.
Verse 22:
2 Corinthians 1:22. who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
23) Moreover I call God as [a] witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. (NKJ)
And what did he mean there? Let me just read what Clarke's Commentary says. It says:
The apostle here resumes the subject which he left (2 Cor. 1:16), and in the most solemn manner calls God to witness, and consequently to punish, if he asserted anything false, that it was through tenderness to them that he did not visit Corinth at the time proposed.
And apparently, he was scheduled to go, but because of this issue, Paul felt in his indignation and his anger that it would not be wise for him to come during that time. So he's saying, "As God is my witness, I put it off to give you a chance so I didn't have to just face on have to deal with it."
It says:
As there were so many scandals among them, the apostle had reason to believe that he should be obliged to use the severe and authoritative part of his function in the excommunication of those who had sinned, and delivering them over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, etc.; but to give them space to amend, and to see what effect his letter might produce (not having heard as yet from them), he proposed to delay his coming. It is plain, as several commentators have observed,
And again, remember—for the sake of time I won't go into it—but Paul was under very severe criticism from those around the Corinthians. They were opposing and even questioning his apostleship. In your own study, 1 Corinthians 15:12, 1 Corinthians 9:1-2, and 2 Corinthians 12:13; again, they were saying, "This guy's—remember what he did. He's not even an apostle."
In my mind, with what Paul is writing here, I think he epitomizes Proverbs 15:1. And you don't have to turn there, but it says:
Proverbs 15:1. A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (NKJ)
And Paul, at that time, and remember he talks later about, "I made you angry, but it was to repentance," and he was glad of that. But here is the time when he's using a soft answer.
Verse 24:
2 Corinthians 1:24. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but [we] are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand. (NKJ)
Continuing on:
2 Corinthians 2:1. But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. (NKJ)
So he wanted to give them space to deal with it after he had given them the instruction.
Skip down to verse 5.
2 Corinthians 2:5. But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe.
6) This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, (NKJ)
Talking about the person that had committed the incest upon Paul's indictment of his actions and they put out and disassociated themselves with him.
Verse 7:
2 Corinthians 2:7. So that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow.
8) Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. (NKJ)
And notice he's encouraging them to forgive this person for what he's done and then to resume that close relationship that they had with him prior to them having to excommunicate him. He's talking here about two things. And this is the crux of what we're going to talk about today and that's forgiveness and reconciliation.
Continuing on verse 9:
2 Corinthians 2:9. For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.
10) Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,
11) lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. (NKJ)
So the device that he's talking about is a lack of forgiveness! It is to continue to carry that grudge against one that has wronged. And that's one of the devices that Satan uses to overcome and defeat us.
And here's the question today: In our scattered condition—and I'm talking about the Church of God not as a corporation, not as a small group; I'm talking about spirit led people that are in God's Church—is this a problem that we have to deal with primarily within ourselves? And if it is, how do we go about it? How do we deal with it? What do we do about it?
What I'd like to do today because I feel that it is—and I'm talking to myself—I'd like to put this concept of carrying a grudge under a magnifying glass to see if perhaps we individually have allowed Satan through this to gain advantage of us, and, as we will see, to stunt our Christian growth. If you want a title to today's sermon, it is Grudges—A Tool of Satan.
First off, let's define the term "grudge" just to make sure that we're all on the same page with the concept of grudges moving forward. And as I read these, think about them and consider if they apply to us. A grudge is to harbor ill feelings, to accept or admit unwillingly, a resentment strong enough to justify retaliation—and that can not necessarily be physical. It can be verbal. It can be in our actions, settling a score—deep seated animosity or ill feeling about something or someone, to be unwilling to give or allow, a feeling of anger that lasts a long time. Usually people, it says, that hold a grudge want payback. We're looking for the time when they're going to get theirs for doing something to us. I've heard it more than once where people say, "Just wait till Christ returns. They're going to find out then."
Look over in Philippians chapter 2.
Keep in mind, Brethren, that we're called on to take the mind of God. God gives us His spirit, which is the spirit of a sound mind. And remember, if we take on His mind, God has a perfect and a sound mind and His intent is by giving us His holy spirit, we then allow Him to live and replace our sick perverted minds with His! That's how God's spirit works in us by replacing what we are and what we think with His. And to the extent, Brethren, that we follow what He's made available to us, we will reflect His character and reflect Him.
