Biblical Worldview Foundations

The Duty and Obligation of Forgiveness

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Biblical Worldview

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-03-14

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver teaches from Luke 17:3-4 that forgiveness is not merely an act of love and mercy but a divine command and obligation. He emphasizes the caution to guard one's heart against bitterness and the command to rebuke a sinning brother in love and forgive upon repentance. Using Matthew 18 and other scriptures, he illustrates the greatness of God's forgiveness toward us and the necessity of extending that same forgiveness to others, warning that failure to forgive jeopardizes our own forgiveness from God.

[John Weaver] Luke 17, the message today is entitled, The Duty and Obligation of Forgiveness. Look in Luke 17, beginning with verse 3. Our Lord says this, Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him. And if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt. Forgive him. And the apostles said unto the Lord, increase our faith. Have you ever considered that forgiveness is not only an act of love and mercy, but it is also a duty and an obligation. We tend to think that we're merciful and loving toward others when we forgive them. And yes, that is true in one sense of the word, because we're told in 1 Peter 4 and verse 8, And above all things, have fervent charity or fervent love among yourselves, for love or charity covereth a multitude of sins." Notice what he said, for love covereth a multitude of sins. Many times we overlook the sins and the faults and the failures of our spouses, our children and our friends, just simply because we love them.

[John Weaver] And we're not willing to take offense at their shortcomings. I hate to inform you of this simple truth, but here it is. And Clay and Jennifer will have to work this out themselves, but there are no perfect spouses and there are no perfect children and there are no perfect friends. You know, I'm just simply saying all of us are sinners and consequently. There is a need for love for a continuation of a relationship because love covers a multitude of sins.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note that forgiveness is indeed an act of mercy on our part in one sense of the word, but it's more than that. It is a duty and an obligation, especially to our brethren. Look back at verse 3 again. Our Lord says, take heed to yourselves. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him. And if he repent, forgive him. Now watch. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him. Now the interesting thing when you look in verse 3, the command is, forgive him. It is an imperative in the Greek, which means it is a command. Our Lord is not asking you to forgive, He is commanding you to forgive.

[John Weaver] In other words, you have no choice in the matter. God commands it. And then when you look at verse 4, he says if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day, turn to thee and say, I repent. Note what God says, thou shalt forgive him. In other words, there to be no qualms, no reservations, no hesitations, no excuses, God said forgive him and thou shalt forgive him. So forgiveness then is a command that is plain and simple and we're either obedient or we're disobedient in the matter.

[John Weaver] Now I want to share with you today just two simple points. I want to share with you a caution and a command. I don't particularly care whether you remember these two points just so you remember the content of the two points. So let's look first of all at the caution. He begins in verse 3 and he says, take heed to yourselves. So here's a caution. Here is a warning. Our Lord says, take heed to yourselves. Well, ask yourself this question, why must I take heed to myself? Well, the answer is or at least should be obvious concerning the content and the context of the command.

[John Weaver] The natural tendency of man is to cherish ill feelings, to be angry, to be vindictive, to be bitter, resentful, churlish, hard-hearted, and unforgiving. Really and truly, many times, we do not want to forgive. We want to hold the grudge. We want to cherish the anger and wallow in our self-pity and drown in the sense that we have been wronged. We want to take the attitude, woe is me, look upon me and see that I'm suffering because I have been wronged. And then we want to convey this simple attitude, everybody look upon me because I have been hurt. Did you know the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 13, There is no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. What does that mean?

[John Weaver] That means whatever trial that Roy falls into, I fall into. Whatever trial I fall into, Doc falls into. Whatever trial he falls into, Henry falls into. All of us have the common temptations. Yes, you are hurt and have been hurt, but then so have millions of other Christians. This is why he is saying take heed to ourselves. We cannot allow such attitudes of anger and bitterness and vindictiveness to fester in us and boil over into self-pity and hard-heartedness. We have to take heed that we act biblically, scripturally, and obediently. We must take heed that we bring our lives in conformity to the Word of God. We have to take heed that we honor our Lord in our times of grief, and anger and hurt and disappointment. Let me tell you something, hurt and anger and disappointment are real and genuine and they affect us greatly. But they cannot take precedence over the plain command of God. I want to show you that failure to take heed to ourselves is in reality a failure to fear the Lord.

[John Weaver] Which means it is a sin. I want you to hold Luke 17, but look back in your Bibles to Malachi chapter 3. The last book in the Old Testament. Book of Malachi chapter 3. And look if you would please at verse 5. Malachi 3 and verse 5. Watch carefully. Malachi 3 verse 5. God says, and I will come near to you to judgment. Wow. God's going to judge and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless and that turn aside the stranger from his right now watch and fear not me.

[John Weaver] saith the Lord of hosts." So any of these things that you do in verse 5 means that you are not fearing God. Notice what one of them is, turning the stranger away from his right. Now the interesting thing is this, if it is a sin to turn a stranger away from his right, how much more is it a sin to turn a brother away from his right of forgiveness. You know what we've been commanded in Galatians 6 and verse 10? God said it like this, as we therefore have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, but especially they that be of the household of faith. So we have an obligation to do good unto all men, but we have a special obligation to do good to the household of faith.

[John Weaver] Our failure to forgive is an act of disobedience and rebellion to our Lord for in failing to forgive, we fail to fear the Lord. Fearing the Lord is equated with obedience and failure to fear the Lord is equated with disobedience. Therefore, failure to forgive and failure to seek forgiveness is indeed a willful disobedience. The interesting thing is our Lord says in verse three, take heed. Let me challenge you to do something. Get your Strong's Concordance or if you've got a concordance online on your computer, just type in the two words, take heed. And you will be absolutely astounded at how many times our Lord tells us that we're to take heed in certain areas. I want to show you how absolutely important it is that we understand the words take heed at this particular point.

[John Weaver] I want you to hold Luke 17 but turn in your Bibles if you would to the book of Matthew chapter 6. Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Now our Lord says take heed to yourselves. Why is he telling you to take heed in this particular area? Well, here it is in black and white. Notice Matthew chapter 6 and let's look at verses 14 and 15. Matthew 6 verse 14. Our Lord says, For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Wow!

[John Weaver] Did you hear what I just read? If you forgive men their trespasses, Your Heavenly Father will forgive you. If you do not forgive men, then He will not forgive you.

[John Weaver] Now, our Lord is not teaching salvation by works. Nor is He teaching forgiveness by works. He is stating a very simple rule and a very simple principle. Everyone in this room has heard of the golden rule. Do you know where that rule comes from? It comes from Luke 6 and verse 31. Listen to it. And as you would that men should do unto you, do you also unto them likewise. Lord, however you want men to treat you, that's how you must treat other people as well. And I want you to understand something.

[John Weaver] God deals with us as we deal with others. There are two principles that are involved. The first one is the law of sowing and reaping. And the second one is the Lex Talionis, the law of retribution, where God makes the punishment fit the crime. Now I want to just show you from the scripture where God deals with us as we deal with others and as we are.

[John Weaver] For instance, hold Luke 17, but look in your Bibles to Psalm 18 at verses 25 and 26. Psalm 18 Verses 25 and 26. Watch what the Bible says. This is how God deals with us. It's not only the law of sowing and reaping, it is the lex talionis, the law of retribution, where God makes the punishment fit the crime. Notice Psalm 18, verse 25. The scripture says this.

[John Weaver] With the merciful, thou wilt show thyself merciful. With an upright man, thou wilt show thyself upright. With the pure, thou wilt show thyself pure. And with the forward, thou wilt show thyself forward." Now isn't that interesting? You could also say, with the forgiving, thou shalt show thyself forgiving. You could also say, with the wicked or with the violent, you shall also show yourself violence. In other words, God's going to make us reap that which we sow. And God's going to always make the punishment fit the crime. So that's why he said in Matthew chapter 6, if we want to be forgiven, then we must be forgiving ourselves. We must not only be willing to forgive, listen carefully, we also must be ready to forgive. Not only willing, but ready.

[John Weaver] That is, we have to develop a constant and continual attitude of forgiveness. In this respect, we have to be like our heavenly father. The Bible says in Psalm 86 in verse 5, For thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all those that call upon thee. But notice what the scripture said, that God is good and He is ready to forgive. We are so unlike our Heavenly Father.

[John Weaver] Because we are so quick to cut people off, write them off, and say that they will never change. Let me ask you a question. Suppose the next time you sinned, which will be today, there are sins of omission, sins of commission, but suppose the next time you sinned, God just simply cut you off and dropped you and said, He'll never change, I'll just write him off. Where would you be? Where would you be if God just cut you off when you sinned?

[John Weaver] You see, we have to be willing and ready and able to forgive. I've heard people say, but you don't understand brother Weaver, I've forgiven him or I've forgiven her so many times previously. Well, let me ask you a question. Are you willing to receive forgiveness and unwilling to give forgiveness? You see, look back to Luke 17. Look at what our Lord says. Verse 4, our Lord said, And if he, that is your brother, trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him. Now, some would think, well, seven times is sufficient. You know, Peter asked our Lord, Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother? Seven times?

[John Weaver] I'm going to show it to you from the scripture. And our Lord says, no, 70 times 7. 70 times 7 is 490 times, which indicates not a number that I can number every time I forgive James. And when I get to 491, I never forgive him anymore. No. The number indicates that it's just the beginning. You continue to forgive. Now, we should never stop forgiving. I want you to look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 18.

[John Weaver] And let's begin reading there in verse 21. This should be enlightening. Look in Matthew 18 and verse 21. It also backs up everything that I've already said. Matthew 18. Beginning there with verse 21. Watch carefully. Matthew 18 verse 21. Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus said to him, I say not unto thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven. Now watch.

[John Weaver] Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain king which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents. But for as much as he had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and all that he had in payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence. And he laid hands on him, and he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And the fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not, but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt.

[John Weaver] So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their Lord all that was done. Then the Lord, after that, He had called him, and said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desirest me. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And the Lord was wrath, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note there are several principles that are to be gleaned from this passage. First, we are great debtors and we have sinned against the Lord grievously. The first servant here represents us. This first servant owed his Lord 10,000 talents. Take my word for it, that is a lot of money. I will show you. How much money? Well, it was an immense sum because the Greek word myriad is the highest number known in the Greek arithmetical table.

[John Weaver] I can't even say it. Arithmetical. Help me. Henry, that's it. All right, table. The myriad is the highest.

[John Weaver] Now listen, a talent was a weight. It was a sum of money, silver or gold. A talent usually was 3,000 shekels. Well, how much is that? Well, let me give you two quotes. R.W. Poole in his commentary said a talent was 6,000 denarii or about 240 pounds. And then John Trapp said a talent is 600 crowns and 10,000 talents is well nigh to 12 tons of gold. Well, if you took our tonnage, that's 24,000 pounds.

[John Weaver] Now, if you take, and let's, I'm not going to go into the troy ounce or the, help me out Henry, avoir du poids ounce. That's it, thank you. There were differences. I think the Troy ounce had 12 ounces to the pound. The Everwater Deploy has 14 and 7 twelfths ounces to the pound. Ours had 16 ounces to the pound. Okay, if you were to just take 15 ounces to the pound, and you stop and think that right now gold is selling at 1,600 and 80 bucks, just say 1,700 bucks an ounce. A pound of gold in our money today would be 25,500 bucks.

[John Weaver] Now you multiply that times 12 tons or 24,000 pounds. And it's more money than it is.

[John Weaver] It's an awful lot of money. Now, the sum then is used to show how great a debt this servant owed his Lord. It shows how great a debt we owe our Lord. Sin in the Bible is reckoned as a debt. You remember that passage, the wages of sin is death. Why? Because sin is a debt. And our sins are numbered. And we owe a certain debt. We are sinners not only by nature, but by choice.

[John Weaver] Each one of us have fallen short. We've failed. We've sinned. We've transgressed. We've disobeyed. We've rebelled. So often it is almost impossible for you and I to reckon our disobediences. I like what one person said. Said the calmness and peace of mind that most folks have in their old age comes from their own forgetfulness. And that's about the truth. We may have forgotten our sins, but God has not forgotten them and they are a debt. And it is impossible for you and I to know.

