Did Jesus put price tags on forgiveness? (Matthew 6:14-15)
The gospel that Jesus revealed declares that God loves you like a father, he holds nothing against you, and he longs for his sons and daughters to come home. It’s the good news an orphaned world desperately needs to hear.
So why did Jesus say this:
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matt 6:14-15)
This sounds like bad news, as though you must earn God’s forgiveness through works of forgiveness. How are we to read these words? I’m going to give you three interpretations, and then you can choose.
1. Jesus is preaching law
As many grace preachers have said (including me), Jesus was preaching law to those who lived under law.
Jesus was the greatest law preacher of all time. He preached law so the self-righteous would see their need for grace.
The old law-keeping covenant has gone but the self-righteous still need to hear the harsh words of Jesus. The truth is you cannot earn God’s forgiveness. The measure of forgiveness we need is infinitely greater than any forgiveness we could show to others.
Did Jesus put price tags on forgiveness? In this passage, he does! But on the cross he paid that price on our behalf. The very condition for forgiveness that Jesus preached on the Mount, he fulfilled on the cross. Only in Christ do we receive the Father’s forgiveness.
2. Jesus is describing the fruit of grace
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. (1 John 4:20)
Taylor Swift sang “Haters gonna hate,” but the lyrics are from John. Haters gonna hate because hate is in their heart. The fruit reveal the tree. But if you have been apprehended by the love of your heavenly Father you won’t be a hater anymore. You’ll be a lover and a forgiver.
Paul wrote, “Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Col 3:13) and that’s the proper order. God acts, we respond. But if we don’t respond it’s as if God never acted. Do you see the connection? If we don’t believe God has forgiven us then Christ died for nothing. That’s what Jesus is saying here:
In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part. (Matt 6:14-15, MSG)
Unforgiveness is a form of bondage. It’s a grace killer. If you are unable to release forgiveness to others, you’ll have trouble experiencing the forgiveness that God has given to you.
It’s not that God will become unloving and travel back through time and stop Jesus from carrying your sins on the cross. God never changes! But if you don’t respond to what he has done, it’s as if he’d never done it. Grace without faith is worthless.
In the parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus tells the story of a king who forgives an indebted servant (Matt 18:23-35). But the servant is unchanged by the king’s grace. By choosing to remain graceless and unforgiving the servant reveals his contempt for the gift and the giver. He does not, “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Instead he scorns grace and ends up miserable.
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses. (Mark 11:25-26)
Again, there are two ways to read this: (1) as a law the self-righteous must obey if they are to keep up their charade, or (2) as an exhortation to walk in the grace of a Father who has already forgiven you in Christ.
“Paul, how can you say God has forgiven you when Jesus says he may forgive you?” Because I’ve seen the cross! To forgive is to send your sins away and Jesus did that already. He will never do it again and you cannot undo what he has done (Heb 9:26). Because of Jesus God is no longer counting your sins against you (2 Cor 5:19).
The issue is not “what can I get God to do?” but “what God has done and what can I now do because of what he has done.”
Has someone hurt you? Are you the victim of an unforgiveable crime? By the grace of God you can be free from that wound! Don’t hold onto the sins of others like the unforgiving servant. You’ll be miserable. The flow of grace will be poisoned by the bitter root. Let go of sin and take hold of grace. Be better, not bitter. See the cross. See what Jesus did for you them forgive them in Jesus’ Name and be free!
3. It’s both, for Jesus speaks to all of us at our point of need
What you look through determines what you see. If you are trusting in your own performance, you will read Jesus’ words as law. “I must work to earn God’s forgiveness.” You cannot succeed! When life hurts you this law will condemn you as a law-breaker in need of grace, and the sooner that happens the better.
However, if you are trusting in Christ’s righteousness, you will read his words as an exhortation to walk in grace. You want more grace? Then give from the abundant supply he has given to you. Let no bitter root grow that causes you to fall short of grace (Heb 12:15).
Jesus spoke words the whole world needs to hear. The genius of Jesus was that he could speak to crowds of people and meet everyone – the self-righteous and the hungry – at their point of need.
It’s a mistake to dismiss the words of Jesus as irrelevant or old covenant or pre-cross. If it’s in the Bible it’s useful for training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). The words of Jesus either reveal the self-righteousness that leads to death or the Christ-righteousness that causes you to reign in life!
Jesus still has the words of eternal life!
