Mercy + Grace = Forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35) 230408
The core of the meaning of the parable is found in the final verse: “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”(v35) “Mercy” is not giving to a person what he deserves, while “grace” is giving to a person what he does not deserve. This takes us to a central principle of the kind of kingdom life that Jesus has inaugurated. A person who has truly experienced the mercy and grace of God by responding to the presence of his kingdom will be transformed into Jesus’ disciple, which, in a most fundamental way, means experiencing a transformed heart that produces a changed life that gives the same mercy and grace one has received from God. (Taken from NIV Application Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew)
Mercy and grace are the two big ideas in this parable which is very familiar to many people. But in reality how often do we really exercise mercy and grace to others? When was the last time you actually have show mercy and grace by forgiving some one?
What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is understanding what is true mercy and grace, and then release the right to be hurt, bitter and all other negative feelings to God. Whether forgiveness will end up reconciliation and restoration or not, that is not our responsibility to determine, though we ought to work towards this. Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is an act of our will. We can still forgive even if we do not "feel" like forgiving.
I am a very sensitive person, I get hurts very easily. But I am thankful too that God has taught the true meaning of forgiveness in my early days of Christian walk, and I can easily forgive others who hurt me. I will quickly go to the Lord and tell Him that I am hurt and I want to forgive. Though I may not be able to reconcile or restore the relationship immediately, my I know that I right before God. Forgiveness is not a one time off action. I thought I understand this truth until my recent journey through the spiritual wilderness. I discover that there are hurts and pains of the past which I had forgiven resurfaced. I realize that I have to continuously to forgive until the Lord really deals with the matter.
Forgiveness is part of the cross of discipleship. Jesus demonstrated to us by going to the Cross so that our Sin can be forgiven. As I consider my cross, I also have to forgive. As I consider how Luke actually emphasizes that we are to take up our cross daily, I have to forgive daily.
I do not have to illustrate the negative effort of unforgiveness. We all know that the only one who is really hurting or suffering from unforgiveness is the person himself. Whoever we are not forgiving would not know and not feel any hurt at all! Why not forgive?
My equation of forgiveness is mercy plus grace. It by the mercy of God that we are not judged and condemn for our sins. It is by the grace of God that we can enjoy new life in Him for all we have sinned. I think it is easier to be merciful than being gracious.
To be merciful is simply not to judge or not to deal with the person who have hurt you and leave it to God. My ex-colleagues said that I am a very forgiving discipline teacher because I can ignore some of my students mischiefs and misbehavior and do not punished them as they deserved. But that is only being merciful. This is one aspect of forgiveness. True forgiveness test comes when we are ask to give to those who are not deserving. Will you give a student a pass even though he has actually failed his quiz because of his laziness? Will you do the job of your colleague willing when he failed to do so and he is one who has been gossiping behind you back? Will you forgive? Completely and unconditionally?
Christ has forgiven us unconditionally. Let us not be the first servant who has received forgiveness (v27) but does not show forgiveness to other (v31). Have mercy and grace for they are the two pillars of forgiveness.
Is there anyone you have to forgive today? Go and do so.
HHS…
Abel…