[John Weaver] The seriousness of the penalty and the greatness of the penalty that is owed for our sin and our weakness and our wickedness and our disobedience. Yet by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ, our debt has been paid and we have been forgiven. Have you ever stopped to think of how great our Lord's forgiveness really genuinely is? Let me ask it this way. Why is it that we do not value and rejoice and glorify our Lord constantly for the forgiveness that we have received? And the answer comes back, the reason we don't do that is because we really do not realize the value and the greatness and the worth of that forgiveness. If you ever saw the magnitude of your sins, and if you ever saw the just desserts of your sins, and if you ever saw the worth of the redemption in Jesus Christ, you'd begin to get a little understanding of the value of His forgiveness.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to Luke chapter 7. You remember, as you turn there, I hope of Simon the Pharisee. You remember he had our Lord in his home, and there was a woman who came to Christ, and of course she began to weep and to wash his feet with her tears and her hair. And the old Pharisee sat back and said this concerning Christ, this man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a sinner. And in other words the old Pharisee said, If this guy was a prophet, he wouldn't let this woman near him. Well, look in Luke 7, beginning there, verse 40, and see what our Lord said to Simon. Luke 7, verse 40. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have some what to say unto thee. And he said, Master, say on.

[John Weaver] There was a certain creditor, which had two debtors, but one owed 500 pence and the other 50. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them would love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman and said unto Simon, seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, and thou gavest me no water to wash my feet. But she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss. But this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint, but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

[John Weaver] Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he saith unto her, thy sins are forgiven.

[John Weaver] Now, let me point something out. Our Lord said, to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. If you do not have a proper estimation of your sins, And if you do not have a proper estimation of the greatness and the mercy and the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, you will never praise Him and glorify Him for that which He's done in your life. You have to understand the greatness of your sins in order to glorify and to rejoice in God's so great salvation. The truth of the matter is, folks, We've never really seen how despicable, sinful, wicked, disobedient, and rebellious we really are.

[John Weaver] You remember how Isaiah saw the glory of God in Isaiah chapter 6? And what did he say? Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I have dwelt in the midst of a people of unclean lips. Woe is me, for mine eyes have seen the Lord. So this first servant then, in Matthew 18, typifies the fact of what we owe our Lord and how great a debt we owe Him.

[John Weaver] Secondly, I want you to note that this wicked servant, after he supposedly had been forgiven, he went out and did what? He grabbed a fellow servant by the throat and he said, pay me that which you owe me. And the man owed him a hundred pence. Which is equivalent And our money from 14 to 20 bucks. Here's a man that had been forgiven billions. And he brutalizes another man and throws him in prison for less than 20 bucks. But here's the point our Lord is trying to make. The man was willing to receive forgiveness for his great debt. But he was not willing to give forgiveness even for a small debt. Now think with me. If we ever understood the greatness of forgiveness, the greatness of God's forgiveness to us.

[John Weaver] We would never have any problems forgiving the sins of others because the sins of others are so minute in comparison to our sins to God. Now listen to me. You remember David committed adultery and murder. And when he is confessing and acknowledging that sin, in Psalm 51 in verse 4, David said this, Against thee and against thee only have I done this evil and sinned in thy sight. Now what did he say to God? Against thee and thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight? Wait a minute. Did not David sin against Bathsheba? Yes. Did he not sin against Uriah? Yes. Did he not sin against his family? Yes. Did he not sin against the families of Bathsheba and Uriah? Yes. Did he not sin against the nation? Yes. But his greatest sin was his sin against God.

[John Weaver] All I'm trying to show you is this. All of our sins primarily are against God. Secondarily, they are against others. And by comparison, the far greater sin is a sin against God. So if God is willing to forgive us the far greater sin, how can we be unwilling to forgive that which is the lesser sin? So this is why our Lord begins with this warning, this caution. Take heed to yourselves. You've been forgiven, you shall forgive.

[John Weaver] Now, let's look at the command. Let's go back to Luke 17. We've seen the caution, now the command. He says in verse 4, and verse 3 as well, he says, take heed to yourself, if I, brother, trespass against thee, rebuke him. And if he repent, forgive him. So first of all, here is a command to rebuke. So let's say for simplicity, Joe sins against me. What am I to do? First of all, I'm to rebuke him.

[John Weaver] If it is indeed a sin, by the way, let me explain this. Sin is a violation of the law of God. It doesn't mean that Joe has just done something that I don't like and I don't agree with. Do you follow me? So, if he violates God's law toward me, then I'm to rebuke him. One of our problems is that all too often, we're more than willing to rebuke and we do so in the harshest terms and manner. Moreover, we like to rebuke Constantly and continually we keep heaping scorn and derision upon the one that has upset us and sinned against us.

[John Weaver] We turn out to be like that Pharisee in Luke chapter 18 and verse 9 where our Lord spoke the parable and the Bible says, He spake this parable in a certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. So what we do unhappily We take the attitude, I'm right. I'm righteous. I've been sinned against. And in my righteous indignation, I am to heap scorn and constant and continual ridicule upon the one that has sinned against me.

[John Weaver] And in so doing, we end up despising them. Let me share with you the implications of the word rebuke. And hopefully, it will give us some enlightenment. First of all, the Greek word for rebuke is epitimao. It is translated in our Bibles as rebuke, charge, and straightly charge. It is also translated as honor. And to honor upon. Epi is the preposition which means upon. Timao means to honor. Wow! How did that word get to mean rebuke? Ah!

[John Weaver] Now I want you to watch carefully. When we rebuke someone biblically, we are honoring them and showing them honor in the fact that we want them to act biblically and scripturally. So here's the implication of the word. The first implication is this. We do not rebuke someone to hurt him or to harm him. We rebuke him in honor and in love in order to help him. Galatians 6.1 says this, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a thought, you which are spirituals restore such in one in the spirit of meekness, Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Wow.

[John Weaver] So here Ed has sinned. What do I do? I come up to him, to honor him, to love him. I come to him in humility. Considering that if it was not for the grace of God, it would be me that had sinned and Ed would be coming to me. Let me ask you a question. If you have to be rebuked, if you have to be confronted, how would you like to be confronted? How would you like to be rebuked? Would you like me or would you like someone to come to you in a loving, kind, gracious, concerned, humble manner and point things out to you from the Scripture and show you how you could change things and show you how things could be worked out, or had you rather someone just come up

[John Weaver] to you and cuss you out and drop you? Do you follow me? The truth of the matter is this word means that in rebuking we honor the individual. Let me show you. Turn in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus. This is even in the Old Testament. Leviticus chapter 19. Leviticus 19, and I want you to note, if you would please, verses 16 and 17. Leviticus 19, verses 16 and 17.

[John Weaver] Look at what God says. Leviticus 19, verse 16. God says, thou shalt not go up and down as a tailbearer among thy people. Let me tell you something, folks. If something is true, There's no need to repeat it, unless the person you're repeating it to can be part of the solution.

[John Weaver] Thou shalt not go up and down as the hell bear among the people. Why would you be a gossiper? Why would you bear tales? Whether they're true or untrue, God says don't do that. Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor, I am the Lord." Watch verse 17,"...thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor." Watch,"...and not suffer sin upon him." Now why in the world would you rebuke? Why in the world would you come to someone to confront him in humility and in love? Because you don't want to suffer sin upon him. You don't even see him continue in sin. You don't want him to be under the chastisement of God.

[John Weaver] In other words, the goal in forgiveness is restoration. It's not bitterness and anger and vindictiveness. Whenever we confront someone or rebuke someone, Listen to what God says in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 15. God says, Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. So if Henry does something wrong, I don't jump down his throat and cuss him out. James can handle that. No, no. But no, if he does something wrong, I don't do that. But I will come to him and say, look brother, It's where you're having difficulties. Here's where it's not right with the Scripture. Here's where it needs to change.

[John Weaver] That's an act of love. That's an act of honor. That's an act of concern because I don't want to suffer sin upon Him. You know what the Bible says in Matthew 18 and verse 15? Now listen carefully. Mover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou scan'd thy brother. So let me go back to Henry. If Henry does something that is a violation of God's law toward me, I don't go over to Dr. Bowen and say, let me tell you what Henry's done. I don't go over to Jim and say, let me tell you what Henry's done. No. I go to Henry.

[John Weaver] And I go to him privately. Have you ever stopped to think that Henry could be totally and completely innocent? And it could be my misinterpretation of what he did or what he said. I could have misconscrued. That's what Archer Bunker used to say.

[John Weaver] I could have misconstrued it. That's all there is to it. He could not have meant, he could have not meant anything bad by what he said or bad by what he did. So if I go to him privately and I say, look, this is what happened, it gives him the opportunity to say, but oh, wait a minute, brother, I didn't mean that at all. That is not the way that I meant that. And then I say, boy, I'm glad to hear that. But notice what God says, we're to go to him privately. We seek an explanation. It could be that we have misunderstood. If He has done wrong, then our rebuke should be in humility, in brotherly love, and it should be done privately with the intent to forgive and restore.

[John Weaver] Listen, our rebukes should never be in anger and frustrations and bitterness and with the desire to punish and to drive someone away. Secondly, the word rebuke is an aorist active imperative in the Greek. You say, what's that mean to me? Well, first of all, an imperative is a command. An aorist tense means it is something that happens one time. In other words, if Henry sins, I go to him one time and I rebuke him in love.

[John Weaver] If we speak the truth clearly and distinctly, there should be no need to rehash everything over and over. In other words, once I have rebuked him, I fulfill my responsibility biblically. I would hope, I would pray, I would want there to be immediate repentance, but if there is not, the only thing I can do then is pray and wait upon the Lord to work in his heart if there is not an immediate response. It does absolutely no good to rehash, to rework, to reword, to rethink everything that has happened. Such worry, mental anguish, and heartbreak and disappointment only serves to wear us down and to drown us in sin and disobedience and despair. Hopefully, repentance will be immediate. Sorrow or an expression of repentance should be expressed. We're to look for and we're to listen for repentance.

[John Weaver] How do we know whether or not someone has repented? So I'm going back to Henry. He sinned against me. I come to him privately. I rebuke him in love. I show him from the scripture where he sinned against me. And what does Henry say? He says, well, pastor, I'm sorry. I'd have never done that for anything in the world to hurt you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. That's what I'm looking for. Maybe he says, well, I repent.

[John Weaver] I will not do that anymore. That's what I'm looking for. Now, here's my question. How do I know he's repented? How do I know he's truthfully and really sorry? First of all, all I can do is take his word. I'm shut up to that. I cannot see into His heart. I cannot read His mind. If He tells me I repent, what does Scripture say? Forgive Him. That's it. Forgive Him. All He has to say is, I repent. Forgive Him. I have His Word.

[John Weaver] However, secondly, I can also then, after that, begin to look for fruits of repentance. Now let me explain that. You remember in Matthew chapter 3 and verse 8, John the Baptist was preaching and the Pharisees came to hear John preach. And John told them that they were to bring forth fruits, meat for repentance. Literally the word meat means you bring forth fruit evidencing repentance. You bring forth fruit that manifests repentance. So simply stated, if one genuinely, truly repents, then obviously, sooner or later there's going to be fruit that evidences that repentance. The Apostle Paul said the same thing in Acts 26 and verse 20. Here's what he said.

[John Weaver] But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coast of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. do works that evidence and manifest repentance. So, that means this, after Henry says, I repent, in the coming weeks, in the coming months, in the coming year, I can look for fruit. It will be there. If he has repented, obviously, there's going to be fruit.

[John Weaver] Let me give you a caution. Do you realize it takes time to produce fruit? There's not a person in this room who will go out tomorrow and plant a garden and then harvest it the next day. It's impossible. It's just impossible. You know, our Lord said it like this in Mark 4 and verse 28. He says, For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself, first the blade, then the ear, and then full corn in the ear. And it takes time for that seed to sprout, to mature, and produce fruit.

[John Weaver] What is true physically is also true spiritually. You're not going to say, I repent, and then within 15 minutes begin looking for fruit. It will take time for that fruit to manifest itself and to evidence itself. So here's the command to rebuke. And remember, if you would please, the word rebuke means also to honor. It's also an heiress, which means we do it once. I don't have to keep rehashing and dragging it out and turning it over and over in my mind. That kills me.

[John Weaver] Let me ask you a question. Just stop and think about this. If Henry did sin against me, and I did rebuke him, and he didn't repent, what can I do about it? There are other steps, but I can't make him repent. I can't make him do what's right. You see, we're shut up then to God's mercy and God's grace.

[John Weaver] Now, notice if you would, Luke 17, one more thing here. He said in verse 3, take heed to yourselves, there's the caution, here's the command, if thy brother trespass against thee, first of all rebuke him, and then if he repent, Forgive Him. So here's the command to forgive. By the way, the word repent basically means a change of mind which results in a change of conduct. So if I'm walking eastward and I repent, I turn and begin walking westward. It's a change of mind which results in a change of conduct. So when we're looking for fruit, If Henry has changed his mind, there will also be a change in his conduct eventually. Okay? So, here's the next command, forgive. He said, if he repent, forgive him. There's that little word forgive.