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I don’t know if I agree. I believe that what he means is this: if you cannot see everybody as forgiven through the cross, then how can you see yourself as forgiven? What makes you different? Did you earn this position, or did God take the initiative to take the identity of the sin of the world and crucify it and raise us up in His righteousness? Of course God took that initiative—and those who believe it will walk in it, both for themselves and for others, because it was the same act.
That’s really just my opinion—just a thought.
When we look back and see how much we have been forgiven, and see right now how much we are still being forgiven, and then look forward to see how much more we are already forgiven for future sins as yet not yet committed, the task of forgiving others becomes so much simpler!!! Don’t you agree?
Paul im glad you wrote this, this has at times been a point of confusion,to alot of people, my
take on it is if you dont forgive it gives the enemy ammo to torment, not that you are not forgiven by Father, but you get stuck in a type of ditch, frustrate grace if you will or cut off the agape and grace that that allows you to forgive, i will appreciate your input on this,if you see it differently. I rememeber years ago when I went threw a divorce,I was hurting,and the Lord said to me.I want you to forgive her,and I said I dont feel like forgiving her,he said you dont have to feel it just do it,so I did and it disarmed any anger etc I had against her,the rejection and such could not oppress me
That’s good stuff Earl. The Lord’s advice is of course the right advice. I’ve dealt with rejection and anger issues and have held onto forgiveness for years, until recently. He’s right. Forget whether we feel like doing it or not. Just do it. Our bodies are very intelligent. And the enemy will use forgiveness to try to get believers to receive condemnation. You did the right thing, as painful as I imagine that was. Thanks for sharing your personal tragedy. I’m sure you know many out there can identify with the feelings and emotions you had at that time. I’m still working on forgiving people who cut me off in traffic though. LOL
Thank you,Robbie,i try to share to help, the opposite of rejection was a revelation of total acceptance, the bi-produce of my deliverance from rejection,I have found going BOLDLY into the throne room and pushing a issue, liberating,we are nothing new to the father,and we are obviously no threat to him, and I even think he gets a kick out of it,at times I sense a smile,but mostly I believe what comes out of it is again that sense of total acceptance.
Excellent! Thank you.
Thanks very much for this post. It’s wonderful to see that Jesus preaches LAW to those who are law stricken and GRACE to those who accept that He has fulfilled the law on their behalf.
It is more like, if you do not these things (forgive as you have been), you never really knew Him from the start. 1 John 3:6, “Whosoever abides in him sins not: whosoever sins has not seen him, neither known him.” To do righteousness then, especially being set in opposition to the doing, committing, or practicing, of sin, is to practice righteousness. As John points out; “…let no one deceive you, he who practice’s righteousness is righteous.”
Paul, Every day I check my “mail” and when your message is there, it’s like the check has come and I can’t wait to cash it. What a feast!!! and I found you by “accident”. God is soooo good. Thank you
I was just talking about the passage of the unforgiving servant with a co-worker not more than 20 minutes ago and I thought to come and see if you had a post about it on your blog and lo and behold, there’s a fresh one today! God is good! Thanks Paul for sharing the grace message that’s hard to find in some of these seemingly graceless passages!
Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Also consider this verse and read it carefully.
If your brother sins against you then rebuke him.
IF he repents, forgive him.
IF he repents.
I never noticed the conditional if clause on there before and then one day it just stood out.
Oh any thoughts and how does that verse pertain to grace/law stuff?
This makes it care that everything has a source and an origin. To know real thing link up with its source cause he is the right candidate knowing the product at all angles. Here, we are enlightened that Jesus is the masterpierce of the law ,grace and the Word that preceedeth from the mouth of God. The way he interplates and expand the Word alone dertemines how He plays His role in the trinity and His importance in our lives and how crucial it is to accept in our hearts and confess His Lordship in our mouths unto salvation to obtain a gift of eternal life.
Too many don’t get it because they have yet to learn to rightly divide the Scriptures.The New Testament wasn’t in effect until after Christ’s crucifixion. When we’re reading about Jesus before then -he’s speaking to Jews under Old Covenant law.