Philippians 2 and let's start in verse 1. It says:
Philippians 2:1. Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2) fulfill my joy by being [What?] like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. (NKJ)
I think sometimes we sit around wondering "Well, we don't think alike. We think different. How can we say that we're of one mind?" And we want to get together to try to impress the fact that if we're altogether, then we will have the same mind, the same intent. And, Brethren, the approach should not be that. It should be we should want to take on God's mind and Christ's mind and by doing that—and everybody that does that—then we naturally are going to be one-minded. To try to take on one another, to force ourselves to do that is really the wrong approach. It is "I want to become like God and Jesus Christ and have Their mind in me," and by doing that, everyone that does that will naturally be of one mind.
Philippians 2:2. fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3) Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind … (NKJ)
And you know what? There's only one way that we can truly have lowliness of mind. We could do a sermon on this! Because a human, I believe, can't have true lowliness of mind that is pleasing to God. We have to take on the mind of Jesus Christ to do this.
Philippians 2:3b. … but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4) Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (NKJ)
Taking on God's mind requires us not only to imitate Him in every manner of our lives, but it requires us to shed, to put away, to do away with what we currently are. That's our Christian walk!
Let's look at the very characteristics of God. Go over to Ephesians chapter 4, Ephesians 4 and we'll pick it up in verse 21. It says:
Ephesians 4:21. if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22) that you put off, concerning your former conduct … (NKJ)
In other words, stop being what you were.
Ephesians 4:22b. … the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23) and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24) and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
25) Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," (NKJ)
That word "neighbor" is an interesting word. We all have our concept of what a "neighbor" is. It's Strong's 4139. Plesion (play-see'-on) is the Greek. And it means "close by, a neighbor, a fellow, a countryman, a Christian, or a friend." Zodhiates defines it as to be physically near someone. As you know, our neighbor is Steve and Debbie. They live next door to us. They literally are our neighbor, our next door neighbor. He goes on to say, "Another person of the same nature, the same country, the same class." In other words, fellow Christians, Americans, people that have the same interest, whatever those are—computers, or mechanics, or whoever you work with.
"And another member"—this is Zodhiates third definition and there's no escaping this one—"another member of the human family." Neighbor there doesn't leave out very much. So it says "to speak the truth to your neighbor." Brethren, that's everyone! Tell me who's excluded in that definition. It's very far reaching and it's a broad term and it's all inclusive. Paul directly says this verse 25:
Ephesians 4:25. Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. (NKJ)
There's not a class that that Greek word "neighbor" that you can exclude yourself from and say, "Well, it's okay to lie to him. It's okay to treat him that way. He's not up to my standards. He's not as good as I am." Remember it says, "Esteem the other better than yourselves"—your neighbor.
Verse 26:
Ephesians 4:26. "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, (NKJ)
At first glance this Scripture seems to indicate it's okay to go around with a "mad-on" all the time as long as you don't sin. It's okay to be angry and just you can't sin. This is actually a quote from Psalm 4:4. And let's go over and look at that. Just hold your finger there. Let's go over there and let's examine the verse that it's quoted from and I think it will give us a better idea of what it's telling us. And I have found it beneficial if there is a quote in the New Testament from the Old Testament that you go and look at the quote because there's times that—just for sake of time—because remember all they had at that time was the Old Testament. People knew it. So they quoted enough of it that they understood it, but for us, especially those that spend a lot of time in the New Testament, we might look at part of it and take it out of context. Psalm 4 verse 4, it says:
Psalm 4:4. Be angry, (NKJ)
And that Hebrew word is ragaz (raw-gaz'). It's 7264 and what does it mean? It means to tremble, to quake, to rage, to quiver, to be agitated, to be excited, to be perturbed, to excite oneself. So it's a range of emotions not just to run around with a "mad-on." It can be many more.
Psalm 4:4. Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. (NKJ)
The King James says—and it's much better—it says:
Psalm 4:4. Stand in awe, and sin not: (KJV)
In other words, consider you to God. And when we do, we stand in awe of God and we stand in awe of Jesus Christ and we realize how far short we are. We can, if we're not careful, just give up and say, "You know what? It's an unreachable goal. I'm going back into the world." But it's saying, "Look, have that awe, but don't let it cause you to sin."
Psalm 4:4b. … commune with your own heart
In other words, meditate about it.
Psalm 4:4 continued. … upon your bed, and be still. (KJV)
In other words, we're to fear God's judgment. We are to think about it and we're to realize just what we are.
Three translations, including the King James, translate the word "angry" as "stand in awe." Six translations, including the Tanakh, translate it as "tremble".
Brethren, it doesn't mean that we're okay in a permanent state of anger. It means we consider and respect God and we cease from sinning and we consider our ways. It means before we retire for the night that we have ceased our rage and anger and have thought the issues through and have dealt with them inside ourselves.
