SATURDAY JANUARY 22, 2011

Read Matthew 18:15-35

Forgiveness Among Christians:

The above will become clearer as we make yet another distinction - forgiveness between Christians and forgiveness between a Christian and a non Christian.

Throughout the New Testament it is assumed that forgiveness is to be offered to a Christian only when they repent.

Let’s study several passages to see what is said:-

Luke 17:3-4

• So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.  If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

The sequence is very clear. When and if your brother sins against you, rebuke him. You are to go to your Christian brother with a spirit of love and forgiveness to show him his sin. The goal is to win your brother over and to restore the relationship. The goal is to apply the nine points of forgiveness in section one.

This passage is NOT and CAN NOT be twisted to be saying that we must forgive first and then go to our brother. Read the passage again and again until you see the sequence clearly.

Matthew 18:15-17

• If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Before we begin, let me point out a common misconception. Many people read this passage as being about reconciliation and as having nothing to do with forgiveness.

They argue, in some instances, that forgiveness comes first, then you take up Matthew 18:15-17. However, such arguments fail to take account of the context. Jesus was speaking these words to Peter and he clearly understood that forgiveness was an integral part of this process in Matthew 18:15-17. In vs 21 of the same chapter Peter, being somewhat astounded by Jesus’ teaching, asks a question. Have a look at what Peter asks.

• Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"

If Peter were to use the words of Jesus he might have asked ‘How many times must I go to my brother, be reconciled through forgiveness?’ or again, ‘How many times, Jesus, must I go through this process of calling my brother to repent, winning him over and forgiving him?’

The point is clear. Forgiveness and repentance and reconciliation are so closely and intimately united that they form an integral part of the whole process. Repentance is mandated before forgiveness is complete. Reconciliation occurs after repentance and forgiveness have occurred. Separating them can be dangerous and hurtful and can lead to unscriptural processes.

In this passage, notice again the chain of events -

1. When your Christian brother/sister sins against you, you are to go and show them what they have done wrong. (Matt 18:5). Go with a gentle heart (Galatians 6:1), with a view to restoring the relationship. If you are vengeful or angry or seeking to slam-dunk the other person, do not approach them until you have cleared your own heart. Take the plank out of your own eye first.

2. If your Christian brother repents, you have won them over. You are called to forgive them there and then (Matt 18:5). From our earlier distinction it is here that the Spirit of Forgiveness becomes the Word of Forgiveness offered to another.

3. But if the other person will not listen to you, take one or two others along (preferably mature Christians or elders respected by the other party) so that they can adjudicate the matter (Matt 18:16).

4. If your Christian brother repents, forgive him and let the relationship be restored there and then. Be reconciled together.

5. However, if the Christian brother refuses to repent, you are to tell it to the whole church (vs 17). The idea is that the people in the church are to have less and less to do with the unrepentant person until godly sorrow overwhelms them and they repent.

6. If they refuse to listen to the church then we are to treat that person as a pagan or tax collector. These people were considered unclean and were ousted from the love and community of the church. Again the idea is that the person misses the love, fellowship and blessings of the church and they repent, coming back into fellowship and godliness. Then we are to complete the process of forgiveness.

From a careful reading of Scripture it is clear that this process was applied in the early church. See 2 Corinthians 2:1-11. Read it very carefully, noting how Matthew 18:15-20 has been applied and worked out. Satan outwits us if we fail to go through this process, not just if we fail to forgive. Taking this verse (10) out of context leads to serious errors that deny the need for repentance or lessen its role in the process of forgiveness.

Throughout the early church we see that many people were removed from the fellowship of the church because they refused to repent of their ways. It would be both ludicrous and offensive to Scripture to assume that they were forgiven (in the sense of a reconciled relationship) but then still kicked out of the fellowship!

1 Corinthians 5:11-13

But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?

God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

Titus 3:10

Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time.

After that, have nothing to do with him.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power. have nothing to do with them.

We will consider later what to do if a person refuses to repent or is unable to repent (e.g., due to death, serious illness etc).

Prayer:-

• Pray for the ministry of Creation Ministries in 2011. Pray that God would use them powerfully to bring many sceptics to believe in the historicity of Genesis 1-11 and to faith in Christ Jesus. Ask God to bless them with all the ministry resources and finances they need to impact the world for Christ.