In Ephesians 2:8&9, Paul tells us that salvation is a gift (*free*), but in Philippians 2:12 he tells us to ‘work out’ our salvation. It sounds like a contradiction- until you understand he’s talking about two different ‘salvations’, so-to-speak. In the Ephesians passage he’s talking about getting to Heaven, but in the Philippians passage he’s talking about getting raptured. Some these days are starting to scoff about rapture, as if it’s a joke- that it doesn’t really matter- but Jesus seemed to think it’s pretty serious business. I’ve been trying to warn people for the last several years that Jacob had 2 brides because Jesus has 2 brides- that all believers are not the same. Many of the warnings we’ve presumed to be about salvation (such as the one you’ve referenced here) are actually about getting raptured. It was never seen this way in the past simply because it wasn’t such a big deal then, but it’s a serious concern now. When you study the meaning of the Greek for the word ‘mystery’ (used in KJV by Paul), you find it’s a reference to a “sworn secret”; IE, he knew things he truly wasn’t “permitted to tell”. These secrets (there are more than one, of course) are in the process of being released to God’s people, & it’s important to get the word out while we still have time, because the clock is ticking. When it’s over, it’s OVER.
I don’t think Jesus is a bigamist.
Any Bible teacher worth his/her salt will quickly tell you that Jacob is a prophetic picture of Jesus. I will gladly listen to a better revelation (as long as it can be confirmed scripturally). However, if I truly do have the right understanding on this subject, this is serious business, & it requires some prayerful consideration.
Paul Kirk- are there any NT scriptures that say Jesus has more than one bride? If so then yes deep study should be done but if not then Jacobs marital status as a fallen human with more than one wife may have zero to do with any future picture of Jesus. Multiple spouses seems to be of human origin and not God’s ideal. I can hardly see Him using a pattern created by fallen humans(multiple spouses) as part of His word pictures of believers.
I’ve not ever read anything of the Lord having more than one bride.
That brings to mind the Partial Rapture teaching. That is, if I am right, only the holy, sinless, perfect Christians will be raptured.
But then wouldn’t that mean that there would be people boasting in Heaven?
“I got up here cause I did _____.” thus self righteousness?
Jesus is referring to the Lord’s prayer where he instructed us to pray, “And forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors.” (AMP) I think it is instructive that this was written in the perfect tense. So then if we forgive others it may not be seen as much as a condition for God forgiving us but rather as a symptom that God has already forgiven us. And on the contrary if we refuse to forgive others it is a symptom that we have not received the forgiveness of God. The unforgiving servant in Matthew 18: refused to forgive his fellow servant because although he was offered the King’s forgiveness he did not receive it – it seems clear that the offer of the King’s forgiveness did not affect or change him in any way. His lack of forgiveness was a symptom that he had not received the King’s forgiveness. He cut himself off from God’s part by not doing his part. (MSG)
Right, we have our “part”! This is righteousness on our part, “as we have also forgiven our debtors”. It also goes along with John saying, “He that does righteousness, is righteous even as He is righteous.” 1 John 3:7
Since God has forgiven, showing righteousness, we should forgive, thus, doing righteousness. This merely goes along the lines of James 1:22, Don’t be just a ‘hearer’ only, (where faith comes from, even the same faith that, through it, save’s) but a ‘doer’! . Notice, there is warning of deception in ‘both’ scripture, where these are lacking!
Paul you are a blessing
I’m struggling with this passage. I want very much to see it as a grace lesson from Jesus’ mouth. However in his very short statement, he states bluntly, “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” There doesn’t seem to be any room for metaphor. Well, I’ll keep studying it.
There’s no metaphor, but what you hear will reveal what you are trusting in. As I say in the post, if you are confident of your own self-righteousness, you will interpret this as a law to be obeyed. But if you are trusting in Christ and his righteousness, you will know there is no law that he has not fulfilled on our behalf.
Brother Amen yes seeing the difference is revealing and for me only Father of the Christ reveals this truth you said here
Thank you
Let me first of all say, I so enjoy the amazing revelation that is discussed on here, and the Love of Gods grace that is constantly being re-affirmed.
I humbly Submit the following thoughts
Mathew 5 is full of Spiritual insight to the destructive nature of the flesh due to the power of sin. Which only has any power, through the law (1 Corinthians 15:56).It is almost as tho, after reading Mathew 5, Your sense of Spiritual interpretation grows and becomes more aware and alert. If we were to look at Mathew 6:14,15 , we need to read it in light of Galatians 2:20 (as does all scripture that is being read by a born again believer). Simply put, Christ is now living in You and You are 100% Dead.
