Forgive, That You May Be Forgiven
Matthew 6:9-15 reads,
6:9
Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 6:10May your kingdom come. May your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. 6:11Give us this day our daily bread. 6:12Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 6:13Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.’6:14
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 6:15But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
What is forgiveness?
Forgiving a debt means that the creditor no longer requires the debtor to pay the debt owed. Therefore forgiveness means the absolution of a debtor from having to pay what he owes. In other words, when we are forgiven, we are no longer required to pay what we ought to have paid.
Yahweh's Condition For Forgiving Us
It is evident that Yahweh requires us to forgive those indebted to us, for he makes this a condition for his forgiving us. In other words, if we desire to be freed from our debts to Yahweh we must indeed free those indebted to us in order for Yahweh to free us from the debts we owe him.
What debts do we owe Yahweh? And how did we acquire these debts?
Yah'shuah Has Authority On Earth To Forgive Debts Owed To Yahweh
Matthew 9:1-8 reads,
9:1
He entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city. 9:2Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you."9:3
Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man blasphemes."9:4
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? 9:5For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk?’ 9:6But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." (then he said to the paralytic), "Get up, and take up your mat, and go up to your house."9:7
He arose and departed to his house. 9:8But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.That the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins means that he has authority on earth to forgive the debts humans owe Yahweh! This also implies that sins and debts are closely related, with the phrase forgiveness of sins being synonymous with forgiveness of debts owed to Yahweh.
Relationship Between Sins And Debts Owed To Yahweh
Are sins debts owed to Yahweh, or is sin different from debts owed to Yahweh?
Sin is basically transgression of Yahweh's word. A person sins when he transgresses Yahweh's word.
It would appear that transgressing Yahweh's word brings about a debt on the part of the transgressor - owed to Yahweh.
What debt is created upon a person transgressing Yahweh's word? What is a person who transgresses Yahweh's word required to pay?
By the same token, when a person trespasses against another he owes the other a debt. When the other forgives the person the debt, he ceases to require the person to pay him what he was due to receive on account of the transgression or trespass.
Yahweh Gave Yah'shuah Authority To Forgive Sins Against Yahweh
For the Son of Man to have authority to forgive the debts created by sins against Yahweh implies that the Father gave him this authority. For it is the Father who is the creditor or trespassed party, and it is only he who can authorise someone else to act on his behalf in ceasing to require a trespasser from paying what he is due to pay on account of the trespass committed.
Humans Speaking Against The Holy Spirit Will Not Be Forgiven This Sin
Matthew 12:30-32 reads,
12:30
"He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters. 12:31Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 12:32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come.That "every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men" means that men will not be required to pay the debts arising on account of every sin and blasphemy except for that or those arising on account of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Meaning that the only debts that men are required to pay are those arising on account of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Why does Yahweh require men to pay the debts arising on account of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and doesn't require them to pay those arising on account of other sins and blasphemies?
What is the debt arising on account of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? And how is it paid?
Yahweh Requires The Unforgiving To Pay In Full Their Debts To Him
Matthew 18:21-35 reads,
18:21
Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?"18:22
Jesus said to him, "I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. 18:23Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. 18:24When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 18:25But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 18:26The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all.’ 18:27The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.18:28
"But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’18:29
"So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you.’ 18:30He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. 18:31So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. 18:32Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. 18:33Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ 18:34His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. 18:35So will my heavenly Father also do to you, if you don’t each forgive his brother from your hearts for his misdeeds."
Power Of A Creditor Over A Debtor
When one human being sins or trespasses against another, what debt does he incur on account of that sin or trespass? What debt is this that the other has power to forgive or cease to require the payment of?
18:24-25 shows that when a person owes another a debt, and has failed to repay the debt within its period for payment, the other acquires a power over the one to restrict the one's freedom, such that the one is confined to working solely for the purpose of repaying the debt owed to the other. Once the other has acquired this power, it is for him to determine whether or not to enforce it, and if so, when to do so.
18:28-30 illustrates the same point.
18:27, 32-33 shows that the creditor acted out of compassion or mercy and forgave the debtor the debt. He did not require its payment as due.
In other words, he who has power over another can choose to exercise that power or to refrain from exercising it.
Unexercised Power Is Not Forsaken Power
18:34 shows that just because one has refrained from exercising one's power over another does not mean that one has ceased to have that power over another. One can reassert one's power over the other, even after a period of not exercising it.
Who Are The "Tormentors" And What Is The "Torment" They Inflict?