[John Weaver] The word that is so easily pronounced, so often misunderstood, and usually never applied at all in a biblical manner. I want to ask you a question. What does it mean when you look at someone and say, I forgive you? Hopefully, it means the same thing that scripture means. But in all probability, that is not the case. The little Greek word for forgive is the word afiemi, and it literally means to send or to go away. It is the main word that is used for forgiveness in the New Testament. There are a few other words that are used, but this one is the main one and the one that is most frequently used. If you were to go to Strong's Analytical Concordance, and you looked up the word forgive, and under the word forgive, the little Greek word athēme, you would find These definitions, listen carefully.

[John Weaver] To send away, to bid going away or depart, of a husband divorcing his wife, to send forth, to yield up, to expire, to let go, to let alone, to let be, to disregard, to leave, not to discuss, to omit, neglect, to let go, to give up a debt, forgive, to remit, to give up, to keep no longer, to give up a thing or a person to leave, to go away from one place to another. In other words, I hope you're getting the ideas.

[John Weaver] I wrote, read those definitions that once you have granted forgiveness, the sin, the offense, the stumbling block, the source of the hurt is gone. You send it away. You divorce it. You omit it. You allow it to die. It's never to be brought up again. We're not to think about it. We're not to speak about it. And we cease holding it against the person whom we have forgiven.

[John Weaver] Now when our Lord says in verse 3, If he repent, forgive him. This is exactly the same forgiveness that we receive from the father. You remember in Luke 11 in verse four, he was teaching his disciples to pray. And let me just read to you. And he taught us to pray and forgive us for our sins. For we also forgive everyone that is indebted unto us. Forgive us our sins. as we forgive others. 1st John 1.9 listen carefully 1st John 1.9 the scripture says if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness now here's God's forgiveness this is exactly the same forgiveness that we are to give to others.

[John Weaver] I do want you to turn to Ephesians chapter 4 and let's begin reading there verse 30. Ephesians 4 and verse 30. Watch carefully, Ephesians 4 verse 30. Ephesians 4 verse 30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed into the day of your redemption. Now watch that. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. How do we grieve the Holy Spirit of God?

[John Weaver] By disobedience, by sin, by not conforming our lives to His Word. So He says, And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed into the day of your redemption. Now watch verse 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Verse 32, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you.

[John Weaver] Now there are two very important words in verse 32. Even as. Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as equal to the way God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." So when we forgive, we are to forgive the way that God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us. Our forgiveness must be like unto His forgiveness. Once we have been forgiven in Christ, God has forgotten our sins. He blots them out.

[John Weaver] He does not use them against us. He does not endeavor to manipulate us with our sins. He does not browbeat us with our sins. He does not attempt to bribe us with our sins. He removes them. Never. to remember them against us anymore.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to just listen. Psalm 103 verse 12. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgression from us. So what does God do when He forgives us? He removes our transgressions. Isaiah 43 verse 25. God says, I, even I am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." So God says He blots them out, He does not remember them. Isaiah 44 and verse 22, God says, I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins, return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee. Notice, I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions. And then when you get to Jeremiah 31 and verse 34, God says this, For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sins no more.

[John Weaver] The same is repeated in the book of Hebrews. For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sins no more.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to stop and think. When we forgive, we must do likewise. We must remember the sin no more. God is omniscient. God knows everything. And it is true, I suppose, theologically, that God could never forget our sins because God knows everything. He's not only omnipotent, He's omniscient. But God chooses to not hold them against us, and not to use them against us, and not to remember them against us. And our forgiveness should be likened to God.

[John Weaver] So Henry has sinned against me. I've gone to him. I've rebuked him. He has repented. And I say to Henry, I forgive you. What does that mean? It means the incident that transpired between us is over and done and gone. It's dead.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to listen carefully. I may not have the power to erase what happened from my mind and from my memory. But I do have the power not to continue to think about it if it pops in my mind. I can purposely and deliberately put it out of my mind. I do not have to think on something just because it enters into my mind. Are you listening? You can only think of one thing at the time. So if that incident pops into my mind, I say, Lord, that's been forgiven, that's over, that's done with. I won't even waste my time thinking about that. And then I purposely and deliberately put my mind somewhere else.

[John Weaver] Like the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4 and verse 8, he said, Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. So I purposely put my mind somewhere else. You say, well, what if that incident comes back 15 minutes later? I put it out and I put something else on my mind.

[John Weaver] because it's over and it's done with. I want you to listen to me. I not only have the power to refuse to think about it and to dwell upon it, also by the grace of God, I have the power not to speak about it. How many times has God remind you of your sins that He's forgiven? He does it. The devil might. Your flesh might, your own memory might, but God doesn't. We have to have the power not to speak of those sins.

[John Weaver] You know what the Bible says in Proverbs 21 verse 23? I love this verse. The Bible says, Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. Haven't we said, I wish I'd never said that? Yeah? So when I forgive Henry, it's wiped out of my mind. If it comes back, I refuse to think about it. I refuse to speak about it. I want you to listen carefully to what I'm about to say.

[John Weaver] If the memories, and the anguish, and the heartache, and the hurt still haunt you, and you cannot refrain from speaking about those incidents, that is proof positive that you've never, ever really forgiven. Because if you truly, genuinely, biblically forgive, it is over. It is done with. And you do not allow it to cloud your mind. And you do not allow yourself to ever speak about those things again.

[John Weaver] Forgiveness is not only a grace and an act of mercy and an act of love. It's also a duty and an obligation because God has commanded us to forgive our brethren.

[John Weaver] Now I want to make just a couple of illustrations and applications. I want you to listen carefully. Here's the first application. One of the greatest incentives to forgiveness is to understand that God in His righteousness will treat us the way we treat others. What did He say? Let me quote it again. Matthew 6, 14 and 15. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. So our Lord is saying, If we wish to be forgiven, we must forgive. I want you to think about something else. We should not only always be ready and willing and eager to forgive. We should also be willing and ready and eager to forgive strangers. But if we're willing and ready and eager to forgive strangers, we're to do good unto all men. How much more should we be willing, ready and eager to forgive our brethren and our own family?

[John Weaver] Know what the Bible says in 1 Timothy 5 and verse 8. Now listen carefully. But if any provide not for his own, especially they of his own household, he's denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. May I remind you of something? We owe our families spiritual truth and spiritual wealth as equally as we owe them physical sustenance. We're obligated, duty-bound to forgive our brethren and our families.

[John Weaver] Forgiveness is the real ground of restoration and the continuation of fellowship. There cannot be any fellowship apart from forgiveness. The third application is this. As forgiveness is found in our Heavenly Father, it should also be found in us. Psalm 113 verse 4 says this. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. And so as forgiveness is found in the Lord, it should also be found in us. We must be found with forgiveness in order that we may be found faithful to Christ, faithful to His Word, faithful to His people, and faithful to our families.

[John Weaver] Love does cover a multitude of sins. But what love doesn't cover, forgiveness should. Because God has commanded that if we are sinned against, we rebuke our brother. And if he repents, then we are obligated to forgive him. So let me ask you a few questions. Have you forgiven anyone lately? Is there anyone that you know that wants your forgiveness? Has anyone forgiven you? Do you need forgiveness? Are you seeking forgiveness? It's only in forgiveness that fellowship, communications can be restored. And so God said, If your brother repent, thou shalt forgive him.

[John Weaver] And our repentance is based upon God's grace. And if God gives grace to repent, then we should be willing to forgive. Forgiveness is not only an act of love and mercy, It's a command. It's a duty. It's an obligation. And if you and I ever realized the greatness of our sin and the greatness of our debt and the greatness of the person and work of Christ, we would have no problem forgiving others for such minute acts against us.

[John Weaver] As our Lord said, freely as you have received, freely give. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for your love. We thank you for your grace and your mercy. And Lord, we do ask that you would teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, and make us, Lord, forgiving, loving, and kind, and gracious. And yet, Lord, may we stand by the principles of Thy Word in the totality of our lives, and make us what we should be. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ, who is our Lord and Savior, in whose name we pray, Amen.

The Duty and Obligation of Forgiveness

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	jAOis0PLsqs
Subject	Biblical Worldview
Course	Biblical Worldview Foundations
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-03-14
Dictation Name
Book	Book 066: Biblical Worldview Foundations — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	87

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: Forgiveness as Duty and Obligation

Forgiveness is not only an act of love and mercy but also a duty and obligation commanded by God.

Luke 17, the message today is entitled, "The Duty and Obligation of Forgiveness." Look in Luke 17, beginning with verse 3. Our Lord says this,

Scripture Reading — Luke 17:3-4

"Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him. And if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him."

And the apostles said unto the Lord, "Increase our faith." Have you ever considered that forgiveness is not only an act of love and mercy, but it is also a duty and an obligation? We tend to think that we're merciful and loving toward others when we forgive them. And yes, that is true in one sense of the word, because we're told in 1 Peter 4 and verse 8, "And above all things, have fervent charity or fervent love among yourselves, for love or charity covereth a multitude of sins." Notice what he said, for love covereth a multitude of sins. Many times we overlook the sins and the faults and the failures of our spouses, our children and our friends, just simply because we love them.

The Caution: Take Heed to Yourselves

Believers must guard against natural tendencies toward bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness, recognizing that failure to forgive is a failure to fear God.

The natural tendency of man is to cherish ill feelings, to be angry, to be vindictive, to be bitter, resentful, churlish, hard-hearted, and unforgiving. Really and truly, many times, we do not want to forgive. We want to hold the grudge. We want to cherish the anger and wallow in our self-pity and drown in the sense that we have been wronged. We want to take the attitude, "Woe is me, look upon me and see that I'm suffering because I have been wronged." And then we want to convey this simple attitude, "Everybody look upon me because I have been hurt." Did you know the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 13,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 10:13

"There is no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man."

What does that mean? That means whatever trial that Roy falls into, I fall into. Whatever trial I fall into, Doc falls into. Whatever trial he falls into, Henry falls into. All of us have the common temptations. Yes, you are hurt and have been hurt, but then so have millions of other Christians. This is why he is saying take heed to ourselves. We cannot allow such attitudes of anger and bitterness and vindictiveness to fester in us and boil over into self-pity and hard-heartedness. We have to take heed that we act biblically, scripturally, and obediently. We must take heed that we bring our lives in conformity to the Word of God. We have to take heed that we honor our Lord in our times of grief, and anger and hurt and disappointment. Let me tell you something, hurt and anger and disappointment are real and genuine and they affect us greatly. But they cannot take precedence over the plain command of God. I want to show you that failure to take heed to ourselves is in reality a failure to fear the Lord.

Which means it is a sin. I want you to hold Luke 17, but look back in your Bibles to Malachi chapter 3. The last book in the Old Testament. Book of Malachi chapter 3. And look if you would please at verse 5. Malachi 3 and verse 5. Watch carefully. Malachi 3 verse 5. God says,

Scripture Reading — Malachi 3:5

"And I will come near to you to judgment."

Wow. God's going to judge and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless and that turn aside the stranger from his right now watch and fear not me.

The Consequence of Unforgiveness

God deals with us as we deal with others; if we do not forgive, our Heavenly Father will not forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15).

Now our Lord says take heed to yourselves. Why is he telling you to take heed in this particular area? Well, here it is in black and white. Notice Matthew chapter 6 and let's look at verses 14 and 15. Matthew 6 verse 14. Our Lord says,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 6:14-15

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Wow!

Did you hear what I just read? If you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will forgive you. If you do not forgive men, then He will not forgive you. Now, our Lord is not teaching salvation by works. Nor is He teaching forgiveness by works. He is stating a very simple rule and a very simple principle. Everyone in this room has heard of the golden rule. Do you know where that rule comes from? It comes from Luke 6 and verse 31. Listen to it. "And as you would that men should do unto you, do you also unto them likewise." Lord, however you want men to treat you, that's how you must treat other people as well. And I want you to understand something.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

The parable in Matthew 18 illustrates the immense debt we owe God and the hypocrisy of receiving forgiveness while refusing to forgive others.

"Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain king which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents. But for as much as he had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and all that he had in payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence. And he laid hands on him, and he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And the fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not, but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt."

"So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their Lord all that was done. Then the Lord, after that, He had called him, and said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desirest me. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And the Lord was wrath, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses."

Now, I want you to note there are several principles that are to be gleaned from this passage. First, we are great debtors and we have sinned against the Lord grievously. The first servant here represents us. This first servant owed his Lord 10,000 talents. Take my word for it, that is a lot of money. I will show you. How much money? Well, it was an immense sum because the Greek word myriad is the highest number known in the Greek arithmetical table.

The Command to Rebuke

When a brother sins, we are to rebuke him privately, in love and humility, with the goal of restoration, not punishment.

If it is indeed a sin, by the way, let me explain this. Sin is a violation of the law of God. It doesn't mean that Joe has just done something that I don't like and I don't agree with. Do you follow me? So, if he violates God's law toward me, then I'm to rebuke him. One of our problems is that all too often, we're more than willing to rebuke and we do so in the harshest terms and manner. Moreover, we like to rebuke constantly and continually we keep heaping scorn and derision upon the one that has upset us and sinned against us.