Jesus Teaches us how to pray right before verse 14,15. The verse that stands out is verse 12
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.”
in light of Galatians 2:20 who is “we”? first thought would be “we” as in the collective group of believers but i believe a deeper meaning Is, “we” meaning Jesus and Me, Jesus and You. better and simply put…. “we” is Jesus….Who indwells us.
You are now Jesus Spirit living in Your mortal body, awaiting Your new body that will never decay. And the question we need to ask is, Have “we” (Jesus) forgiven those who have sinned against us, past present and future? and the answer is YES! we have, In Christ, where we now stand, and who now lives instead of us, by the power of His Spirit who dwells in our fragile clay bodies. We have forgiven to the fullest extent.
or in our context, Have You forgiven everyone that has, or will sinn against You the answer is
Yes, Because Your new identity is hidden in Christ
All Glory to Jesus , Now and forever and ever, and ever and ever
Graceologist – thank you for that, it really hit the spot for me. Blessings
Yep, I struggle with this too. I wonder if the problem is that we foolishly think this command is achievable? I wonder if the solution is to keep raising the bar until we realise these commands are impossible, e.g. ‘be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect’ or ‘your righteousness must surpass that of the pharisees’ or ‘if your right hand causes you to sin cut it off’. Eventually we will stop claiming, as the Israelites claimed ‘we are well able to obey everything you command’, and instead rely on his grace.
“We foolishly think this command is achievable.” That’s exactly what I’ve come to understand, after decades of trying to “be like Jesus” with my own strength and sacrifice, to the point of destroying myself. Thank you for putting it into words.
Separating Law in literal terms to grace terms that is given to all today, not easy I see, why? For we all after first born are brought up, under Law to do or not get. So we ae under commandment of man, not God, Man uses God as their way to win the argument and has. So we have persons that obey to get what they want here on earth and claim this be God dong this and might not be, that is why all goes well fro them and not you over there you disgusting vermin you attitude from them.
So we have those under just Law and are self righteous in these that they hold onto, And then there are those that just do not care in response to the self-righteous ones that have given them a bad taste in their mouth, either way, matters not see the enemy of Father and Son at work here?
So bottom line I see all here today after the cross, not before, so before the cross even in Jesus’s walk here on earth we walk under Law trying to fulfill it in Love and Mercy to all the world for us all to come to grips and see our inabilities to be perfect. That is what the Law shows everyone. Just fail in one part any part and you never can be perfect of self ever.
So before the cross under Law, under the curse that it reveals to Human flesh after the cross, grace is given to all to ask Father for new life in his risen Christ to lead them in Spirit and truth of is done event. And thus walk as Christ fdid by Faith alone to Father in love mercy and truth to all
Thanks Paul well said love the post view from you that God wrote through you to me anyway
I found Watchman Nee’s ‘Sit walk Stand’ a big help. In it he advises someone who is finding it impossible to forgive. The whole passage/book is worth reading but the key bit of advice he gives on forgiveness to this man is to pray like this: ‘Lord, I cannot love, and I give up trying, but I count on Thy perfect love. I cannot forgive but I trust Thee to forgive instead of me, and to do so henceforth in me.’.
Nice article Paul, you bring out all the sides to it. I personally perceive it as if you can’t forgive that which someone has done then most likely the fruit is not from grace…then you’ll be unable to see that which was erased away on your side.
Great way you put it nevertheless..
Good article. Many Christians are unfortunately confused with many things Jesus stated because they don’t understand that Jesus was introducing the Gospel of Grace to people under the Old Covenant. That wasn’t easy for those Jews who heard him preach. You’re talking about people who for nearly 1500 years were raised under a performance minded system of being blessed or cursed. And then the Apostle Paul, gets the full revelation of the Gospel from the resurrected Christ and some Christians unfortunately end up[ believing that it was a ‘competing Gospel.’ Forgiving people is not easy but you have to do it for your own well being. Lots of diseases in the body manifest because of unforgiveness. Its like you are holding venom in your body.
Thank you for reaveling the goodness of the father in a special way. Because the father has forgiven me I forgive others who have caused me harm in Jesus name Amen
I am extremely confused….please help me understand. How can we teach grace alone without making people believe that they can continue to sin without any sort of consequence? In my experience, I have seen this happen, and it is very discouraging. My grandfather was a “grace preacher” and most of my relatives are the image of Galatians 5:9-21 thinking that they are still good with God. I have always seen God as my Father who loves me, but doesn’t fatherly love also include some boundaries for the safety and well-being of the child? I just want to know the truth. I have been searching and searching for the truth, but find myself in a circle of confusion. I need someone to help me out of it. I know I’m a geek.