Just an aside: I think—and I wish I was perfect in this; I'm not—before I go to sleep at night after I go to bed, is to let my mind go back through the day and what have I learned, what have I done wrong, what did I wish I had to day to do over.
What was that movie? Ground Hog Day, where he kept doing the same thing over and over till he got it right!
You know what, Brethren? We get do-overs! We wake up the next morning with a clean slate and we have a chance to do it over.
But I think it's beneficial for us to think about it, to consider before we go to bed at night how the day went and what did we do, what did we muck up. I really think it would help us get a better perspective of where we need to head and what we need to work on. Unresolved anger leads to hatred, which leads to murder. That's what Christ said that unresolved anger directed toward a brother is akin to murder. And we'll read that later on.
Let's go back verse 26:
Ephesians 4:26. "Be angry, and do not sin": (NKJ)
Again, think about the full meaning of that.
Ephesians 4:26b. … do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
27) nor give place to the devil. (NKJ)
In other words, if that wrath gets carried with you, Brethren, it will turn into a root of bitterness. So he says, "Don't let the sun go down on your wrath." Think it through. Deal with it.
Remember where we started talking about being aware of Satan's devices. Unresolved anger toward a brother brought about by a lack of forgiveness is, in fact, giving Satan a lever, a door into our lives, into our minds.
Verse 28:
Ephesians 4:28. 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 [to] him who [is in] need. (NKJ)
It's interesting where he's talking about, "Stop doing it the easy way. Stop stealing. But work. Work with your hands." And notice it's not just for yourselves. It's not for your family. It's to give to someone that has need.
Ephesians 4:29. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31) Let all bitterness, wrath, anger … (NKJ)
And that's the same word. The first where it said, "be angry" was 3710. This is 3709. It's the same word, but it's a different tense. But if we thought that meant to be mad, he's saying here, "Get rid of it!"
Ephesians 4:31. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with [or along with] all malice. (NKJ)
Brethren, think about it. Bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking are poisons. It will retard our growth. And, Brethren, it will eventually kill us! Grudges which are unresolved issues with someone are the epitome of those internal and external sins.
Who among us is completely innocent of this? Which person can stand up and say, "I don't have any of this!" I will tell you there are times that I feel that I've got a handle on it and something will come up or someone will mention something or something and my stomach just knots back up. And you have to go and ask God to help you deal with that.
Can any of us go to a room, look into a mirror where it's just you and your reflection, and God and say, "We've totally overcome this"? "They're behind this. We can check those off the list and move on. That we have no wrath, no anger, no clamor, no evil speaking of another, especially a brother in the faith." How would we accomplish this? How do we get the works of the flesh out of our system?
We're going to see the ball's in our court. Paul provides us with an answer, which, I believe, is the key to eliminating all of the grudges that we accumulate, that weight us down, and gradually poison our spiritual systems. And, as we will see, poison our physical systems as well.
Continuing on, verse 32:
Ephesians 4:32. And be kind to one another, (NKJ)
See this is an action, a behavior that we display to our spiritual family. Again, I wish I could say I was without guilt in this.
Ephesians 4:32b. tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. (NKJ)
The answer, while it's simple in words, we spend our lives trying to do it. And that is, to be tenderhearted, to forgive one another just as God in Christ.
Do you realize that you cannot true forgive someone and still carry a grudge against them? Those two are mutually exclusive. And I will tell you a grudge is a weight that will slowly crush you.
Notice this!
Ephesians 5:1. Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. (NKJ)
In other words, we're to take Him on.
Since Jason and Karlene have been here, watching the young ones—it's been such a lesson to me to watch the young ones imitate the old ones or imitate the parents. There's something in a child that they want to imitate those that they look up to. That they want to be like them! And that's in mannerisms, the way they stand, the way they walk, the way they talk, the words they say—even though sometimes you wish they hadn't heard them! But they're imitators.
And this is saying we should be imitators as well of God. We touched on it earlier. We're to take on the mind of God. Brethren, that doesn't come by a snap of fingers and there is a fiat and we do it. It comes on, as you know, day in and day out. We struggle with our human nature. How do we overcome it? It's by us imitating our Father and Jesus Christ. Just again, as a child wants to be like a parent, by letting God's mind be in us, by trying to act like Him, on those day in and day out situations that we encounter, we take on God's mind by being an imitator of Him as dear children. Again, it couldn't be a simpler concept. Just like God's Truth is simple. This is a very simple, uncomplicated, "Well, all you have to do is be like Him." Yet it's so difficult in execution.
