“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlements, a debtor was brought to him owing ten thousand talents. Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned. Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him.
But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me.’ So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt. When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master. Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed. That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:21-35
Therefore, those who are truly in Christ and have surrendered everything to follow Jesus have been mercifully forgiven of all of their trespasses. Jesus said that those who are part of His kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, must offer the same mercy and forgiveness from the heart as He forgave us of our sins. However, if you forgive others in word only, and yet harbor ill will in your heart, your forgiveness amounts to nothing. This is no different than when Jesus calls us to follow Him, and we make the claim we will, and yet in our hearts we never truly intended on following Him at all. Thus, many who make this false verbal claim are deceived if they believe they have gained eternal life. However, unless they truly surrender their lives in this world to follow Jesus, in the end, they will assuredly be hell-bound for all of eternity.
The gospels give us an account of someone saying to Jesus, “I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” Then He (Jesus) said to another man, “Follow Me.” The man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God (the gospel).” Still another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first let me bid farewell to my family.” Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:57-62. God see’s the true intentions of our heart and He knows if we honestly wish to follow Him and serve His kingdom. Conversely, God also knows if we are looking for some simple way to gain eternal life, and if we have no true intention to follow Him or serve His kingdom we will surely suffer an eternity in hell.
But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me.’ So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt. When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master. Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed. That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:21-35
Therefore, those who are truly in Christ and have surrendered everything to follow Jesus have been mercifully forgiven of all of their trespasses. Jesus said that those who are part of His kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, must offer the same mercy and forgiveness from the heart as He forgave us of our sins. However, if you forgive others in word only, and yet harbor ill will in your heart, your forgiveness amounts to nothing. This is no different than when Jesus calls us to follow Him, and we make the claim we will, and yet in our hearts we never truly intended on following Him at all. Thus, many who make this false verbal claim are deceived if they believe they have gained eternal life. However, unless they truly surrender their lives in this world to follow Jesus, in the end, they will assuredly be hell-bound for all of eternity.
The gospels give us an account of someone saying to Jesus, “I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” Then He (Jesus) said to another man, “Follow Me.” The man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God (the gospel).” Still another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first let me bid farewell to my family.” Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:57-62. God see’s the true intentions of our heart and He knows if we honestly wish to follow Him and serve His kingdom. Conversely, God also knows if we are looking for some simple way to gain eternal life, and if we have no true intention to follow Him or serve His kingdom we will surely suffer an eternity in hell.
