
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He stressed one point โ we are forgiven in a similar way that we forgive others.ย Hear Jesus.
โAnd forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.โ (Matthew 6:12)
Jesus immediately clarified this issue.
โFor if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.โ ย (Matthew 6:14-15)
To ensure that we would be without any excuse, Jesus gave us an example.
โTherefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.ย And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.ย 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.
โThe servant therefore fell down before him, saying, โMaster, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.โ ย Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
โBut 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, โPay me what you owe!โ
โSo his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, โHave patience with me, and I will pay you all.โ ย And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
โSo when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
โThen his master, after he had called him, said to him, โYou wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.ย Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?โ ย And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
โSo My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.โ ย (Matthew 18:23-35)
Please note the sequence of events.ย First, the debt was forgiven completely.ย Then, because the person who was forgiven chose not to forgive someone else, the forgiven debt was unforgiven and became owed.
May we forgive in the same manner that we want to be forgiven โ entirely.






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