And that leads to the next section that we're going to look at. And that's related to forgiveness. Look over in Colossians chapter 3. Paul repeats the same admonition that he did to the Corinthians and to the Ephesians.
Just keep in mind, just like then when the Church was scattered, we find ourselves in the same situation. The Church back then was very scattered. If you wanted a model of how we are—and I don't know how you would play with the numbers, but—the Church is, in fact, scattered. They faced the same issues that we're facing today.
Colossians 3 and verse 8, it says:
Colossians 3:8. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, (NKJ)
And after this a list of the things that they were to put off, he now tells them that they have to replace those behaviors—wrath and anger. In verse 10:
Colossians 3:10. and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
11) [for] there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. (NKJ)
In other words, if you have the holy spirit of God dwelling in you, They have made Their home with you. Christ is in you and He's in all that have that. We don't get to draw the borderlines. We don't get to say, "Okay, here's where God is working and no place else. Here's where the apple of God's eye and no place else." We're the children. Just like children like to get possessive—"Well, this is mine!" We do the same thing. And yet it's not our prerogative. God is doing, from His vantage point, the right thing, the thing that will benefit all of mankind.
Colossians 3:12. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering [in other words, patience];
13) bearing with one another, (NKJ)
And all those things! But notice:
Colossians 3:13b. and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against a [brother]; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
14) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, (NKJ)
Notice this!
Colossians 3:15b. … to which also you were called in one body; (NKJ)
He was writing to a scattered Church, scattered like we are today, and yet he said:
Colossians 3:15 continued. … you were called in one body; and be thankful. (NKJ)
The scattered condition of the Church today makes the concept of one body a very difficult concept to grasp. Because being physical and thinking physical, we want to think of one body as a physical entity. You know a corporation, a group led by a particular person. But the truth is God's Church, while physically scattered, is spiritually one body.
And I know we sit down all day trying to sit and trying to determine and judge and qualify and disqualify different groups and corporations because they aren't with us, but, Brethren, if this is God's Church—and I believe it is with the very depth of my being—that's His responsibility. That's His job.
We could philosophize all day long about whether God scattered the Church and why, but there's some facts that we can't deny. We are scattered. God has allowed the scattering. These are facts. God never does anything for our destruction. Rather for our training and our perfection. So whether He did it or just allowed it—and I don't think anybody that knows God says, "Well, He didn't allow it"; God did allow it—and everything He allows us to go through is not for our destruction. It's for our training and our perfection.
Look over in Romans chapter 8 verse 28. It's probably one that you know from memory.
Romans 8:28. And we know that all things (NKJ)
There's not much wiggle room in all things. That Greek word, 3956 pas, is the same word used in Colossians when it says "all things were created by Him." So it's pretty inclusive. It was also used in Ephesians 1 when it said, "all things were put under His feet." There's not much wiggle room.
Romans 8:28b. … all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJ)
You know, Brethren, we would be very hard pressed for us to start excluding maybe some of the trials that we go through or some of the events from the Scripture when it's clearly referring to all things working to the good of God's children. And ultimately everyone—every human being that's ever been born—is God's child! All things! It's not even just a few—the firstfruits—all things work to the good. And I think with our limited human minds we can't grasp it, but one day we will.
God's the one that sets the boundaries. Not us. Just as He tells us what we can do, what's acceptable behavior and not, He also can set what "all things" are and how He works. As James Smyda in the Sermon of Job, God's sovereign, but nothing He does (And look what Job went through!) was for destruction. It was for edification, training. And look how many people have benefited from that!
We can be part of the solution by following God's instruction. Or, Brethren, we can be part of the problem by drawing our boundaries and setting our requirements. And I'll guarantee you if we do that, we will be and we are part of the problem.
Look over in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 9. It says:
Matthew 6:9. "In this manner, therefore, pray: our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
10) Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (NKJ)
This is the model prayer.
Matthew 6:11. Give us this day our daily bread. (NKJ)
And what?
Matthew 6:12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (NKJ)
You see it's a reciprocal thing.
Matthew 6:13. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (NKJ)
Here's the question that let's ask ourselves: Is forgiving someone that has wronged and offended us a salvational issue? Is that something we must do?
Just hold your finger there and just skip forward a few chapters to Matthew 18. Matthew 18 and we'll pick it up in verse 21. Remember we're saying, "Is this a salvational issue? Is forgiving a matter of our salvation—of us forgiving others?
Matthew 18:21. Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22) Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23) "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24) "And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. (NKJ)
Now that doesn't mean a lot to us. That's $1,875,000 £. Today it's about four billion dollars. Now here's one of the subjects that owed four billion dollars to his master. It literally is an unpayable amount.