How can we teach grace without promoting sin? To me this is an illogical question because the grace of God that teaches us to say no to unrighteousness will never promote sin. It’s like asking, how can we get married without promoting adultery?
Children need boundaries, but God wants us to grow in grace. Those who know the love of God revealed in Jesus don’t want to sin. It’s that simple.
Thank you, that does make sense. Sadly, there are people out there who believe they are saved, but they are not. Satan is making them believe they can walk in the lust of the flesh and still be in the Kingdom of God.
The boundaries are the flesh. That is what Paul was teaching concerning grace in Galatians. We are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if we are Christ, yet we can walk (keep in step) in the flesh. That’s why Paul also said, concerning Romans 8:9, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”Gal. 5:25. This is part and partial of Titus 2:11,12 (as Paul E. mentioned), that we are to deny the flesh (ungodliness) and apply the Spirit (righteousness, 1 John 3:7).
i agree with Paul, Wendy,grace and eternal security seem to be the formula [ if you will] that works for me,not worrying about your lose of salvation.with the combination of grace which is a POWERFUL force against sin. I have noticed ive for the most part have lost most of my desire to sin. I still sin, but the sin awareness quickly leaves,I always like to get with father about it because I dont want anything between us ,and dont want the enemy to have ammunition
By the Law of love. Is this action/thought unloving towards myself, God or others?
Thank you for answer this question, but there is a prior issue that also is dealth with by Jesus dead on the cross. If there is only no condemnation for those who don’t sin, then why is there only no condemnation for those who don’t sin? Is this grace or anti-monian? Why should there be any mention no condemnation in Christ? I am not encouraging sin. I am against sin. But grace is for the sinner. We are saints and new creations with new desires, but stick condemnation on top of a slip up means that we aren’t cleansed from all unrighteousness and 1 John is clear that is not the case.
The no condemnation of Romans 8:1 has a condition attached. It is only for those who walk after the Spirit. But here is where grace comes in. Farther down in the chapter in verse 9 we see that if we belong to Jesus we are in the Spirit. It is not a “what” we do but “who” we belong to!!
Great observation momzilla76, but considering the whole council of God, If we live in the Spirit, (as verse 9 points out) let us also walk in the Spirit (as verse 1 points out) Galatians 5:25. Considering further the whole council of God, as to what we “do”, we see John point out that he that does righteousness is righteous even ‘as he is’ righteous, 1 John 3:7. But it does not stop there with the “as he is” , for there are two others, which are of holiness and purity. For in these three “as he is” characteristics mentioned in scripture, each one is how we are to represent the Lord, “in this world” 1 John 4:17. Each Godly characteristic is marked by our actions, doing something;
1. Holiness is shown by the actions of our speech.
2. Pureness comes from hope fixed on Him, as our example to follow after, to be like him 1 Peter 2:21.
3. Righteousness is by doing righteousness.
That’s right, even though they say “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” is not in verse 1, in the original, we know those who put it there knew it was in verse 4, as one can not have “righteousness” without being “in Christ”, which is the same thing.! Further, being “in Christ” is being, “as he is”.
Thanks
The “whole counsel of God” is a phrase that is sometimes used to distract us from Jesus and cause us to focus on what we must do. This is a most unbiblical and carnal interpretation of the phrase. When Paul spoke of the whole counsel of God, he had something very specific in mind.
There are plenty of “we should” in scripture. Grace never denies that. The difference between the two viewpoints is first have the proper foundation. No condemnation in Christ for those in Christ. No ifs, ands or buts! Contrary to church mythology the average believer really does want to follow the “we should” even when they are founded on condemnation free grace. That is the whole point of “no condemnation” Jesus knew we would not follow all of the should all of the time. That is why we are given grace. Not because of loser slackers looking for sin loopholes but for the average Joes and Janes trying but not always hitting the mark. Being a face faller, who is easily dejected, grace is vital for being able to stand back up and keep trying. Pre grace I basically quit trying because I couldn’t do it so why keep aiming for a target I hit so infrequently? Condemnation is of no help in trying again to do better.
Sorry, I left out the scripture location of holiness and pureness, relating to “as he is”;
1 Peter 1:15, “But ‘as he’ which has called you ‘is’ holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation;”
1 John 3:3, “And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even ‘as he is’ pure.”
The whole council of God can also attract us to Jesus, as he is!
