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Topic :THE UNHAPPY TRUTH ABOUT UNFORGIVENESS
After setting Peter straight on the nature of forgiveness, Jesus continued His sermon, explaining the importance of forgiveness in Matthew 18:23–35:
“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.”
This is not my sermon on the power of forgiveness; it is Jesus’ sermon. This is not my doctrine; it is the doctrine of Jesus.
There are three important facts about unforgiveness to be learned fromthis passage of Scripture.
First, the master said that his servant was wicked because he did not forgive his fellow servant. God looks at our failure to
forgive others as wickedness. God forgave us from all the sins of our past, and He continues to forgive us when we fall even
after we have put our faith in Jesus and been born again by the Holy Spirit. How much should we forgive others!
Second, the master was angry with the servant who did not forgive his fellow servant. Unforgiveness in our lives
provokes the anger of God. If we are going to live a life that is pleasing to God, we must live a life of forgiveness.
Third, the master delivered his servant to the tormentors because he had failed to forgive. If we do not forgive, our heavenly Father will have to deal with us in the same way we deal with others.
The place of torment is not hell. Thank God, Jesus paid the debt for us, and we do not have to go to hell. But if we continue to live in unforgiveness toward someone, the Bible says that God will deliver us over to the tormentors until we pay our debt. And Jesus, talking about His wonderful, righteous, loving, and merciful Father, said,
“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, fromhis heart, does
not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
That is not shouting for joy ground; it is sober ground.
That is the Head of the church speaking directly to our hearts.
Jesus is teaching us how to avoid being delivered to the tormentors.
Jesus said that a child of God can be delivered over to the tormentors until he pays for his wrongdoings. He can be
delivered to the tormentors until he forgives!
There is physical, mental, and spiritual torment. Physical torment is sickness and disease in our bodies. Mental torment
produces fear and confusion. Spiritual torment is being accused by Satan. He is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation
12:10).