Matthew 18:25. 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.
26) The servant therefore fell … before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'
27) "Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28) "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; (NKJ)
About a weeks pay at that time!
Matthew 18:28b. and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' (NKJ)
Again, that's 3½ £, about a weeks pay at that time.
Matthew 18:29. "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' (NKJ)
The very same thing he said to his master!
Matthew 18:30. "And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
31) "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.
32) "Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33) 'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'
34) "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. (NKJ)
Now remember he owed him an unpayable debt. He was never going to be released. His imprisonment, if you will, was eternal.
Verse 35 and here's the key!
Matthew 18:35. "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you … (NKJ)
Not "most."
Matthew 18:35b. … if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." (NKJ)
Brethren, it's a salvational issue. And we should never try to reason around it!
Okay back to Matthew 6 verse 14. It's a reiteration of what we just read. It's interesting that in the model prayer Jesus gave to His disciples the first instruction following that is related to the relationships they have with one another and how they would treat one another. Matthew 6 picking it up in verse 14:
Matthew 6:14. "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. (NKJ)
This is a very plain Scripture regarding—and again, there's no wiggle room in it! There's no "Yeah, buts" in it.
And that naturally leads to the next question. How can I forgive someone that's not repented of their trespasses against me? Does that allow me to carry that grudge until such time that they come to me in some contrite way and repent to my satisfaction?
Look over in Acts chapter 15. Just hold that question in your head. Let's spend a little time thinking about it. Acts 15 verse 35, it says:
Acts 15:35. Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
36) Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing."
37) Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. (NKJ)
It turns out John Mark was Barnabas' cousin.
Acts 15:38. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone [on] with them to the work. (NKJ)
Paul was upset because John Mark went back and left them.
Acts 15:39. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; (NKJ)
The New Jerusalem Bible, the New International (the NIV), the NAB says "sharp disagreement." The BBE, the Bible in Basic English said "sharp argument."
You can look at it yourself—3948, paroxusmos (par-ox-oos-mos'). And it means an incitement, or a dispute. It means to provoke. The word is used two ways in the New Testament. First, to provoke to something good, Hebrews 10:24, to provoke someone to good works. But he says of this particular word in this particular verse, "It was a stirring up of anger, a sharp contention, an angry dispute."
Brethren, I think it's safe to say they exchanged some words in this incident to the point that they parted company.
Acts 15:40. but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.
41) And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (NKJ)
Paul continued on his journey doing what he felt was his calling and Barnabas took John Mark and continued his journey.
Barnabas and Paul were very close companions. If you go back and read in Acts 15, Barnabas was the one that brought Paul before the apostles in the Acts 15 conference. He was the one that took him on his encounter on the road to Damascus. He was there at Paul's initial conversion on the road to Damascus. He was with Paul on his early journeys even after this time that they split up. He mentions Barnabas in his letter to the Colossians and his letter to the Galatians although there are some scholars that say that Galatians was written before Acts 15 conference, but most feel it was after. So if you go through and you look, Paul didn't go around disparaging or putting down Barnabas. They parted company. They had sharp words and they both continued doing what they felt they had to do without backbiting one another. There's no record in the Bible of any backbiting. There's no record in the Bible that Paul had hard feelings. There's no record of him belittling or criticizing or lowering him in his self-esteem. He didn't. There's no record of him feeling he removed himself from God's service.
Paul also had a very strong encounter with Peter. And it's kind of interesting because Barnabas is mentioned. Look over in Galatians 2. Paul was not one that was sort of a namby-pamby in his approach. What he felt, he felt with very deep convictions. Galatians 2 and verse 11:
Galatians 2:11. Now when Peter had come to Antioch, (NKJ)
Paul's writing.
Galatians 2:11b. … I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;
12) for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. (NKJ)
So Paul was saying, "Peter was a hypocrite! He was one way to the Gentiles, but when the Jews came around, he was another way."
Galatians 2:13. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away [by] their hypocrisy. (NKJ)
Again, he wasn't putting Barnabas down because he didn't like him. He was concerned. He said, "Even you've affected Barnabas! You've affected the Jews." And it was not that he felt isolated from Barnabas. Again, there's no record of a continuing difficulty that Paul had with him. He felt he had a work to accomplish. He felt the other apostles had theirs.
Brethren, we can have disagreements. And we can even have disagreements that might lead to a separation, but that doesn't give us the right to belittle and criticize and judge and condemn! We belong to God. We're God's responsibility. And we have to be careful not to play into Satan's hands or fall for his devices.