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Sure if you are in Christ, you have the Spirit, as anyone that does not have the Spirit, he is none of His (Christ) Romans 8:9. But, “having it” and “walking it” are separate things, as Paul notes in Galatians 5:25. Such will be saved (Go to Heaven), but that does not exempt one from death, for if you live after the flesh you will die, Romans 8:13. This death, though not spiritual (for those in Christ), effects everything else, socially, physically, ministerally (our witness). We have all seen examples of this.
“Jesus knew we would not follow all of the should all of the time. That is why we are given grace.” Yes, but Grace given, to “teach” these very things (the should) of godliness and righteousness (as he is), Titus 2:11,12. This “teaching us (through the word, as the word is the Spirit)…that we should live (do) righteously” relates to John saying we should do righteousness, other wise their could be deception (are you walking in the Spirit?) 1 John 3:7.
All the scriptures listing how we should live and what we should do in no way negate our firm foundation of “no condemnation”. Is being in the Spirit different from walking in it? Discomfort with letting go of the living in your own might(flesh) seems to create an urge within people to try and create a walking vs being distinction in Romans 8. I studied this chapter desiring to know exactly what walking in the spirit was. Romans 8:9 is the key. The Spirit is likened to wind/air in scripture. We are living in this spiritual cloud of Holy Spirit because He dwells within us. We exist joined to the Spirit so we are perpetually walking in the Spirit as a point of existence. We may not always live according to the “shoulds” but living them out is not walking in the Spirit. They are simply outward manifestations of what we already are spiritually. It is too much of a stretch to make the flesh vs spiritual death into physical, ministerial or any other kind of death. The passage sticks with our spiritual state not the earthly effects of our sin. Yes grace teaches us the correct way to live but the fact still remains that freedom from condemnation is no longer tied to our behavior. Grace, unbalanced, unrestrained grace does teach people the correct way to live. “Shoulds” don’t do much other than pour on the condemnation for failure or the stirring up of pride with success. Deception comes from mixing up how a person is seen as righteous. Is it by faith, behavior or by a blending of the two? Scripture emphatically states that it is by faith alone. We are righteous as He is righteous.
If we are “perpetually” walking in the Spirit, what then would Paul mean by saying; even though we live in it, we should also walk (keep in step) in it? Gal. 5:25.
According to 1 John 3:7, John was not denying the “faith alone”, but establishing, even affirming, the faith, through doing, as it is by doing we are then not deceived. And as you said; “They are simply outward manifestations of what we already are spiritually”. As these manifestations are what ‘should’ separate the true from the false, the child of God from the child of the devil, which he gets to in verse 10, again saying that if one does not “do” righteousness, then such a one does not know God. Almost Likened to a Jeff Foxworthy “You might be, if” scenario, only in this case “You might not be, if”.
Sure, believers should be doing such, but that is why 2 Timothy 3:16 speaks of “All scripture is….. for instruction in righteousness:” as believers should be both learning and practicing it., that we may be perfect in good works.
I think we are both saying the same thing, we are spiritually alive at re-birth, but there is need to have signs of a live birth as opposed to still birth. I am just conveying through scriptures, that, that comes from “walking in instructions”.
The only problem is that we are judging the reality of people’s birth by their bad days. If we walk in honesty we have to admit we all have bad days and sometime bad seasons in our life regardless of how live, real and true our rebirth was. This is a proper application of the judge not lest ye be judged. How we judge others regarding this is how they are going to judge us. We are always going to be falling sort of someone’s “Christian” standards and their list of proof scriptures.
Should there be some signs of “life”? Yes but I walk very cautiously about these things as I have seen monumental abuse connected with them. It is very easy to slip into off the correct scriptural measurements.
Amen Amen Paul!