Who are the "tormentors" spoken of in 18:34?
They appear to be those who ensure that the person put under their power repays what he owes. It would therefore seem that the torment they inflict on the person under their power is to facilitate the payment of the debt owed by the person to his creditor.
What torment is this that they inflict upon the debtor to facilitate the latter repaying the debt owed? Is it loss of freedom? Is it hard work in prison or in confined conditions, whereby the income generated by the debtor is used to repay the debt he owes his creditor?
18:35 shows that the Father will put into tormented confine those humans who do not forgive their fellow humans who wrong them. They will remain in their tormented confined condition until such time as they will have paid the Father the debts they owe him. This suggests that while within their tormented confine they will be undertaking such works as to yield such results as to repay their debts to the Father.
What Debts Arise On Account Of Our Sins?
What debts arise on account of our sins or misdeeds? How are these debts repaid while those repaying them are in tormented confine?
18:35 also mentions forgiveness from the heart. This suggests that not only does one state that he forgives the trespasser, but that the one should have no intention of requiring the payment of the debt forgiven. In other words, outward conduct must be consistent with one's intention, for that forgiveness to be truly from the heart.
How Is The Debt On Account Of Blasphemy Against The Holy Spirit Paid?
With respect to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the debt of which will not be forgiven, how is this debt to be paid? Also, is it the case that once this debt has been paid, the person who so paid it will reacquire his proper standing with Yahweh?
Mark 3:22-30 reads,
3:22
The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul," and, "By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons."3:23
He summoned them, and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? 3:24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 3:25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 3:26If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end. 3:27But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder, unless he first binds the strong man; and then he will plunder his house. 3:28Most assuredly I tell you, all their sins will be forgiven to the sons of men, and their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme; 3:29but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" 3:30— because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."An eternal sin is one whereby the person who has committed it MUST pay the debt incurred on account of it. What debt is it that MUST be paid by one who commits an eternal sin?
Turn From Your Sins That Yahweh May Forgive You
Mark 4:10-12 reads,
4:10
When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 4:11He said to them, "To you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables, 4:12that ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’"Those who are forgiven by Yahweh are those who turn from their sinful ways. Therefore, to avoid being required by Yahweh to pay the debts incurred on account of sins, one should turn from those sins.
Condition For Receiving Forgiveness From Yahweh
Mark 11:25-26 reads,
11:25
Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. 11:26But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions."The Father has made it a condition that we must forgive those we have anything against if he is to forgive us our transgressions.
When We Should Forgive Those Who Transgress Against Us
When should we forgive those we ought to, if we indeed seek the Father's forgiveness for our sins?
11:25 answers by stating "whenever we stand praying"! In other words, seeing that when we pray, as shown in Matthew 6:9-15, we ought to pray that the Father forgive us our transgressions, then we must by those occasions have forgiven those who have transgressed against us.
Should we forgive those who have transgressed against us BEFORE they seek our forgiveness, or only upon the TIME they seek that forgiveness? Also, should we forgive those who have transgressed against us even PRIOR to their seeking our forgiveness, including even those who have no intention of ever seeking our forgiveness?
A fundamental interest we have in forgiving those who transgress against us is ensuring that the Father forgives us our own transgressions, seeing he has made it a condition that we must forgive those who have transgressed against us for him to forgive us our transgressions. The condition for forgiveness of our transgressions that the Father has stipulated appears to be all-encompassing. He hasn't stated that we are to forgive those who have transgressed against us only upon their seeking our forgiveness. It therefore appears that we are to forgive those who have transgressed against us IRRESPECTIVE of their having sought our forgiveness. If we don't forgive them, irrespective of their having sought our forgiveness, we in turn will not receive forgiveness from the Father for our own transgressions!
Also, seeing that we are to have forgiven those who transgress against us by the time we seek the Father's forgiveness for our own transgressions, we must by this time have so forgiven them irrespective of whether or not they have sought our forgiveness!
One With Power To Forgive Can Forgive For Any Reason He Deems Fit
Luke 7:36-50 reads,
7:36
One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee’s house, and sat at the table. 7:37Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment. 7:38Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 7:39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner."7:40
Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."He said, "Teacher, say on."
7:41
"A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 7:42When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?"7:43
Simon answered, "He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most."He said to him, "You have judged correctly." 7:44Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. 7:45You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. 7:46You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 7:47Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." 7:48He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
7:49
Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"7:50
He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."