As I mentioned earlier, in God's Church over the years, there are some that have felt, "Well, we don't have to forgive unless someone repents. They have to come to me. They have to be contrite. I have to accept that. And only then, do I have to forgive them!" In other words, it's okay to carry a grudge against someone unless they come to you and tell you they're sorry for their actions against us.
Now for the record, this is an ideal situation if someone offends you. Hopefully, when we realize we have wronged someone, we will go to them because, remember, it's a two-way street. And we'll all humans and we all offend and are offended. When we realize we've wronged someone, we can go to them and apologize for those wrongs.
The reason that it's ideal is because it will allow for the second part of a disagreement or a wrong and that's reconciliation. A point that the two parties have addressed the issue, brought it to the surface and dealt with it, be reconciled, and moved on.
Now let's go through a very common scenario of what we just read. We've read that forgiveness is a salvational issue since we will not be forgiven unless we forgive others. But if we don't have to forgive until the other person repents, we have just put our salvation in the hands of another human. Suppose that person's moved on and they're no longer part of your everyday life. They've moved out of the area. They've moved out of the country. Perhaps they've died! They're no longer even walking the earth. And "I don't have to forgive that person until they repent!" Does that doom us to the Lake of Fire if we can't have that person? Brethren, we know that God never places our eternal life in the hands of another human.
What's the answer? Look over in Luke 23 and verse 33. This is where Christ was being crucified. I think you're way ahead of me, but let's read it and we'll just pick it up.
Luke 23:33. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
34) Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (NKJ)
Even as the people were in the very act of killing Him, He was asking God to forgive them. And I don' think He could have asked God to forgive them if He hadn't had forgiven them. He couldn't be carrying that without asking God to do it. Remember Christ said He came to set us an example that we should follow Him? One of the ways that we do this is to imitate His willingness to forgive even though—and remember those people had not repented. They didn't understand what they were doing.
Brethren, there's something called unilateral forgiveness. It doesn't require the offender to be involved. Now an argument can be made that it was Christ's destiny and He had to go through this and He had to say that and that's true. But remember the authority to forgive sins was within His power. Matthew 9 verse 1:
Matthew 9:1. So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city.
2) Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw [his] faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you." (NKJ)
Now this guy hadn't repented. He was a human. He had committed sins. Did he come very contritely and say, "Please forgive me"? Christ had compassion on his state, on what he was.
Matthew 9:3. And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!"
4) But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
5) "For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'?
6) "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."
7) And he arose … (NKJ)
When Christ asked God the Father, Christ was clearly invested with the authority to forgive sins. And as they were committing it, He was asking God to forgive them, to not lay that charge.
Could we do that? Could we be brought—who knows what unspeakable things could happen—and ask God not to do that? Look over in Acts chapter 7. We could maybe try to find an out by saying, "Christ was perfect. Only the son of God could do that." Acts 7 and let's pick it up in verse 57. This was when Stephen was—the Bible says, "his apology"; it was a powerful sermon. And their reaction:
Acts 7:57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
58) and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59) And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." (NKJ)
He knew he was dying
Acts 7:60. 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. (NKJ)
Here was one of the followers of Christ, not Christ Himself, but he was an imitator of Christ. In his dying breaths, he had forgiven these people unilaterally because they hadn't repented, but he asked God to not charge them.
You see, Brethren, whether or not a person repents, we have the responsibility to forgive and move on. If not, we're going to pay a very heavy toll, both physically and spiritually.
Have you ever considered that forgiving others is a gift that you give to yourself? Because if I forgive someone, they're not even aware of it. You see you are the primary beneficiary of forgiving someone.
I'm just going to read a couple of—this is an article by Dr. Katherine Peterman. She's on the Mayo Clinic's Staff. And she says:
Forgiveness, letting go of grudges and bitterness.
Nearly everyone has been hurt by actions or words of another. Perhaps your mother criticized your parenting skills or your partner had an affair. These wounds can leave you with lasting feelings of anger, bitterness, and even vengeance. But if you don't practice forgiveness, you may be the one who pays most dearly. By embracing forgiveness, you embrace peace, hope, gratitude, and joy.
And it talks about it, but she goes on to say:
Forgiveness doesn't mean that you deny the other person's responsibility for hurting you and it doesn't minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life. Letting go of grudges and bitterness makes way for compassion, kindness, and peace.
Here's an unconverted person!
Forgiveness can lead to healthier relationships, greater spiritual and psychological well-being, less stress and hostility, lower blood pressure …
And I think there are some of us with high blood pressure that knows that those things—tension and all of those things—can sure have an effect on it.
… fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and chronic pain, lower risk of alcohol and substance abuse.
So again, there is not just a spiritual benefit, but we're physical and there is a physical benefit to it as well.
Just like everything that Satan does one of his devices—remember Satan doesn't just want our eternal life. While we're humans, he wants us to hurt and to agonize. And he would like to kill us in the most painful slow manner that he can. He wants to see us hurt.
And this is the way that it does it. Not only will it take your spiritual life, it will take our physical lives as well. And I'm telling you this, Brethren, as somebody that's paid a very heavy price physically. It can literally kill you. And there's no heavier burden that we can carry than to have a grudge against another person.
I don't know if any of you watch the NASCAR races, but there is an ad that takes place during NASCAR. There's a car and he's driving along and he's going real slow. Cars are passing him. The camera pans back and there's this huge anchor tied to the back of the car. And this car's dragging this anchor and sparks are flying. Apparently the thing is that he used the wrong kind of oil or something. And there are two policemen on the side of the road with a radar gun and they hit him and it shows 6 mph—it's on a freeway—and they laugh! It's because he's dragging this big anchor.
And here's the question: Do grudges and unforgiven real or imagined wrongs, are they these anchors that we're carrying around and slowing us down and retarding our growth. Because remember unresolved issues can not only affect our spiritual, it can affect our relationships, our physical relationships with our spouses, with our family, with our friends, with our Brethren. If I could use a bigger term—with our neighbor.
Look over in Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews 11, one of my favorite chapters, "The Faith Chapter." And we're just going to read—it talks about in there what has happened. It's almost a chronicle of God's people through the ages starting right at the beginning and all the way up to the present. Verse 39, Hebrews 11:39:
Hebrews 11:39. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
40) God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. (NKJ)
Hebrews 12:1. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, [Notice this!] let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, (NKJ)
That's that big anchor of grudges and unforgiven and unresolved issues. That's that anchor that's dragging us. And we're running as hard as we can and we're just getting passed up. We're going 6 mph on the freeway because we're dragging it with us!
Hebrews 12:1b. … and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (NKJ)
I'll just read this out of the New Jerusalem Bible, Hebrews 12:1.
Hebrews 12:1. With so many witnesses in a great cloud all around us, we, too, then should throw off everything that weighs us down and the sin that clings so closely; and with perseverance keep running in the race which lies ahead of us. (NJB)
Verse 2:
Hebrews 12:2. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3) For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, (NKJ)
Brethren, no matter how bad we have it, no matter what has happened, what He went through and what He endured and what He experienced is worse.
It says:
Hebrews 12:3b. lest you become weary … (NKJ)
If we only look at what we go through, we can get worn out! We can way, "I'm just not going to make this!" But if we compare ourselves to what Christ endured knowing that the power that was given to Christ to endure that is available to us, we will not become weary and discouraged in our souls. Again, one thing about us—none of us had to endure what Christ did!
Forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves. We have to be mindful of this tool of Satan. Our forgiveness of others is not dependent upon their repentance. And if we fail to do this, we'll greatly retard our spiritual progress. We will greatly damage our physical and our spiritual health.
The last area I want to look at, to address is reconciliation because, as I mentioned, forgiveness has to take place, but reconciliation is a completely separate issue. We're just going to touch on it. You see for reconciliation to take place, there has to be bilateral forgiveness. Both parties have to forgive and then there can be this reconciliation.
Look over in Matthew chapter 5. Here's a Scripture that I think we have perhaps sort of set as the ideal and if we can't attain it, then we just don't do it. Matthew 5 verse 21, it says:
Matthew 5:21. "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder,' and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.
22) "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' [Or, you worthless thing!] shall be in danger of hell fire.
23) "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24) "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (NKJ)
Brethren, I don't want to spiritualize this Scripture away, but remember first and foremost who our older Brother is—Jesus Christ. Remember in the letters in Revelation, the letters to the Churches, He said, "I have something against you. I have this against you." We can't move on even with one another, until that reconciliation. We settle up our accounts with Him, that we have that reconciliation because that gives us access to Him. Otherwise, He's on the outside looking in.
So when we come before God, what we offer—and remember our prayers are as sweet incense—and we remember that our older Brother has something against us, that Jesus Christ has something against us because of something we're doing habitually, it doesn't do any good. We've got to leave that gift. We have to go and start dealing with that and be reconciled to Jesus Christ before we can move on. And then we can come back and then God will hear our prayers.
2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 18, it says:
2 Corinthians 5:18. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself … (NKJ)
How?
2 Corinthians 5:18b. … through Jesus Christ, and has given us … (NKJ)
What?