I see this truth completed aa we all are forgiven, reconciled
2 Corinthians 5:16-20Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
All that I see that was left for us to decide by willing free choice is to believe this or not
It is done by Father and Son fro us to walk new in the grace of the Law. what it was originally meant to be seen as God’s Love. first Four = Love to God above all, personally between God and you personally
The last six, neighbor as self, no condemnation to anyone in you better or else attitudes of flesh nature
Thanks for this copied very well stated in truth what is done for us all to turn in Faith to Father in thanksgiving and praise all sin now today taken out of Father’s way through Son, so that Father can in belief to this truth, asking for the new life to be given you, Father and Son enter in personally and you all sup together forever, even while adversity here on earth tries to still trouble thee
In Faith to the risen one by Father, that is given one, NO WORRIES even if in adversities
Yet that does not mean you can’t get mad, harmed or pained over stuff. Father knows how to calm us if we reach in Spirit and truth to
For flesh and blood to this day can not and will not inherit Heaven, Not one other can do what the Christ did in flesh and blood, that Father is pleased with forever and has sent out invitations to RSVP to Father in trust, Belief, and Faith, not of any works, otherwise man has reason to boast
Thank you again
” You want more grace? Then give from the abundant supply he has given to you”
So basically, Earn Grace. Seems mixing to me.
It’s not. Grace, like love, is relational. The more you give it away, the more it comes back to you. Nothing to do with working.
Paul. You say “Unforgiveness is a form of bondage. It’s a grace killer. If you are unable to release forgiveness to others, you’ll have trouble experiencing the forgiveness that God has given to you.” I say where there is unforgiveness, sin abounds. Where sin abounds grace much more abounds. Grace cannot be killed, even by our unforgiveness. If someone is having trouble forgiving it is essential that they know their sins are forgiven and they are loved perfectly. Only with the peace of Christ in our hearts can we forgive. Satan will rob us of our peace if we allow him to convince us that we will have trouble experienceing the forgiveness that God has given us or that God is angry with our unforgiveness. We must know that God loves and has already forgiven us ESPECIALLY when we are unforgiving. Just let the fruit grow!
1. “Jesus is preaching law.”
Quite a blunt statement. Do you really what law is or isn’t? Jesus is teaching about forgiveness, and that forgiveness is a willful act, not just an idea. Matthew 18 concludes with: “35 My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” Jesus clearly stated a cause and effect, if you forgive, if you act and forgive, then God will forgive you. This statement has nothing to do with Torah–Law, it is a Heaven statement. In other words, forgiveness always comes from God, it is constantly given when requested, as long as one is ready to forgive others.
The basis is Yeshua’s act on the cross, and hi resurrection; in order for Christ to dispense it one must ask it. One must ak only when we confess. 1 John 1:9 “9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”
As an scathologial event, (heaven), forgivenes is about total renewal, and forgiveness is received when God affirms his judgement as he hears our confession. Mercy yes. Law please stop this continued hatred for the Old Testament.
You have been forgiven.
Matan
What an odd pair of statements, Matan. What on earth makes you think I hate the Old Testament? I LOVE it! And how can you preach conditional forgiveness and then declare unconditional forgiveness? The latter does not follow the former. The truth is we are forgiven indeed, and all on account of Jesus. God does not need your permission to forgive you and he certainly does not need your confession. God is not a genie to be coerced into doing things for us. We confess because of what Christ has done. That’s the proper order: God acts, we respond.
Please provide scripture, “chapter and verse” for your “one must ask it. One must ask only when we confess”.
Actually, we don’t need to ask for forgiveness, as he Hath (past tense) already forgiven us, and not only us that believe , but the whole world, 1 John 2:2. According to John the Divine (the one Jesus loved) God has forgiven them, yet the only difference between them and us, that believe, is that they have not “procured” this forgiveness because they have not confessed they are sinners in need of it.
This is why Romans 10:9,10 is so powerful. Powerfully simple, as “… whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Verse 13.
You seem to understand we are forgiven, but to ask God to, then, forgive us, is, well, just doubt!
How could Jesus be preaching to people under the Old Covenant in v.6:14-15 if people under the Old Covenant were also saved by faith alone (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 3:20, Romans 4:3)?
Hi Carly, I’m not sure what you’re asking so forgive me if this is not the answer you’re looking for. How can we be sure Jesus was preaching to those under the old covenant? Because they were Jews and the new covenant had not yet been forged. In Romans 4:3 it says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Abraham lived before the old covenant. The covenant God made with Abraham was a lot like the new covenant because both are grace based. God blessed Abraham without any regard for Abraham’s behavior. Note that Abraham was credited as righteous. Righteousness could not be given to him because Jesus, the Lamb of God, had not yet borne Abraham’s sins. But God credited righteousness to him anyway.