We turn out to be like that Pharisee in Luke chapter 18 and verse 9 where our Lord spoke the parable and the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Luke 18:9

"He spake this parable in a certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others."

So what we do unhappily, we take the attitude, "I'm right. I'm righteous. I've been sinned against." And in my righteous indignation, I am to heap scorn and constant and continual ridicule upon the one that has sinned against me. And in so doing, we end up despising them. Let me share with you the implications of the word rebuke. And hopefully, it will give us some enlightenment. First of all, the Greek word for rebuke is epitimao. It is translated in our Bibles as rebuke, charge, and straightly charge. It is also translated as honor. And to honor upon. Epi is the preposition which means upon. Timao means to honor. Wow! How did that word get to mean rebuke? Ah!

Now I want you to watch carefully. When we rebuke someone biblically, we are honoring them and showing them honor in the fact that we want them to act biblically and scripturally. So here's the implication of the word. The first implication is this. We do not rebuke someone to hurt him or to harm him. We rebuke him in honor and in love in order to help him. Galatians 6.1 says this, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Wow.

So here Ed has sinned. What do I do? I come up to him, to honor him, to love him. I come to him in humility. Considering that if it was not for the grace of God, it would be me that had sinned and Ed would be coming to me. Let me ask you a question. If you have to be rebuked, if you have to be confronted, how would you like to be confronted? How would you like to be rebuked? Would you like me or would you like someone to come to you in a loving, kind, gracious, concerned, humble manner and point things out to you from the Scripture and show you how you could change things and show you how things could be worked out, or had you rather someone just come up

to you and curse you out and drop you? Do you follow me? The truth of the matter is this word means that in rebuking we honor the individual. Let me show you. Turn in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus. This is even in the Old Testament. Leviticus chapter 19. Leviticus 19, and I want you to note, if you would please, verses 16 and 17. Leviticus 19, verses 16 and 17.

Look at what God says. Leviticus 19, verse 16. God says,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 19:16-17

"Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people."

Let me tell you something, folks. If something is true, there's no need to repeat it, unless the person you're repeating it to can be part of the solution.

"Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among the people." Why would you be a gossiper? Why would you bear tales? Whether they're true or untrue, God says don't do that. "Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor, I am the Lord." Watch verse 17, "...thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor." Watch, "...and not suffer sin upon him." Now why in the world would you rebuke? Why in the world would you come to someone to confront him in humility and in love? Because you don't want to suffer sin upon him. You don't even see him continue in sin. You don't want him to be under the chastisement of God.

In other words, the goal in forgiveness is restoration. It's not bitterness and anger and vindictiveness. Whenever we confront someone or rebuke someone, listen to what God says in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 15. God says,

Scripture Reading — 2 Thessalonians 3:15

"Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

So if Henry does something wrong, I don't jump down his throat and curse him out. James can handle that. No, no. But no, if he does something wrong, I don't do that. But I will come to him and say, "Look brother, it's where you're having difficulties. Here's where it's not right with the Scripture. Here's where it needs to change."

That's an act of love. That's an act of honor. That's an act of concern because I don't want to suffer sin upon him. You know what the Bible says in Matthew 18 and verse 15? Now listen carefully. "Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." So let me go back to Henry. If Henry does something that is a violation of God's law toward me, I don't go over to Dr. Bowen and say, "Let me tell you what Henry's done." I don't go over to Jim and say, "Let me tell you what Henry's done." No. I go to Henry.

And I go to him privately. Have you ever stopped to think that Henry could be totally and completely innocent? And it could be my misinterpretation of what he did or what he said. I could have misconstrued. That's what Archie Bunker used to say.

I could have misconstrued it. That's all there is to it. He could not have meant, he could have not meant anything bad by what he said or bad by what he did. So if I go to him privately and I say, "Look, this is what happened," it gives him the opportunity to say, "But oh, wait a minute, brother, I didn't mean that at all. That is not the way that I meant that." And then I say, "Boy, I'm glad to hear that." But notice what God says, we're to go to him privately. We seek an explanation. It could be that we have misunderstood. If he has done wrong, then our rebuke should be in humility, in brotherly love, and it should be done privately with the intent to forgive and restore.

Listen, our rebukes should never be in anger and frustrations and bitterness and with the desire to punish and to drive someone away. Secondly, the word rebuke is an aorist active imperative in the Greek. You say, "What's that mean to me?" Well, first of all, an imperative is a command. An aorist tense means it is something that happens one time. In other words, if Henry sins, I go to him one time and I rebuke him in love.

The Command to Forgive

Upon repentance, we must forgive as God forgives—sending away the offense, not holding it against the person, and refusing to dwell on it.

The word that is so easily pronounced, so often misunderstood, and usually never applied at all in a biblical manner. I want to ask you a question. What does it mean when you look at someone and say, "I forgive you"? Hopefully, it means the same thing that scripture means. But in all probability, that is not the case. The little Greek word for forgive is the word aphiemi, and it literally means to send or to go away. It is the main word that is used for forgiveness in the New Testament. There are a few other words that are used, but this one is the main one and the one that is most frequently used. If you were to go to Strong's Analytical Concordance, and you looked up the word forgive, and under the word forgive, the little Greek word aphiemi, you would find these definitions, listen carefully.

To send away, to bid going away or depart, of a husband divorcing his wife, to send forth, to yield up, to expire, to let go, to let alone, to let be, to disregard, to leave, not to discuss, to omit, neglect, to let go, to give up a debt, forgive, to remit, to give up, to keep no longer, to give up a thing or a person to leave, to go away from one place to another. In other words, I hope you're getting the ideas. I wrote, read those definitions that once you have granted forgiveness, the sin, the offense, the stumbling block, the source of the hurt is gone. You send it away. You divorce it. You omit it. You allow it to die. It's never to be brought up again. We're not to think about it. We're not to speak about it. And we cease holding it against the person whom we have forgiven.

Now when our Lord says in verse 3, "If he repent, forgive him." This is exactly the same forgiveness that we receive from the father. You remember in Luke 11 in verse four, he was teaching his disciples to pray. And let me just read to you. And he taught us to pray and forgive us for our sins. For we also forgive everyone that is indebted unto us. Forgive us our sins. as we forgive others. 1st John 1.9 listen carefully 1st John 1.9 the scripture says if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness now here's God's forgiveness this is exactly the same forgiveness that we are to give to others.

The Nature of Biblical Forgiveness

Forgiveness means the sin is gone, never to be brought up again; we must actively refuse to think or speak about it.

I do want you to turn to Ephesians chapter 4 and let's begin reading there verse 30. Ephesians 4 and verse 30. Watch carefully, Ephesians 4 verse 30. Ephesians 4 verse 30. "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed into the day of your redemption." Now watch that. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. How do we grieve the Holy Spirit of God?

By disobedience, by sin, by not conforming our lives to His Word. So He says, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed into the day of your redemption." Now watch verse 31. "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Verse 32, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you."

Now there are two very important words in verse 32. Even as. "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as equal to the way God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." So when we forgive, we are to forgive the way that God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us. Our forgiveness must be like unto His forgiveness. Once we have been forgiven in Christ, God has forgotten our sins. He blots them out. He does not use them against us. He does not endeavor to manipulate us with our sins. He does not browbeat us with our sins. He does not attempt to bribe us with our sins. He removes them. Never to remember them against us anymore.

Now, I want you to just listen. Psalm 103 verse 12. "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgression from us." So what does God do when He forgives us? He removes our transgressions. Isaiah 43 verse 25. God says, "I, even I am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." So God says He blots them out, He does not remember them. Isaiah 44 and verse 22, God says, "I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins, return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee." Notice, I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions. And then when you get to Jeremiah 31 and verse 34, God says this, "For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sins no more."

The same is repeated in the book of Hebrews. "For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sins no more." Now, I want you to stop and think. When we forgive, we must do likewise. We must remember the sin no more. God is omniscient. God knows everything. And it is true, I suppose, theologically, that God could never forget our sins because God knows everything. He's not only omnipotent, He's omniscient. But God chooses to not hold them against us, and not to use them against us, and not to remember them against us. And our forgiveness should be likened to God.

So Henry has sinned against me. I've gone to him. I've rebuked him. He has repented. And I say to Henry, "I forgive you." What does that mean? It means the incident that transpired between us is over and done and gone. It's dead.

Now, I want you to listen carefully. I may not have the power to erase what happened from my mind and from my memory. But I do have the power not to continue to think about it if it pops in my mind. I can purposely and deliberately put it out of my mind. I do not have to think on something just because it enters into my mind. Are you listening? You can only think of one thing at the time. So if that incident pops into my mind, I say, "Lord, that's been forgiven, that's over, that's done with. I won't even waste my time thinking about that." And then I purposely and deliberately put my mind somewhere else.

Like the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4 and verse 8, he said, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things." So I purposely put my mind somewhere else. You say, "Well, what if that incident comes back 15 minutes later?" I put it out and I put something else on my mind. because it's over and it's done with. I want you to listen to me. I not only have the power to refuse to think about it and to dwell upon it, also by the grace of God, I have the power not to speak about it. How many times has God remind you of your sins that He's forgiven? He does it. The devil might. Your flesh might, your own memory might, but God doesn't. We have to have the power not to speak of those sins.

Applications and Conclusion

We must forgive as we have been forgiven, especially our brethren and family, because forgiveness is essential for fellowship and obedience.

Now I want to make just a couple of illustrations and applications. I want you to listen carefully. Here's the first application. One of the greatest incentives to forgiveness is to understand that God in His righteousness will treat us the way we treat others. What did He say? Let me quote it again. Matthew 6, 14 and 15. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." So our Lord is saying, if we wish to be forgiven, we must forgive. I want you to think about something else. We should not only always be ready and willing and eager to forgive. We should also be willing and ready and eager to forgive strangers. But if we're willing and ready and eager to forgive strangers, we're to do good unto all men. How much more should we be willing, ready and eager to forgive our brethren and our own family?

Know what the Bible says in 1 Timothy 5 and verse 8. Now listen carefully. "But if any provide not for his own, especially they of his own household, he's denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." May I remind you of something? We owe our families spiritual truth and spiritual wealth as equally as we owe them physical sustenance. We're obligated, duty-bound to forgive our brethren and our families. Forgiveness is the real ground of restoration and the continuation of fellowship. There cannot be any fellowship apart from forgiveness. The third application is this. As forgiveness is found in our Heavenly Father, it should also be found in us. Psalm 130 verse 4 says this. "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." And so as forgiveness is found in the Lord, it should also be found in us. We must be found with forgiveness in order that we may be found faithful to Christ, faithful to His Word, faithful to His people, and faithful to our families.

Love does cover a multitude of sins. But what love doesn't cover, forgiveness should. Because God has commanded that if we are sinned against, we rebuke our brother. And if he repents, then we are obligated to forgive him. So let me ask you a few questions. Have you forgiven anyone lately? Is there anyone that you know that wants your forgiveness? Has anyone forgiven you? Do you need forgiveness? Are you seeking forgiveness? It's only in forgiveness that fellowship, communications can be restored. And so God said, "If your brother repent, thou shalt forgive him."

And our repentance is based upon God's grace. And if God gives grace to repent, then we should be willing to forgive. Forgiveness is not only an act of love and mercy, it's a command. It's a duty. It's an obligation. And if you and I ever realized the greatness of our sin and the greatness of our debt and the greatness of the person and work of Christ, we would have no problem forgiving others for such minute acts against us. As our Lord said, "Freely as you have received, freely give." Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for your love. We thank you for your grace and your mercy. And Lord, we do ask that you would teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, and make us, Lord, forgiving, loving, and kind, and gracious. And yet, Lord, may we stand by the principles of Thy Word in the totality of our lives, and make us what we should be. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ, who is our Lord and Savior, in whose name we pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Forgiveness as a Divine Command

Summary: Forgiveness is not optional; it is an imperative from God, making it a duty and obligation for believers.

Evidence: In Luke 17:3, 'forgive him' is an imperative in the Greek, meaning it is a command.

The Danger of an Unforgiving Heart

Summary: The natural human tendency is toward bitterness and unforgiveness, which must be guarded against to avoid sin.

Evidence: The natural tendency of man is to cherish ill feelings, to be angry, to be vindictive, to be bitter, resentful, churlish, hard-hearted, and unforgiving.

God's Forgiveness as the Model

Summary: Our forgiveness of others must mirror God's forgiveness of us—complete, removing sin and remembering it no more.

Evidence: Ephesians 4:32 says to forgive 'even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.'