2 Corinthians 15:18 continued. … the ministry of reconciliation,
19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20) Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. (NKJ)
Brethren, we should seek and desire to be reconciled to one another. And the perfect solution, when there are issues between two people, is to get together and discuss and forgive and be reconciled.
Life is seldom perfect, but God's will is, as we just read, that all of His children would be in a state of togetherness. Again, human life is seldom perfect. How do we view this since unilateral forgiveness will fulfill the responsibility of the one offended, but it doesn't bring about reconciliation? Again, unilateral forgiveness of an offender will relieve our burden, but in order for reconciliation to take place, there has to be a mutual forgiveness and the willingness to discuss "How can that happen?"
I want to offer a possibility based on what I understand in the Scriptures. Start turning over to John 19. We as human beings tend to only see and think from the perspective of our physical lives. God, on the other hand, His view of what He's doing is from the beginning to the end—eternity to eternity! While we have the hope of the resurrection, much of what is going to take place beyond that is sketchy at best. Let me break into the account of Jesus' crucifixion that is recorded. John 19 and verse 35, it says:
John 19:35. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is [pure]; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.
36) For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken."
37) And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced." (NKJ)
At first glance, if you look at it just for the simple words, it seems to indicate that those that actually who participated in the crucifixion will see His body and witness the crucifixion. As it mentions, it's written in another place. Let's go over and look at where that's quoted because there's much more information. Zechariah chapter 12, remember Zechariah is prophecies pertaining to the future and John was inspired to use that prophecy in this context. Zechariah 12 and verse 10, it says:
Zechariah 12:10. "And I will pour on the house of David … (NKJ)
And remember that's Judah. David was a Jew.
Zechariah 12:10b. … and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me … (NKJ)
Now when is this? It's in the future. It's after this prophecy has been fulfilled.
Zechariah 12:10 continued. … then they will look on Me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. (NKJ)
Brethren, there will be a repentance. Now remember, Christ has unilaterally already forgiven these people, but there hasn't been the reconciliation because for that to take place, they will repent and then there will be a reconciliation. They will realize what they've done and they will grieve and they'll mourn about it "as one mourns for his only son." They will feel that personal in what they did and grieve for Him. At that point when they come to realize that and repent, the reconciliation between them and Jesus Christ will start to happen.
Rick mention at the Feast at the Last Great Day that we will go to those that we have sinned. And I do believe that. And I wished I could say it was before I was converted, but even post-conversion, I've hurt a lot of people. I have done wrong to a lot of people—people that were not in the Church, people that were, people that I don't even know, people that I have gone to God and begged to forgive me. But I think I still, because I hurt those people, I still owe those people an apology. And I believe—this is just my opinion; take it for what it's worth. I believe in the Great White Throne Judgment we're going to go to those people and we're going to apologize.
And let me tell you what happens when that takes place. There is a bond that starts to form between two people and a person becomes attached to it. Look at a friend, when you hurt a friend and yet you go to them and you are able to reconcile. You're closer friends than you were before. You have come to an understanding.
I believe in the First Resurrection God's people, we're going to come together as a Family and at that point, there's going to be that bilateral repentance—some on our parts, some on theirs. There's going to be discussions and there's going to be reconciliation. Whether it's in this life or in the future, I believe, again, something very special happens and it brings you together. And it makes you stronger because when you repent, when you go to a person and all the barriers are down, you've made yourself vulnerable to that person. And that person in the right spirit will see that tenderness and they will appreciate it. And it will cause them to love you even more.
I won't for the sake of time, but there are examples of that in the Bible. There will be a time of reconciliation. And, Brethren, I don't think it's all going to be now. It's ideal if it is because we can continue on. I don't know if Paul and Barnabas ever reconciled, but I will guarantee you—at least the historical reading and the fact that Paul continued; he did not backbite; he did not nip and belittle Barnabas in what he did. And, perhaps—I am sure—sitting together they'll be there at the marriage supper and we are sure they'll both be there. They're going to be reconciled and they're going to toast one another. And they're going to laugh together. And they're going to remember all of the good times that they had together.
I believe God's will of all of us of being of one mind and being one Family will take place truly when we will be reconciled first to Him and then to each other. Brethren, as we move forward, let's examine ourselves whether we're carrying these heavy burdens of unresolved conflicts with others. Let's implore our Father to help us do our part to shed it—first to forgive by unilateral forgiveness and, if possible, by reconciliation. We must be doing our part. Brethren, let's approach this very important issue as if our eternal life depends on it because it does!
Transcribed by kb December 23, 2010