God blessed Abraham without any regard for Abraham’s behavior, but does anyone think we would have heard about Abraham had he not obeyed God? But God knew Abraham would do what he asked, as Jesus answered the hypocritical Pharisee’s for saying, “Abraham is our father”, by telling them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham” John 8:39. As Abraham was the spiritual forefather of all believers, who walked after the example of his obedient faith. Just as God was persuaded (knew confidently) that Abraham would be obedient in things “accompanying salvation”, Hebrews 6:9 , he also is with us, for we are to “show the same diligence (works and labor) to the full assurance of hope unto the end:” Hebrews 6:10,11.
As was then, “the just shall live by faith”, so is now, but a faith without works is dead, as (our father of faith), along with all the others in the “faith hall of fame”(Hebrews 11) show what faith looks like, doing works! Ephesians 2:10.
But take care that when you preach works you preach the works of Abraham, lest you set aside grace.
Exactly what Paul said in Romans 11:6 and thus easy to play this grace card, as true without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), But with that faith, that is merely the instrument that puts us in possession of the blessing grace bestowed, we are to then please God by those things we do (1 John 3:22). There is a progression; first the grace, then the faith, followed by works, Ephesians 2:8,9,10.
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One does not wary the grace of God, by works, neither are they to be disdained, as we are to maintain (continue) them (Titus 3:14), as long as they are wrought (done) in God (John 3:21)
At that time, people had a misconception of the Old Covenant. They (especially the Pharisees) think that if they do X,Y, and Z, then they are standing right with God. Jesus is correcting the misconception by showing that everyone fails to measure up to the standards of the Old Covenant Law.
If any particular work is designed, it is the work of faith, since it was that which Abraham was famous for. This they were lacking, as they were disbelieving and rejecting the Messiah. Had they known Abraham (as they claimed) their works would have open to them the access of spiritual revelations with childlike simplicity; would have accepted the heavenly voice, and known from where it came; and would have resembled him in his moral sensitiveness, in his gentle loving kindness, in his victorious faith; . No, they were so lacking in the manifested (as Jesus called it) “works”, that should accompany a child of Abraham, that they missed him, standing in front of them!
This then is the work of Abraham, that you believe on him that is to come. Many did, the true children of the father of faith! Just as Jesus saw the manifest character through works (rather lack thereof) so does the world see us, 1 John 3:10, Works show us to be, one or the other. Yes, Jesus called them children of devil.
In the old testament works were important to show faith (Hebrews11 Hall of faith). Works never were a way of salvation, as only by faith can anyone please God, Hebrews 11:6. Nothing has changed in that regard.
Right, “everyone fails to measure up to the standards of the Law”, including those in the Hall of Faith, yet their works were done “by faith”, thus were mentioned as righteous! Same expected of us.
Let no bitter root grow that causes you to fall short of grace (Heb12). Is there any possibility to fall from grace due to bitterness?
Girum, notice most all of Hebrews 12 is speaking of chastening. Thus keeping of believers in check, so If you do get out of line (into bitterness) he will correct you! Basically all of Hebrews 12 is saying,; Don’t give up on God because He wont give up on you! Thus, to verse 28; “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved (nothing can shake it), let us have grace, whereby we may (we then can) serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:” It is never acceptable with God that we have any roots growing, especially the one “root of all evil”! How do we avoid it? “flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” 1 Timothy 6:11. Otherwise He will correct, as any Father does.
Thank you Thomas!
“Don’t hold onto the sins of others…” This can set you free from unforgiveness.
Thanks Paul. Great insights. I find it also interesting this passage follows the Lord’s Prayer. Of course, we understand it now in light of the New Covenant of grace. One of the first things Jesus said after His resurrection was that God became our Father as God was His Father (John 20:17). So now after the cross, “Our Father in heaven hollowed be Your name” becomes my “Abba Father” or “Daddy Father” (Rom 8:15, Gal 4:6).
”May Your kingdom come and Your will be done”: Before the cross, Jesus always proclaimed that the kingdom was near or coming. After the resurrection on the day of Pentecost, the kingdom CAME in power (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit completely filled the disciple’s hearts for service to their King. Therefore, the kingdom of God was fulfilled within them as Jesus had promised. When we become born again we enter His kingdom (John 3:3; 1:12-13, 1 John 5:12-13).
“Give us this day our daily bread” could easily be “thank you, Jesus, for being the Bread of life that allows me to daily feed on Your word.” Jesus said we could never live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matt 4:4). So He became the spiritual manna (Bread of life) from heaven as our eternal sustenance and our very life… Thank God for the good news of grace found in Christ!