Greatly Love Yahweh And Yah'shuah To Receive Forgiveness For Your Sins
Yah'shuah forgave the woman with many sins even prior to her seeking forgiveness for her sins. Nevertheless, she manifested a great love for Yah'shuah, and on account of this love received forgiveness for her sins.
In this we learn that by greatly loving Yahweh and Yah'shuah we indeed receive forgiveness for our sins.
How ought we to manifest our love for Yahweh and Yah'shuah?
Isn't it simply by heeding their word and abiding in it, including forsaking our sins and walking in righteousness?
Take Into Account A Debtor's Ability To Pay His Debt Before Requiring Its Payment
7:41-42 shows that the lender forgave his debtors on account of their inability to pay their debts. This implies that had his debtors remained able to pay their debts he would not have forgiven them. In fact, it appears that he sought payment of his debts, and it is upon that seeking that he ascertained their inability to pay. It would therefore seem to be appropriate for a lender to seek payments from those debtors with ability to pay their debts.
Distinction Between Forgiving Debts And Forgiving Transgressions
What is the distinction, if any, between forgiving debts and forgiving transgressions against one, seeing that forgiving transgressions against one is essential to receiving from Yahweh forgiveness for our own transgressions while forgiving debts does not appear to be essential to receiving from Yahweh forgiveness for our own transgressions?
It appears that when a person incurs a debt against one, such as when the one has lent money to the person, the person has not wronged or transgressed against one. In other words, there is no transgression committed in the creation of debt. Seeing that there is no transgression committed against one, there is no transgression to forgive. Therefore the person, the debtor, should pay his creditor, the one, what he owes.
Our Justification For Seeking Forgiveness From Yahweh
Luke 11:1-4 reads,
11:1
It happened, that when he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples."11:2
He said to them, "When you pray, say,‘Our Father in heaven,
May your name be kept holy.
May your kingdom come.
May your desire be done on Earth, as it is in heaven.
11:3
Give us day by day our daily bread.11:4
Forgive us our sins,Bring us not into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.’"
11:4 shows that the REASON we ask the Father to forgive us our sins is that we forgive EVERYONE who is indebted to us! In other words, we MUST forgive everyone who transgresses against us in order to receive forgiveness from Yahweh for our sins.
Those Who Blaspheme Against The Holy Spirit
Luke 12:10 reads,
12:10
Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
Should We Forgive Those Who Sin Against Us Before They Declare Repentance?
Luke 17:3-4 reads,
17:3
Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. 17:4If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times turns again, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him."17:3-4 indicates that we are to forgive those who sin against us when they declare to us their repentance of their sin. Prior to that declaration we are to rebuke them for their sins against us. It would therefore appear that there is no obligation on our forgiving those who sin against us prior to their declaring to us their repentance of their sin(s) against us.
Declaration Of Repentance Distinguished From Seeking Forgiveness
If this is indeed so, then the earlier stated comments to the effect that we must forgive those who sin against us, irrespective of their seeking our forgiveness, need to be clarified. 17:3-4 obliges us to forgive those who sin against us when they declare their repentance for their sin. They do not have to ask us to forgive them for their sin. They need only declare to us their repentance for their sin. Once that declaration of repentance of sin has been made it becomes our duty, if we indeed seek forgiveness from Yahweh for our own sins, to forgive the sin against us.
Ignorance In Sinning Is A Justification For Seeking Forgiveness
Luke 23:34 reads, in part,
23:34
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing."Yah'shuah sought forgiveness from the Father on behalf of those who sinned against him. He did not seek this forgiveness on account of those sinners acknowledging and declaring their sin, and repenting of it. Instead, he sought it on account of those sinners having acted in ignorance. It therefore appears appropriate to forgive a sinner who commits sin in ignorance, especially in circumstances where the sinner wouldn't have committed the same sin had he been aware of the true impact of such conduct.
Yah'shuah Authorised His Disciples To Forgive Sins Against Yahweh
John 20:19-23 reads,
20:19
When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be to you."20:20
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. 20:21Jesus therefore said to them again, "Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 20:22When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit! 20:23Whoever’s sins you forgive, they are forgiven to them. Whoever’s sins you retain, they have been retained."Just as Yahweh had given Yah'shuah authority to forgive sins on earth, sins committed against Yahweh, so also did Yah'shuah extend the authority he had in giving his disciples authority to likewise forgive the same sins. It should be noted that this authority they would exercise as guided by the Holy Spirit, whom they were about to receive.
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