Matthew
18 – Forgiveness
A
child totally depends on others and must live by faith. An unspoiled child
accepts his position in life, enjoys it, and does not try to act like someone
older (Ps. 131).
The
way we treat children (including those who are “children in the faith”)
indicates how much humility we practice. Do we receive them or despise them? Do
we imitate them or cause them to stumble by our bad example? It was a sheep,
not a lamb, that went astray!
“Speaking
the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15) is the secret of maintaining Christian
fellowship. The longer we resist, the more people we involve in the problem (Matt.
5:21-26). Humility and honesty must work together in producing harmony.
Peter
wanted a rule to obey, which shows he was not in the spirit of what Jesus
taught (Rom 12:8-10). The parable is not about salvation but about forgiveness
among God’s people. We are to forgive others because God has forgiven us (Eph.
4:32), and He has forgiven us at great cost to Himself! It is possible to receive forgiveness but not
truly experience forgiveness in our hearts; therefore, we have a hard time-sharing
forgiveness with others.
When
you have an unforgiving spirit, you put yourself in prison spiritually and
emotionally; you pay dearly for the luxury of carrying a grudge. Is it worth
it?
Please
read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.
If
you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.
J.
Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.
Dr.
David Jeremiah
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