The Reciprocal Nature of Forgiveness

Summary: God deals with us as we deal with others; if we forgive, we are forgiven; if we do not, we will not be forgiven.

Evidence: Matthew 6:14-15 states that if we forgive men, our Father will forgive us; if not, He will not forgive us.

The Greatness of Our Debt and God's Mercy

Summary: Understanding the magnitude of our sin and God's forgiveness should make us eager to forgive the comparatively small offenses of others.

Evidence: The parable of the unforgiving servant shows a man forgiven billions who refuses to forgive a debt of less than 20 dollars.

Rebuke as an Act of Love and Honor

Summary: Biblical rebuke is done privately, in humility, with the intent to restore, not to harm or humiliate.

Evidence: The Greek word for rebuke, epitimao, implies honoring the person by seeking their restoration.

Key Arguments

Forgiveness is a command, not a suggestion

Summary: The Greek imperative in Luke 17:3-4 shows that forgiveness is obligatory; we have no choice but to obey.

Evidence: Our Lord is not asking you to forgive, He is commanding you to forgive.

Unforgiveness is a failure to fear God

Summary: Refusing to forgive is disobedience and rebellion, equated with not fearing the Lord.

Evidence: Malachi 3:5 lists sins that indicate a lack of fear of God, and turning a brother away from forgiveness is similar.

Our forgiveness from God is conditional on forgiving others

Summary: Matthew 6:14-15 clearly teaches that if we do not forgive, God will not forgive us.

Evidence: If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The parable of the unforgiving servant illustrates the hypocrisy of unforgiveness

Summary: We have been forgiven an immeasurable debt, so refusing to forgive a small debt is wickedness.

Evidence: The servant owed 10,000 talents (billions) but would not forgive 100 pence (less than $20).

Rebuke must be done in love and privacy

Summary: Matthew 18:15 instructs us to go to the brother alone, seeking restoration, not public humiliation.

Evidence: If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone.

Forgiveness means sending away the sin

Summary: The Greek word aphiemi means to send away, divorce, or let go; once forgiven, the offense is gone and not to be revisited.

Evidence: The definitions of aphiemi include to send away, to let go, to give up a debt, to keep no longer.

True forgiveness refuses to dwell on the offense

Summary: We have the power to not think or speak about forgiven sins; if we cannot, it proves we have not truly forgiven.

Evidence: If the memories and the anguish still haunt you, and you cannot refrain from speaking about those incidents, that is proof positive that you've never ever really forgiven.

Scripture References

Luke 17:3-4

Context: The primary text: command to rebuke and forgive a repentant brother, even seven times a day.

1 Peter 4:8

Context: Love covers a multitude of sins, showing that love often overlooks offenses.

1 Corinthians 10:13

Context: No temptation is unique; all Christians face common trials, including being wronged.

Malachi 3:5

Context: Sins like turning away the stranger show a lack of fear of God; similarly, unforgiveness is a failure to fear God.

Galatians 6:10

Context: We are to do good to all, especially the household of faith, implying a special obligation to forgive brethren.

Matthew 6:14-15

Context: If we forgive men, God forgives us; if we do not, He will not forgive us.

Luke 6:31

Context: The Golden Rule: treat others as you want to be treated, applied to forgiveness.

Psalm 18:25-26

Context: God deals with us according to our character: merciful with the merciful, forward with the forward.

Psalm 86:5

Context: God is good and ready to forgive, a model for our readiness to forgive.

Matthew 18:21-35

Context: Parable of the unforgiving servant: we must forgive from the heart as we have been forgiven.

Luke 7:40-48

Context: The woman who loved much because she was forgiven much; little forgiveness produces little love.

Isaiah 6:5

Context: Isaiah's vision of God's holiness made him aware of his sin, illustrating the need to see our sinfulness.

Psalm 51:4

Context: David's sin was primarily against God, showing that all sin is ultimately against God.

Luke 18:9

Context: The Pharisee who trusted in his own righteousness and despised others, a warning against self-righteousness in rebuke.

Galatians 6:1

Context: Restore a sinning brother in a spirit of meekness, considering yourself.

Leviticus 19:16-17

Context: Do not hate your brother; rebuke him to avoid suffering sin upon him.

2 Thessalonians 3:15

Context: Admonish a brother, not as an enemy, but as a brother.

Matthew 18:15

Context: Go to your brother privately to tell him his fault; if he hears, you have gained him.

Matthew 3:8

Context: Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, evidencing genuine change.

Acts 26:20

Context: Repent and do works meet for repentance, showing evidence of change.

Historical References

R.W. Poole's commentary

Context: Cited for the value of a talent: 6,000 denarii or about 240 pounds.

John Trapp's commentary

Context: Cited for the value of a talent: 600 crowns, and 10,000 talents is nearly 12 tons of gold.

Archie Bunker (fictional character)

Context: Mentioned humorously regarding misconstruing someone's words or actions.

Important Quotes

Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him. And if he repent, forgive him.

Significance: The foundational command from Luke 17:3 that frames the entire sermon on the duty of forgiveness.

Our Lord is not asking you to forgive, He is commanding you to forgive.

Significance: Emphasizes that forgiveness is an imperative, not optional.

The natural tendency of man is to cherish ill feelings, to be angry, to be vindictive, to be bitter, resentful, churlish, hard-hearted, and unforgiving.

Significance: Highlights the sinful human inclination that must be overcome by obedience.

If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Significance: The sobering consequence of unforgiveness from Matthew 6:15.

With the merciful, thou wilt show thyself merciful. With an upright man, thou wilt show thyself upright. With the pure, thou wilt show thyself pure. And with the forward, thou wilt show thyself forward.

Significance: Psalm 18:25-26 illustrates the principle that God deals with us according to our character.

Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Significance: Ephesians 4:32 sets the standard for Christian forgiveness.

If the memories, and the anguish, and the heartache, and the hurt still haunt you, and you cannot refrain from speaking about those incidents, that is proof positive that you've never, ever really forgiven.

Significance: A diagnostic test for genuine forgiveness: the refusal to dwell on or speak of the offense.

Forgiveness is not only a grace and an act of mercy and an act of love. It's also a duty and an obligation because God has commanded us to forgive our brethren.

Significance: Summarizes the dual nature of forgiveness as both grace and command.

Discussion Questions

Why is forgiveness described as both an act of love and a duty? How do these two aspects relate?

Context: The sermon opens by stating forgiveness is an act of love and mercy but also a duty and obligation.

What are some practical ways to 'take heed to yourselves' when you are tempted to hold a grudge?

Context: The caution in Luke 17:3 warns against natural tendencies toward bitterness and unforgiveness.

How does the parable of the unforgiving servant challenge your view of the offenses others commit against you?

Context: The parable contrasts the massive debt forgiven with the tiny debt demanded.

What does it mean to rebuke someone in a way that honors them? How can we do this in practice?

Context: The Greek word for rebuke implies honoring the person by seeking their restoration.

How can we know if someone has truly repented? What fruits should we look for?

Context: The sermon discusses repentance and the need for fruits evidencing repentance over time.

What does it practically mean to 'send away' a sin when you forgive someone? How do you handle recurring memories?

Context: The definition of aphiemi includes sending away, divorcing, and not discussing the offense.

Why is it so difficult to forgive family members or fellow believers? What additional obligations do we have toward them?

Context: The application emphasizes forgiving brethren and family, citing 1 Timothy 5:8.

How does understanding the greatness of your own sin and God's forgiveness change your willingness to forgive others?

Context: The sermon argues that seeing our debt makes others' offenses seem minute.

Applications

Examine your heart for unforgiveness

Summary: Take heed to yourself by identifying any bitterness, anger, or grudges you are holding against others.

Evidence: The caution 'take heed to yourselves' warns against natural tendencies toward unforgiveness.

Forgive as God forgave you

Summary: When someone repents, forgive them completely, sending away the offense and refusing to bring it up again.

Evidence: Ephesians 4:32 commands us to forgive 'even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.'

Rebuke in love and privacy

Summary: If a brother sins against you, go to him privately, in humility, with the goal of restoration.

Evidence: Matthew 18:15 instructs private confrontation; Galatians 6:1 emphasizes a spirit of meekness.

Do not dwell on forgiven offenses

Summary: Actively refuse to think or speak about sins you have forgiven; if memories arise, redirect your mind.

Evidence: Philippians 4:8 tells us to think on virtuous things; Proverbs 21:23 warns about the tongue.

Recognize the greatness of your own debt

Summary: Meditate on the magnitude of your sin and God's mercy to cultivate a forgiving heart toward others.

Evidence: The parable of the unforgiving servant shows the hypocrisy of receiving great forgiveness but refusing small forgiveness.

Be ready to forgive repeatedly

Summary: Develop a constant attitude of forgiveness, forgiving even when the same person sins against you multiple times.

Evidence: Luke 17:4 commands forgiveness even seven times a day; Matthew 18:22 says seventy times seven.

Prioritize forgiveness in family and church

Summary: Recognize a special obligation to forgive those in your household and the household of faith.

Evidence: Galatians 6:10 and 1 Timothy 5:8 emphasize doing good especially to believers and family.

Seek forgiveness when you have sinned

Summary: If you have wronged someone, repent and seek their forgiveness, understanding that fellowship depends on it.

Evidence: The sermon concludes with questions about needing and seeking forgiveness.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T22:23:33Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T13:57:43Z

