How Come Some Can Forgive, and Others Can't? | Matthew 18:28-30

[00:00:00] We'll Truth Daily. This is Daily Truths with Dave Ahlman.

[00:00:30] Right, and they're still able to say, you know, I forgive that person, and I'm going to move on. And all of that, and I wonder how in the world can that happen? Well really I don't wonder. That's why I'm doing what I'm doing today.

[00:00:46] But on the other hand, there's some people that have less significant crimes affect them and be inflicted upon their loved ones, and yet they're not able to forgive and forget and move on. And move on, they harbor this bitterness and resentment. All their lives. What's the difference?

[00:01:06] Now remember we talked about a servant the last couple days who had this incredible debt that he owed the king and through the master. The king had forgiven the debt. He had let it go. Now we pick up verse 28 of Matthew chapter 18, and this is what it says.

[00:01:28] But when the same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarai, which is just a day's wages compared to like a million dollars.

[00:01:38] And ceasing him, he began to choke him saying, pay what you owe. So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him.

[00:01:46] Had patience with me and I will pay you. He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. Now obviously this doesn't make sense because this guy was forgiven a million dollar debt if you will,

[00:02:01] and apparently a day's wages was nothing but he was not able to forgive. He wasn't willing to forgive that debt. Why is that? Now there's a couple reasons why. Number one obviously believed what had happened it happened because his debt had been forgiven.

[00:02:17] It was in the past, he didn't have to worry about it. But here's the thing I don't think he appreciated it. I don't think he really understood or appreciated the height and depth and breadth of the master and the kings forgiveness of that debt towards him.

[00:02:32] So without an appreciation, without a full understanding, without a full comprehension of how incredible that was that the king, the master had forgiven that debt. He couldn't turn around and forgive the comparatively insignificant debt of the servant, the fellow servant that owed him the money.

[00:02:49] Now what's the application? You see when Highness crimes have affected people and they aren't able or willing to forgive or less Highness crimes just everyday offenses.

[00:03:01] And they're not able to forgive. There's many different reasons for that. Number one, they may not believe in the debt that they owed God. Remember we talked about the last couple days that we owed God a perfect life.

[00:03:14] Right full obedience to the commandments of God. And of course, we broke them over and over and over again. We owed God a perfect life be there for perfect even design. Lord, you're God imperfect and we haven't been. But God is forgiven completely erased fully that debt.

[00:03:30] So if a person doesn't believe that or secondarily doesn't understand it and appreciate it, how can they turn around and forgive the offenses less offensive offenses against someone who's inflicted those offenses against them.

[00:03:46] You see they can't because they don't understand or appreciate or believe in the debt that God has canceled through his son. Does that make sense? Because you see from my perspective, that does when we understand that we owed God a perfect life and yet he's canceled that debt.

[00:04:05] Our huge debt of sin for the sake of his son, Jesus. It is so much easier. We have the capacity, the power, the ability, the strength, the spirit, driven ability to forgive those less offenses towards other esoof offended us. Why?

[00:04:22] Because we've been forgiven this huge debt. Here's the problem. Unbelievers don't have that capacity. Nonbelievers don't have that ability. Because the Holy Spirit is not living in them, they don't have an appreciation of the debt that they owe to God that's been completely forgiven.

[00:04:39] And so how can they turn around and forgive someone else? This is why many times you see people who had horrific offenses inflicted upon them or upon their loved ones and they're able to forgive what's the difference. They're Christians.

[00:04:57] And when you're a believer in Jesus, there's someone else calling the shots in your life. It's the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit enables and empower us to forgive from the heart. So here's the thing.

[00:05:08] Bottom line for you today is there are offenses that have been afflicted inflicted upon you by other people. Remember what you owed God? What we owe God? A perfect life and he's forgiven the debt. Now, receive that forgiveness and brace that pardon.

[00:05:26] And turn around and forgive those offenses that have been inflicted upon you or upon your loved ones. It's the only, and I've said it many times in DT, it's the only way to live.

[00:05:41] There are so many people I know in life who go on through life, harboring resentment, bitterness, or zoos who have offended them and they, they wear it like a badge of honor.

[00:05:53] They hang onto it like it's a weight, weight around their neck. It's no way to live. There was a book many years ago. My Max, Max Locato, and it was called traveling light.

[00:06:04] And one of the chapters in that book talked about letting go of the offenses of other people to travel light through life. You can travel through life, wait down by the offenses of other people or you can simply as we say in the movie frozen, let it go.

[00:06:23] And I encourage you to let it go. This servant couldn't let go of the offenses of the debt that was owed him because he didn't appreciate the debt that had been forgiven.

[00:06:37] We do have that appreciation of the incredible debt that has been forgiven. We turn around and we forgive the debts of others. Have a great day in Jesus Christ, and that is today's Daily Truth. Thank you for tuning in to Daily Truths with Dave Almond.

[00:06:58] Dave Almond is the pastor of Mount Hoorch, and Boulder, Colorado. If you feel led, would you consider giving to this ministry? Your text deductible donation helps us continue sharing the gospel with as many people as possible.

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