FORGIVENESS

Matthew 18:21-35 (NLT)

Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor

21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone[a] who sins against me? Seven times?”

22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven![b]

23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.[c] 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars.[d] He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened.32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters[e] from your heart.”

While we were yet sinners Jesus died for us. Scripture tells us that, "If we confess our sin he is fathful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." All who call on the name of the Lord (JESUS) will be saved. It is amazing the grace and mercy that was poured out upon all men that they might be saved from eternal hell.

I'm reminded of the song, "Jesus, Paid It All" by Elvina M. Hall, I hear the Savior say,“Thy strength indeed is small;Child of weakness, watch and pray,Find in Me thine all in all.”Refrain:Jesus paid it all,All to Him I owe;Sin had left a crimson stain,He washed it white as snow.For nothing good have IWhereby Thy grace to claim;I’ll wash my garments whiteIn the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.And now complete in Him,My robe, His righteousness,Close sheltered ’neath His side,I am divinely blest.Lord, now indeed I findThy pow’r, and Thine alone,Can change the *leper’s spots [*leopard’s]And melt the heart of stone.When from my dying bedMy ransomed soul shall rise,“Jesus died my soul to save,”Shall rend the vaulted skies.And when before the throneI stand in Him complete,I’ll lay my trophies down,All down at Jesus’ feet.