Clean Transcript

The Duty and Obligation of Forgiveness

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Luke 17, the message today is entitled, "The Duty and Obligation of Forgiveness." Look in Luke 17, beginning with verse 3. Our Lord says this, "Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him. And if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him." And the apostles said unto the Lord, "Increase our faith." Have you ever considered that forgiveness is not only an act of love and mercy, but it is also a duty and an obligation? We tend to think that we're merciful and loving toward others when we forgive them. And yes, that is true in one sense of the word, because we're told in 1 Peter 4 and verse 8, "And above all things, have fervent charity or fervent love among yourselves, for love or charity covereth a multitude of sins." Notice what he said, for love covereth a multitude of sins. Many times we overlook the sins and the faults and the failures of our spouses, our children and our friends, just simply because we love them.
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And we're not willing to take offense at their shortcomings. I hate to inform you of this simple truth, but here it is. And Clay and Jennifer will have to work this out themselves, but there are no perfect spouses and there are no perfect children and there are no perfect friends. You know, I'm just simply saying all of us are sinners and consequently, there is a need for love for a continuation of a relationship because love covers a multitude of sins.
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Now, I want you to note that forgiveness is indeed an act of mercy on our part in one sense of the word, but it's more than that. It is a duty and an obligation, especially to our brethren. Look back at verse 3 again. Our Lord says, "Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him. And if he repent, forgive him." Now watch. "And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him." Now the interesting thing when you look in verse 3, the command is, forgive him. It is an imperative in the Greek, which means it is a command. Our Lord is not asking you to forgive, He is commanding you to forgive.
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In other words, you have no choice in the matter. God commands it. And then when you look at verse 4, he says if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day, turn to thee and say, I repent. Note what God says, "Thou shalt forgive him." In other words, there to be no qualms, no reservations, no hesitations, no excuses, God said forgive him and thou shalt forgive him. So forgiveness then is a command that is plain and simple and we're either obedient or we're disobedient in the matter.
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Now I want to share with you today just two simple points. I want to share with you a caution and a command. I don't particularly care whether you remember these two points just so you remember the content of the two points. So let's look first of all at the caution. He begins in verse 3 and he says, "Take heed to yourselves." So here's a caution. Here is a warning. Our Lord says, take heed to yourselves. Well, ask yourself this question, why must I take heed to myself? Well, the answer is or at least should be obvious concerning the content and the context of the command.
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The natural tendency of man is to cherish ill feelings, to be angry, to be vindictive, to be bitter, resentful, churlish, hard-hearted, and unforgiving. Really and truly, many times, we do not want to forgive. We want to hold the grudge. We want to cherish the anger and wallow in our self-pity and drown in the sense that we have been wronged. We want to take the attitude, "Woe is me, look upon me and see that I'm suffering because I have been wronged." And then we want to convey this simple attitude, "Everybody look upon me because I have been hurt." Did you know the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 13, "There is no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man." What does that mean?
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That means whatever trial that Roy falls into, I fall into. Whatever trial I fall into, Doc falls into. Whatever trial he falls into, Henry falls into. All of us have the common temptations. Yes, you are hurt and have been hurt, but then so have millions of other Christians. This is why he is saying take heed to ourselves. We cannot allow such attitudes of anger and bitterness and vindictiveness to fester in us and boil over into self-pity and hard-heartedness. We have to take heed that we act biblically, scripturally, and obediently. We must take heed that we bring our lives in conformity to the Word of God. We have to take heed that we honor our Lord in our times of grief, and anger and hurt and disappointment. Let me tell you something, hurt and anger and disappointment are real and genuine and they affect us greatly. But they cannot take precedence over the plain command of God. I want to show you that failure to take heed to ourselves is in reality a failure to fear the Lord.
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Which means it is a sin. I want you to hold Luke 17, but look back in your Bibles to Malachi chapter 3. The last book in the Old Testament. Book of Malachi chapter 3. And look if you would please at verse 5. Malachi 3 and verse 5. Watch carefully. Malachi 3 verse 5. God says, "And I will come near to you to judgment." Wow. God's going to judge and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless and that turn aside the stranger from his right now watch and fear not me.
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saith the Lord of hosts." So any of these things that you do in verse 5 means that you are not fearing God. Notice what one of them is, turning the stranger away from his right. Now the interesting thing is this, if it is a sin to turn a stranger away from his right, how much more is it a sin to turn a brother away from his right of forgiveness. You know what we've been commanded in Galatians 6 and verse 10? God said it like this, "As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, but especially they that be of the household of faith." So we have an obligation to do good unto all men, but we have a special obligation to do good to the household of faith.
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Our failure to forgive is an act of disobedience and rebellion to our Lord for in failing to forgive, we fail to fear the Lord. Fearing the Lord is equated with obedience and failure to fear the Lord is equated with disobedience. Therefore, failure to forgive and failure to seek forgiveness is indeed a willful disobedience. The interesting thing is our Lord says in verse three, take heed. Let me challenge you to do something. Get your Strong's Concordance or if you've got a concordance online on your computer, just type in the two words, take heed. And you will be absolutely astounded at how many times our Lord tells us that we're to take heed in certain areas. I want to show you how absolutely important it is that we understand the words take heed at this particular point.
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I want you to hold Luke 17 but turn in your Bibles if you would to the book of Matthew chapter 6. Let me show you.
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Now our Lord says take heed to yourselves. Why is he telling you to take heed in this particular area? Well, here it is in black and white. Notice Matthew chapter 6 and let's look at verses 14 and 15. Matthew 6 verse 14. Our Lord says, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Wow!
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Did you hear what I just read? If you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will forgive you. If you do not forgive men, then He will not forgive you.
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Now, our Lord is not teaching salvation by works. Nor is He teaching forgiveness by works. He is stating a very simple rule and a very simple principle. Everyone in this room has heard of the golden rule. Do you know where that rule comes from? It comes from Luke 6 and verse 31. Listen to it. "And as you would that men should do unto you, do you also unto them likewise." Lord, however you want men to treat you, that's how you must treat other people as well. And I want you to understand something.
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God deals with us as we deal with others. There are two principles that are involved. The first one is the law of sowing and reaping. And the second one is the Lex Talionis, the law of retribution, where God makes the punishment fit the crime. Now I want to just show you from the scripture where God deals with us as we deal with others and as we are.
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For instance, hold Luke 17, but look in your Bibles to Psalm 18 at verses 25 and 26. Psalm 18 Verses 25 and 26. Watch what the Bible says. This is how God deals with us. It's not only the law of sowing and reaping, it is the lex talionis, the law of retribution, where God makes the punishment fit the crime. Notice Psalm 18, verse 25. The scripture says this.
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"With the merciful, thou wilt show thyself merciful. With an upright man, thou wilt show thyself upright. With the pure, thou wilt show thyself pure. And with the forward, thou wilt show thyself forward." Now isn't that interesting? You could also say, with the forgiving, thou shalt show thyself forgiving. You could also say, with the wicked or with the violent, you shall also show yourself violence. In other words, God's going to make us reap that which we sow. And God's going to always make the punishment fit the crime. So that's why he said in Matthew chapter 6, if we want to be forgiven, then we must be forgiving ourselves. We must not only be willing to forgive, listen carefully, we also must be ready to forgive. Not only willing, but ready.
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That is, we have to develop a constant and continual attitude of forgiveness. In this respect, we have to be like our heavenly father. The Bible says in Psalm 86 in verse 5, "For thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all those that call upon thee." But notice what the scripture said, that God is good and He is ready to forgive. We are so unlike our Heavenly Father.
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Because we are so quick to cut people off, write them off, and say that they will never change. Let me ask you a question. Suppose the next time you sinned, which will be today, there are sins of omission, sins of commission, but suppose the next time you sinned, God just simply cut you off and dropped you and said, "He'll never change, I'll just write him off." Where would you be? Where would you be if God just cut you off when you sinned?
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You see, we have to be willing and ready and able to forgive. I've heard people say, "But you don't understand brother Weaver, I've forgiven him or I've forgiven her so many times previously." Well, let me ask you a question. Are you willing to receive forgiveness and unwilling to give forgiveness? You see, look back to Luke 17. Look at what our Lord says. Verse 4, our Lord said, "And if he, that is your brother, trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him." Now, some would think, well, seven times is sufficient. You know, Peter asked our Lord, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother? Seven times?"
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I'm going to show it to you from the scripture. And our Lord says, no, 70 times 7. 70 times 7 is 490 times, which indicates not a number that I can number every time I forgive James. And when I get to 491, I never forgive him anymore. No. The number indicates that it's just the beginning. You continue to forgive. Now, we should never stop forgiving. I want you to look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 18.
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And let's begin reading there in verse 21. This should be enlightening. Look in Matthew 18 and verse 21. It also backs up everything that I've already said. Matthew 18. Beginning there with verse 21. Watch carefully. Matthew 18 verse 21. Then came Peter to him and said, "Lord, how shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I say not unto thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven." Now watch.
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"Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain king which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents. But for as much as he had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and all that he had in payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence. And he laid hands on him, and he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And the fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not, but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt."
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"So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their Lord all that was done. Then the Lord, after that, He had called him, and said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desirest me. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And the Lord was wrath, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses."
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Now, I want you to note there are several principles that are to be gleaned from this passage. First, we are great debtors and we have sinned against the Lord grievously. The first servant here represents us. This first servant owed his Lord 10,000 talents. Take my word for it, that is a lot of money. I will show you. How much money? Well, it was an immense sum because the Greek word myriad is the highest number known in the Greek arithmetical table.
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I can't even say it. Arithmetical. Help me. Henry, that's it. All right, table. The myriad is the highest.
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Now listen, a talent was a weight. It was a sum of money, silver or gold. A talent usually was 3,000 shekels. Well, how much is that? Well, let me give you two quotes. R.W. Poole in his commentary said a talent was 6,000 denarii or about 240 pounds. And then John Trapp said a talent is 600 crowns and 10,000 talents is well nigh to 12 tons of gold. Well, if you took our tonnage, that's 24,000 pounds.
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Now, if you take, and let's, I'm not going to go into the troy ounce or the, help me out Henry, avoirdupois ounce. That's it, thank you. There were differences. I think the Troy ounce had 12 ounces to the pound. The avoirdupois has 14 and 7 twelfths ounces to the pound. Ours had 16 ounces to the pound. Okay, if you were to just take 15 ounces to the pound, and you stop and think that right now gold is selling at 1,600 and 80 bucks, just say 1,700 bucks an ounce. A pound of gold in our money today would be 25,500 bucks.
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Now you multiply that times 12 tons or 24,000 pounds. And it's more money than it is.
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It's an awful lot of money. Now, the sum then is used to show how great a debt this servant owed his Lord. It shows how great a debt we owe our Lord. Sin in the Bible is reckoned as a debt. You remember that passage, the wages of sin is death. Why? Because sin is a debt. And our sins are numbered. And we owe a certain debt. We are sinners not only by nature, but by choice.
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Each one of us have fallen short. We've failed. We've sinned. We've transgressed. We've disobeyed. We've rebelled. So often it is almost impossible for you and I to reckon our disobediences. I like what one person said. Said the calmness and peace of mind that most folks have in their old age comes from their own forgetfulness. And that's about the truth. We may have forgotten our sins, but God has not forgotten them and they are a debt. And it is impossible for you and I to know.
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The seriousness of the penalty and the greatness of the penalty that is owed for our sin and our weakness and our wickedness and our disobedience. Yet by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ, our debt has been paid and we have been forgiven. Have you ever stopped to think of how great our Lord's forgiveness really genuinely is? Let me ask it this way. Why is it that we do not value and rejoice and glorify our Lord constantly for the forgiveness that we have received? And the answer comes back, the reason we don't do that is because we really do not realize the value and the greatness and the worth of that forgiveness. If you ever saw the magnitude of your sins, and if you ever saw the just desserts of your sins, and if you ever saw the worth of the redemption in Jesus Christ, you'd begin to get a little understanding of the value of His forgiveness.
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Now, I want you to turn to Luke chapter 7. You remember, as you turn there, I hope of Simon the Pharisee. You remember he had our Lord in his home, and there was a woman who came to Christ, and of course she began to weep and to wash his feet with her tears and her hair. And the old Pharisee sat back and said this concerning Christ, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a sinner." And in other words the old Pharisee said, "If this guy was a prophet, he wouldn't let this woman near him." Well, look in Luke 7, beginning there, verse 40, and see what our Lord said to Simon. Luke 7, verse 40. "And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he said, Master, say on."
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"There was a certain creditor, which had two debtors, but one owed 500 pence and the other 50. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them would love him most?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose that he to whom he forgave most." And he said unto him, "Thou hast rightly judged." And he turned to the woman and said unto Simon, "Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, and thou gavest me no water to wash my feet. But she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss. But this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint, but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment."
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"Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." And he saith unto her, "Thy sins are forgiven."
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Now, let me point something out. Our Lord said, "To whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." If you do not have a proper estimation of your sins, and if you do not have a proper estimation of the greatness and the mercy and the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, you will never praise Him and glorify Him for that which He's done in your life. You have to understand the greatness of your sins in order to glorify and to rejoice in God's so great salvation. The truth of the matter is, folks, we've never really seen how despicable, sinful, wicked, disobedient, and rebellious we really are.
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You remember how Isaiah saw the glory of God in Isaiah chapter 6? And what did he say? "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I have dwelt in the midst of a people of unclean lips. Woe is me, for mine eyes have seen the Lord." So this first servant then, in Matthew 18, typifies the fact of what we owe our Lord and how great a debt we owe Him.
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Secondly, I want you to note that this wicked servant, after he supposedly had been forgiven, he went out and did what? He grabbed a fellow servant by the throat and he said, "Pay me that which you owe me." And the man owed him a hundred pence. Which is equivalent in our money from 14 to 20 bucks. Here's a man that had been forgiven billions. And he brutalizes another man and throws him in prison for less than 20 bucks. But here's the point our Lord is trying to make. The man was willing to receive forgiveness for his great debt. But he was not willing to give forgiveness even for a small debt. Now think with me. If we ever understood the greatness of forgiveness, the greatness of God's forgiveness to us.
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We would never have any problems forgiving the sins of others because the sins of others are so minute in comparison to our sins to God. Now listen to me. You remember David committed adultery and murder. And when he is confessing and acknowledging that sin, in Psalm 51 in verse 4, David said this, "Against thee and against thee only have I done this evil and sinned in thy sight." Now what did he say to God? "Against thee and thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight?" Wait a minute. Did not David sin against Bathsheba? Yes. Did he not sin against Uriah? Yes. Did he not sin against his family? Yes. Did he not sin against the families of Bathsheba and Uriah? Yes. Did he not sin against the nation? Yes. But his greatest sin was his sin against God.
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All I'm trying to show you is this. All of our sins primarily are against God. Secondarily, they are against others. And by comparison, the far greater sin is a sin against God. So if God is willing to forgive us the far greater sin, how can we be unwilling to forgive that which is the lesser sin? So this is why our Lord begins with this warning, this caution. Take heed to yourselves. You've been forgiven, you shall forgive.
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Now, let's look at the command. Let's go back to Luke 17. We've seen the caution, now the command. He says in verse 4, and verse 3 as well, he says, "Take heed to yourself, if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him. And if he repent, forgive him." So first of all, here is a command to rebuke. So let's say for simplicity, Joe sins against me. What am I to do? First of all, I'm to rebuke him.
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If it is indeed a sin, by the way, let me explain this. Sin is a violation of the law of God. It doesn't mean that Joe has just done something that I don't like and I don't agree with. Do you follow me? So, if he violates God's law toward me, then I'm to rebuke him. One of our problems is that all too often, we're more than willing to rebuke and we do so in the harshest terms and manner. Moreover, we like to rebuke constantly and continually we keep heaping scorn and derision upon the one that has upset us and sinned against us.
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We turn out to be like that Pharisee in Luke chapter 18 and verse 9 where our Lord spoke the parable and the Bible says, "He spake this parable in a certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others." So what we do unhappily, we take the attitude, "I'm right. I'm righteous. I've been sinned against." And in my righteous indignation, I am to heap scorn and constant and continual ridicule upon the one that has sinned against me.
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And in so doing, we end up despising them. Let me share with you the implications of the word rebuke. And hopefully, it will give us some enlightenment. First of all, the Greek word for rebuke is epitimao. It is translated in our Bibles as rebuke, charge, and straightly charge. It is also translated as honor. And to honor upon. Epi is the preposition which means upon. Timao means to honor. Wow! How did that word get to mean rebuke? Ah!
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Now I want you to watch carefully. When we rebuke someone biblically, we are honoring them and showing them honor in the fact that we want them to act biblically and scripturally. So here's the implication of the word. The first implication is this. We do not rebuke someone to hurt him or to harm him. We rebuke him in honor and in love in order to help him. Galatians 6.1 says this, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Wow.
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So here Ed has sinned. What do I do? I come up to him, to honor him, to love him. I come to him in humility. Considering that if it was not for the grace of God, it would be me that had sinned and Ed would be coming to me. Let me ask you a question. If you have to be rebuked, if you have to be confronted, how would you like to be confronted? How would you like to be rebuked? Would you like me or would you like someone to come to you in a loving, kind, gracious, concerned, humble manner and point things out to you from the Scripture and show you how you could change things and show you how things could be worked out, or had you rather someone just come up
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to you and curse you out and drop you? Do you follow me? The truth of the matter is this word means that in rebuking we honor the individual. Let me show you. Turn in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus. This is even in the Old Testament. Leviticus chapter 19. Leviticus 19, and I want you to note, if you would please, verses 16 and 17. Leviticus 19, verses 16 and 17.
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Look at what God says. Leviticus 19, verse 16. God says, "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people." Let me tell you something, folks. If something is true, there's no need to repeat it, unless the person you're repeating it to can be part of the solution.
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"Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among the people." Why would you be a gossiper? Why would you bear tales? Whether they're true or untrue, God says don't do that. "Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor, I am the Lord." Watch verse 17, "...thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor." Watch, "...and not suffer sin upon him." Now why in the world would you rebuke? Why in the world would you come to someone to confront him in humility and in love? Because you don't want to suffer sin upon him. You don't even see him continue in sin. You don't want him to be under the chastisement of God.
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In other words, the goal in forgiveness is restoration. It's not bitterness and anger and vindictiveness. Whenever we confront someone or rebuke someone, listen to what God says in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 15. God says, "Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." So if Henry does something wrong, I don't jump down his throat and curse him out. James can handle that. No, no. But no, if he does something wrong, I don't do that. But I will come to him and say, "Look brother, it's where you're having difficulties. Here's where it's not right with the Scripture. Here's where it needs to change."
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That's an act of love. That's an act of honor. That's an act of concern because I don't want to suffer sin upon him. You know what the Bible says in Matthew 18 and verse 15? Now listen carefully. "Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." So let me go back to Henry. If Henry does something that is a violation of God's law toward me, I don't go over to Dr. Bowen and say, "Let me tell you what Henry's done." I don't go over to Jim and say, "Let me tell you what Henry's done." No. I go to Henry.
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And I go to him privately. Have you ever stopped to think that Henry could be totally and completely innocent? And it could be my misinterpretation of what he did or what he said. I could have misconstrued. That's what Archie Bunker used to say.
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I could have misconstrued it. That's all there is to it. He could not have meant, he could have not meant anything bad by what he said or bad by what he did. So if I go to him privately and I say, "Look, this is what happened," it gives him the opportunity to say, "But oh, wait a minute, brother, I didn't mean that at all. That is not the way that I meant that." And then I say, "Boy, I'm glad to hear that." But notice what God says, we're to go to him privately. We seek an explanation. It could be that we have misunderstood. If he has done wrong, then our rebuke should be in humility, in brotherly love, and it should be done privately with the intent to forgive and restore.
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Listen, our rebukes should never be in anger and frustrations and bitterness and with the desire to punish and to drive someone away. Secondly, the word rebuke is an aorist active imperative in the Greek. You say, "What's that mean to me?" Well, first of all, an imperative is a command. An aorist tense means it is something that happens one time. In other words, if Henry sins, I go to him one time and I rebuke him in love.
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If we speak the truth clearly and distinctly, there should be no need to rehash everything over and over. In other words, once I have rebuked him, I fulfill my responsibility biblically. I would hope, I would pray, I would want there to be immediate repentance, but if there is not, the only thing I can do then is pray and wait upon the Lord to work in his heart if there is not an immediate response. It does absolutely no good to rehash, to rework, to reword, to rethink everything that has happened. Such worry, mental anguish, and heartbreak and disappointment only serves to wear us down and to drown us in sin and disobedience and despair. Hopefully, repentance will be immediate. Sorrow or an expression of repentance should be expressed. We're to look for and we're to listen for repentance.
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How do we know whether or not someone has repented? So I'm going back to Henry. He sinned against me. I come to him privately. I rebuke him in love. I show him from the scripture where he sinned against me. And what does Henry say? He says, "Well, pastor, I'm sorry. I'd have never done that for anything in the world to hurt you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." That's what I'm looking for. Maybe he says, "Well, I repent."
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"I will not do that anymore." That's what I'm looking for. Now, here's my question. How do I know he's repented? How do I know he's truthfully and really sorry? First of all, all I can do is take his word. I'm shut up to that. I cannot see into his heart. I cannot read his mind. If he tells me I repent, what does Scripture say? Forgive him. That's it. Forgive him. All he has to say is, "I repent." Forgive him. I have his word.
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However, secondly, I can also then, after that, begin to look for fruits of repentance. Now let me explain that. You remember in Matthew chapter 3 and verse 8, John the Baptist was preaching and the Pharisees came to hear John preach. And John told them that they were to bring forth fruits, meat for repentance. Literally the word meat means you bring forth fruit evidencing repentance. You bring forth fruit that manifests repentance. So simply stated, if one genuinely, truly repents, then obviously, sooner or later there's going to be fruit that evidences that repentance. The Apostle Paul said the same thing in Acts 26 and verse 20. Here's what he said.
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"But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coast of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance." Do works that evidence and manifest repentance. So, that means this, after Henry says, "I repent," in the coming weeks, in the coming months, in the coming year, I can look for fruit. It will be there. If he has repented, obviously, there's going to be fruit.
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Let me give you a caution. Do you realize it takes time to produce fruit? There's not a person in this room who will go out tomorrow and plant a garden and then harvest it the next day. It's impossible. It's just impossible. You know, our Lord said it like this in Mark 4 and verse 28. He says, "For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself, first the blade, then the ear, and then full corn in the ear." And it takes time for that seed to sprout, to mature, and produce fruit.
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What is true physically is also true spiritually. You're not going to say, "I repent," and then within 15 minutes begin looking for fruit. It will take time for that fruit to manifest itself and to evidence itself. So here's the command to rebuke. And remember, if you would please, the word rebuke means also to honor. It's also an aorist, which means we do it once. I don't have to keep rehashing and dragging it out and turning it over and over in my mind. That kills me.
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Let me ask you a question. Just stop and think about this. If Henry did sin against me, and I did rebuke him, and he didn't repent, what can I do about it? There are other steps, but I can't make him repent. I can't make him do what's right. You see, we're shut up then to God's mercy and God's grace.
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Now, notice if you would, Luke 17, one more thing here. He said in verse 3, "Take heed to yourselves," there's the caution, here's the command, "if thy brother trespass against thee, first of all rebuke him, and then if he repent, forgive him." So here's the command to forgive. By the way, the word repent basically means a change of mind which results in a change of conduct. So if I'm walking eastward and I repent, I turn and begin walking westward. It's a change of mind which results in a change of conduct. So when we're looking for fruit, if Henry has changed his mind, there will also be a change in his conduct eventually. Okay? So, here's the next command, forgive. He said, "If he repent, forgive him." There's that little word forgive.
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The word that is so easily pronounced, so often misunderstood, and usually never applied at all in a biblical manner. I want to ask you a question. What does it mean when you look at someone and say, "I forgive you"? Hopefully, it means the same thing that scripture means. But in all probability, that is not the case. The little Greek word for forgive is the word aphiemi, and it literally means to send or to go away. It is the main word that is used for forgiveness in the New Testament. There are a few other words that are used, but this one is the main one and the one that is most frequently used. If you were to go to Strong's Analytical Concordance, and you looked up the word forgive, and under the word forgive, the little Greek word aphiemi, you would find these definitions, listen carefully.
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To send away, to bid going away or depart, of a husband divorcing his wife, to send forth, to yield up, to expire, to let go, to let alone, to let be, to disregard, to leave, not to discuss, to omit, neglect, to let go, to give up a debt, forgive, to remit, to give up, to keep no longer, to give up a thing or a person to leave, to go away from one place to another. In other words, I hope you're getting the ideas.
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I wrote, read those definitions that once you have granted forgiveness, the sin, the offense, the stumbling block, the source of the hurt is gone. You send it away. You divorce it. You omit it. You allow it to die. It's never to be brought up again. We're not to think about it. We're not to speak about it. And we cease holding it against the person whom we have forgiven.
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Now when our Lord says in verse 3, "If he repent, forgive him." This is exactly the same forgiveness that we receive from the father. You remember in Luke 11 in verse four, he was teaching his disciples to pray. And let me just read to you. And he taught us to pray and forgive us for our sins. For we also forgive everyone that is indebted unto us. Forgive us our sins. as we forgive others. 1st John 1.9 listen carefully 1st John 1.9 the scripture says if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness now here's God's forgiveness this is exactly the same forgiveness that we are to give to others.
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I do want you to turn to Ephesians chapter 4 and let's begin reading there verse 30. Ephesians 4 and verse 30. Watch carefully, Ephesians 4 verse 30. Ephesians 4 verse 30. "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed into the day of your redemption." Now watch that. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. How do we grieve the Holy Spirit of God?
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By disobedience, by sin, by not conforming our lives to His Word. So He says, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed into the day of your redemption." Now watch verse 31. "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Verse 32, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you."
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Now there are two very important words in verse 32. Even as. "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as equal to the way God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." So when we forgive, we are to forgive the way that God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us. Our forgiveness must be like unto His forgiveness. Once we have been forgiven in Christ, God has forgotten our sins. He blots them out.
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He does not use them against us. He does not endeavor to manipulate us with our sins. He does not browbeat us with our sins. He does not attempt to bribe us with our sins. He removes them. Never to remember them against us anymore.
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Now, I want you to just listen. Psalm 103 verse 12. "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgression from us." So what does God do when He forgives us? He removes our transgressions. Isaiah 43 verse 25. God says, "I, even I am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." So God says He blots them out, He does not remember them. Isaiah 44 and verse 22, God says, "I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins, return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee." Notice, I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions. And then when you get to Jeremiah 31 and verse 34, God says this, "For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sins no more."
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The same is repeated in the book of Hebrews. "For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sins no more."
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Now, I want you to stop and think. When we forgive, we must do likewise. We must remember the sin no more. God is omniscient. God knows everything. And it is true, I suppose, theologically, that God could never forget our sins because God knows everything. He's not only omnipotent, He's omniscient. But God chooses to not hold them against us, and not to use them against us, and not to remember them against us. And our forgiveness should be likened to God.
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So Henry has sinned against me. I've gone to him. I've rebuked him. He has repented. And I say to Henry, "I forgive you." What does that mean? It means the incident that transpired between us is over and done and gone. It's dead.
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Now, I want you to listen carefully. I may not have the power to erase what happened from my mind and from my memory. But I do have the power not to continue to think about it if it pops in my mind. I can purposely and deliberately put it out of my mind. I do not have to think on something just because it enters into my mind. Are you listening? You can only think of one thing at the time. So if that incident pops into my mind, I say, "Lord, that's been forgiven, that's over, that's done with. I won't even waste my time thinking about that." And then I purposely and deliberately put my mind somewhere else.
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Like the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4 and verse 8, he said, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things." So I purposely put my mind somewhere else. You say, "Well, what if that incident comes back 15 minutes later?" I put it out and I put something else on my mind.
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because it's over and it's done with. I want you to listen to me. I not only have the power to refuse to think about it and to dwell upon it, also by the grace of God, I have the power not to speak about it. How many times has God remind you of your sins that He's forgiven? He does it. The devil might. Your flesh might, your own memory might, but God doesn't. We have to have the power not to speak of those sins.
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You know what the Bible says in Proverbs 21 verse 23? I love this verse. The Bible says, "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles." Haven't we said, "I wish I'd never said that"? Yeah? So when I forgive Henry, it's wiped out of my mind. If it comes back, I refuse to think about it. I refuse to speak about it. I want you to listen carefully to what I'm about to say.
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If the memories, and the anguish, and the heartache, and the hurt still haunt you, and you cannot refrain from speaking about those incidents, that is proof positive that you've never, ever really forgiven. Because if you truly, genuinely, biblically forgive, it is over. It is done with. And you do not allow it to cloud your mind. And you do not allow yourself to ever speak about those things again.
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Forgiveness is not only a grace and an act of mercy and an act of love. It's also a duty and an obligation because God has commanded us to forgive our brethren.
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Now I want to make just a couple of illustrations and applications. I want you to listen carefully. Here's the first application. One of the greatest incentives to forgiveness is to understand that God in His righteousness will treat us the way we treat others. What did He say? Let me quote it again. Matthew 6, 14 and 15. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." So our Lord is saying, if we wish to be forgiven, we must forgive. I want you to think about something else. We should not only always be ready and willing and eager to forgive. We should also be willing and ready and eager to forgive strangers. But if we're willing and ready and eager to forgive strangers, we're to do good unto all men. How much more should we be willing, ready and eager to forgive our brethren and our own family?
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Know what the Bible says in 1 Timothy 5 and verse 8. Now listen carefully. "But if any provide not for his own, especially they of his own household, he's denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." May I remind you of something? We owe our families spiritual truth and spiritual wealth as equally as we owe them physical sustenance. We're obligated, duty-bound to forgive our brethren and our families.
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Forgiveness is the real ground of restoration and the continuation of fellowship. There cannot be any fellowship apart from forgiveness. The third application is this. As forgiveness is found in our Heavenly Father, it should also be found in us. Psalm 130 verse 4 says this. "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." And so as forgiveness is found in the Lord, it should also be found in us. We must be found with forgiveness in order that we may be found faithful to Christ, faithful to His Word, faithful to His people, and faithful to our families.
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Love does cover a multitude of sins. But what love doesn't cover, forgiveness should. Because God has commanded that if we are sinned against, we rebuke our brother. And if he repents, then we are obligated to forgive him. So let me ask you a few questions. Have you forgiven anyone lately? Is there anyone that you know that wants your forgiveness? Has anyone forgiven you? Do you need forgiveness? Are you seeking forgiveness? It's only in forgiveness that fellowship, communications can be restored. And so God said, "If your brother repent, thou shalt forgive him."
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And our repentance is based upon God's grace. And if God gives grace to repent, then we should be willing to forgive. Forgiveness is not only an act of love and mercy, it's a command. It's a duty. It's an obligation. And if you and I ever realized the greatness of our sin and the greatness of our debt and the greatness of the person and work of Christ, we would have no problem forgiving others for such minute acts against us.
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As our Lord said, "Freely as you have received, freely give." Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for your love. We thank you for your grace and your mercy. And Lord, we do ask that you would teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, and make us, Lord, forgiving, loving, and kind, and gracious. And yet, Lord, may we stand by the principles of Thy Word in the totality of our lives, and make us what we should be. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ, who is our Lord and Savior, in whose name we pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T22:23:33Z

The Duty and Obligation of Forgiveness

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver teaches from Luke 17:3-4 that forgiveness is not merely an act of love and mercy but a divine command and obligation. He emphasizes the caution to guard one's heart against bitterness and the command to rebuke a sinning brother in love and forgive upon repentance. Using Matthew 18 and other scriptures, he illustrates the greatness of God's forgiveness toward us and the necessity of extending that same forgiveness to others, warning that failure to forgive jeopardizes our own forgiveness from God.

Introduction: Forgiveness as Duty and Obligation

Forgiveness is not only an act of love and mercy but also a duty and obligation commanded by God.

Luke 17, the message today is entitled, "The Duty and Obligation of Forgiveness." Look in Luke 17, beginning with verse 3. Our Lord says this,

Scripture Reading — Luke 17:3-4

"Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him. And if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him."

The Caution: Take Heed to Yourselves

Believers must guard against natural tendencies toward bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness, recognizing that failure to forgive is a failure to fear God.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 10:13

"There is no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man."

Scripture Reading — Malachi 3:5

"And I will come near to you to judgment."

The Consequence of Unforgiveness

God deals with us as we deal with others; if we do not forgive, our Heavenly Father will not forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15).

Scripture Reading — Matthew 6:14-15

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Wow!

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

The parable in Matthew 18 illustrates the immense debt we owe God and the hypocrisy of receiving forgiveness while refusing to forgive others.

The Command to Rebuke

When a brother sins, we are to rebuke him privately, in love and humility, with the goal of restoration, not punishment.

We turn out to be like that Pharisee in Luke chapter 18 and verse 9 where our Lord spoke the parable and the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Luke 18:9

"He spake this parable in a certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others."

Look at what God says. Leviticus 19, verse 16. God says,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 19:16-17

"Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people."

Let me tell you something, folks. If something is true, there's no need to repeat it, unless the person you're repeating it to can be part of the solution.

Scripture Reading — 2 Thessalonians 3:15

"Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

The Command to Forgive

Upon repentance, we must forgive as God forgives—sending away the offense, not holding it against the person, and refusing to dwell on it.

The Nature of Biblical Forgiveness

Forgiveness means the sin is gone, never to be brought up again; we must actively refuse to think or speak about it.

Applications and Conclusion

We must forgive as we have been forgiven, especially our brethren and family, because forgiveness is essential for fellowship and obedience.

The Duty and Obligation of Forgiveness

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	jAOis0PLsqs
Subject	Biblical Worldview
Course	Biblical Worldview Foundations
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-03-14
Dictation Name
Book	Book 066: Biblical Worldview Foundations — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	87

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: Forgiveness as Duty and Obligation: Forgiveness is not only an act of love and mercy but also a duty and obligation commanded by God.
The Caution: Take Heed to Yourselves: Believers must guard against natural tendencies toward bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness, recognizing that failure to forgive is a failure to fear God.
The Consequence of Unforgiveness: God deals with us as we deal with others; if we do not forgive, our Heavenly Father will not forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15).
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant: The parable in Matthew 18 illustrates the immense debt we owe God and the hypocrisy of receiving forgiveness while refusing to forgive others.
The Command to Rebuke: When a brother sins, we are to rebuke him privately, in love and humility, with the goal of restoration, not punishment.
The Command to Forgive: Upon repentance, we must forgive as God forgives—sending away the offense, not holding it against the person, and refusing to dwell on it.
The Nature of Biblical Forgiveness: Forgiveness means the sin is gone, never to be brought up again; we must actively refuse to think or speak about it.
Applications and Conclusion: We must forgive as we have been forgiven, especially our brethren and family, because forgiveness is essential for fellowship and obedience.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Forgiveness is a command, not a suggestion

The Greek imperative in Luke 17:3-4 shows that forgiveness is obligatory; we have no choice but to obey.

Our Lord is not asking you to forgive, He is commanding you to forgive.

Unforgiveness is a failure to fear God

Refusing to forgive is disobedience and rebellion, equated with not fearing the Lord.

Malachi 3:5 lists sins that indicate a lack of fear of God, and turning a brother away from forgiveness is similar.

Our forgiveness from God is conditional on forgiving others

Matthew 6:14-15 clearly teaches that if we do not forgive, God will not forgive us.

If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The parable of the unforgiving servant illustrates the hypocrisy of unforgiveness

We have been forgiven an immeasurable debt, so refusing to forgive a small debt is wickedness.

The servant owed 10,000 talents (billions) but would not forgive 100 pence (less than $20).

Rebuke must be done in love and privacy

Matthew 18:15 instructs us to go to the brother alone, seeking restoration, not public humiliation.

If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone.

Forgiveness means sending away the sin

The Greek word aphiemi means to send away, divorce, or let go; once forgiven, the offense is gone and not to be revisited.

The definitions of aphiemi include to send away, to let go, to give up a debt, to keep no longer.

True forgiveness refuses to dwell on the offense

We have the power to not think or speak about forgiven sins; if we cannot, it proves we have not truly forgiven.

If the memories and the anguish still haunt you, and you cannot refrain from speaking about those incidents, that is proof positive that you've never ever really forgiven.

Scripture References

Luke 17:3-4: The primary text: command to rebuke and forgive a repentant brother, even seven times a day.
1 Peter 4:8: Love covers a multitude of sins, showing that love often overlooks offenses.
1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation is unique; all Christians face common trials, including being wronged.
Malachi 3:5: Sins like turning away the stranger show a lack of fear of God; similarly, unforgiveness is a failure to fear God.
Galatians 6:10: We are to do good to all, especially the household of faith, implying a special obligation to forgive brethren.
Matthew 6:14-15: If we forgive men, God forgives us; if we do not, He will not forgive us.
Luke 6:31: The Golden Rule: treat others as you want to be treated, applied to forgiveness.
Psalm 18:25-26: God deals with us according to our character: merciful with the merciful, forward with the forward.
Psalm 86:5: God is good and ready to forgive, a model for our readiness to forgive.
Matthew 18:21-35: Parable of the unforgiving servant: we must forgive from the heart as we have been forgiven.
Luke 7:40-48: The woman who loved much because she was forgiven much; little forgiveness produces little love.
Isaiah 6:5: Isaiah's vision of God's holiness made him aware of his sin, illustrating the need to see our sinfulness.
Psalm 51:4: David's sin was primarily against God, showing that all sin is ultimately against God.
Luke 18:9: The Pharisee who trusted in his own righteousness and despised others, a warning against self-righteousness in rebuke.
Galatians 6:1: Restore a sinning brother in a spirit of meekness, considering yourself.
Leviticus 19:16-17: Do not hate your brother; rebuke him to avoid suffering sin upon him.
2 Thessalonians 3:15: Admonish a brother, not as an enemy, but as a brother.
Matthew 18:15: Go to your brother privately to tell him his fault; if he hears, you have gained him.
Matthew 3:8: Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, evidencing genuine change.
Acts 26:20: Repent and do works meet for repentance, showing evidence of change.

Historical References

R.W. Poole's commentary: Cited for the value of a talent: 6,000 denarii or about 240 pounds.
John Trapp's commentary: Cited for the value of a talent: 600 crowns, and 10,000 talents is nearly 12 tons of gold.
Archie Bunker (fictional character): Mentioned humorously regarding misconstruing someone's words or actions.

Important Quotes

Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him. And if he repent, forgive him.

The foundational command from Luke 17:3 that frames the entire sermon on the duty of forgiveness.

Our Lord is not asking you to forgive, He is commanding you to forgive.

Emphasizes that forgiveness is an imperative, not optional.

The natural tendency of man is to cherish ill feelings, to be angry, to be vindictive, to be bitter, resentful, churlish, hard-hearted, and unforgiving.

Highlights the sinful human inclination that must be overcome by obedience.

If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The sobering consequence of unforgiveness from Matthew 6:15.

With the merciful, thou wilt show thyself merciful. With an upright man, thou wilt show thyself upright. With the pure, thou wilt show thyself pure. And with the forward, thou wilt show thyself forward.

Psalm 18:25-26 illustrates the principle that God deals with us according to our character.

Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32 sets the standard for Christian forgiveness.

If the memories, and the anguish, and the heartache, and the hurt still haunt you, and you cannot refrain from speaking about those incidents, that is proof positive that you've never, ever really forgiven.

A diagnostic test for genuine forgiveness: the refusal to dwell on or speak of the offense.

Forgiveness is not only a grace and an act of mercy and an act of love. It's also a duty and an obligation because God has commanded us to forgive our brethren.

Summarizes the dual nature of forgiveness as both grace and command.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why is forgiveness described as both an act of love and a duty? How do these two aspects relate?

[Context]

The sermon opens by stating forgiveness is an act of love and mercy but also a duty and obligation.

[Question]

What are some practical ways to 'take heed to yourselves' when you are tempted to hold a grudge?

[Context]

The caution in Luke 17:3 warns against natural tendencies toward bitterness and unforgiveness.

[Question]

How does the parable of the unforgiving servant challenge your view of the offenses others commit against you?

[Context]

The parable contrasts the massive debt forgiven with the tiny debt demanded.

[Question]

What does it mean to rebuke someone in a way that honors them? How can we do this in practice?

[Context]

The Greek word for rebuke implies honoring the person by seeking their restoration.

[Question]

How can we know if someone has truly repented? What fruits should we look for?

[Context]

The sermon discusses repentance and the need for fruits evidencing repentance over time.

[Question]

What does it practically mean to 'send away' a sin when you forgive someone? How do you handle recurring memories?

[Context]

The definition of aphiemi includes sending away, divorcing, and not discussing the offense.

[Question]

Why is it so difficult to forgive family members or fellow believers? What additional obligations do we have toward them?

[Context]

The application emphasizes forgiving brethren and family, citing 1 Timothy 5:8.

[Question]

How does understanding the greatness of your own sin and God's forgiveness change your willingness to forgive others?

[Context]

The sermon argues that seeing our debt makes others' offenses seem minute.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T13:57:43Z