Loving Resolution and Forgiveness in Matthew 18
Loving Resolution and Forgiveness in Matthew 18
How timely are the Scriptures. They tell us how to deal with conflict resolution or at least how to attempt it. Some are not going to respond. If people who are in the Church do not respond to one on one, more than one, and then the Church , then they are not to be treated as brethren if they were ever such at all. This is simply an acknowledgment that an attempt has been made at restoration and the person refuses to listen to the wisdom of others and the Church. " If he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." 18:17
We might say that the current Church in many places ignores this whole area of discipline. There is the devotion of the Church---the Prayer Book. There is the Doctrine of the Church- the 39 articles and the Catechism & there is the Discipline of the Church . Every family has this. Love without boundaries is not love. We have the choice to be a Church that believe the teaching of Jesus on this or one that just picks and chooses parts of the Bible that they like alone. There are too many that do that. That is not the way to do things in the spirit of Christ.
Last week's Gospel was about dealing with conflict one on one. If I have a struggle with another person's words then I must go to them and " tell him his fault, between you and him alone." 18:15 ST Augustine in commenting on this says , " If someone has done you injury and you have suffered, what should be done?....If you fail to do so ( go to him alone and tell him his fault), you are worse than he is. He has done someone harm, and by doing harm he has stricken himself with a grievous wound. Will you then completely disregard your brother's wound?..." Ancient Commentary, p. 76
There are more steps in this process. 2 or 3 witnesses, the church . You get the point. We are told by our Lord that ," whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven..." 18:18
I can hear the objections. Modern people are opposed to rules and laws. Last week we read the Ten Commandments and our response was , " Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this law." The ten commandments are part of the moral law which is for all time, not to be abrograted until we see the end of the world. Every society must have rules and ideas that bind them together. Some churches ignore this. They ignore doctrine and devotion that is Biblical too I would imagine. This is not just an accident.
We have a Church government. We have presbyters, ( priests) and Bishops ( episkopos in greek) that we should obey if they do not conflict with God's law in the Scriptures. There is form and order in the Church as in any organization. It is not do as we please. Of course we can, but then we will find ourselves of out of conformity to the law and love of Christ Himself. For ex. to ignore Sunday worship, His day is such an example of that. We are not to ignore His rest. The rest of the Commandments are also for us today. Jesus repeated them in the nt if we wish to dispute this point.
The second half of the message today is the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in 18:21-35. He was forgiven in today's amount about 12 million dollars. He then would not forgive the debt of the one who owed him less than fifteen dollars! Jesus then adds, " So shall my Heavenly Father also do unto you , if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts." 18:35
It was Peter who asked the question about forgiveness. The point is that there is not a limit on this. God's forgiveness was shown to us, and we must show it to all who change, repent, and ask for forgiveness. It does hurt when we are wronged, but it hurts more if we harbor an unforgiving spirit .
Forgiveness may be a process for us. It does take time and prayer to realize we must forgive others for their faults. " The society of the forgiven has no meaning if those who are forgiven are themselves unforgiving." vs. 21-22
How timely are the Scriptures. They tell us how to deal with conflict resolution or at least how to attempt it. Some are not going to respond. If people who are in the Church do not respond to one on one, more than one, and then the Church , then they are not to be treated as brethren if they were ever such at all. This is simply an acknowledgment that an attempt has been made at restoration and the person refuses to listen to the wisdom of others and the Church. " If he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." 18:17
We might say that the current Church in many places ignores this whole area of discipline. There is the devotion of the Church---the Prayer Book. There is the Doctrine of the Church- the 39 articles and the Catechism & there is the Discipline of the Church . Every family has this. Love without boundaries is not love. We have the choice to be a Church that believe the teaching of Jesus on this or one that just picks and chooses parts of the Bible that they like alone. There are too many that do that. That is not the way to do things in the spirit of Christ.
Last week's Gospel was about dealing with conflict one on one. If I have a struggle with another person's words then I must go to them and " tell him his fault, between you and him alone." 18:15 ST Augustine in commenting on this says , " If someone has done you injury and you have suffered, what should be done?....If you fail to do so ( go to him alone and tell him his fault), you are worse than he is. He has done someone harm, and by doing harm he has stricken himself with a grievous wound. Will you then completely disregard your brother's wound?..." Ancient Commentary, p. 76
There are more steps in this process. 2 or 3 witnesses, the church . You get the point. We are told by our Lord that ," whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven..." 18:18
I can hear the objections. Modern people are opposed to rules and laws. Last week we read the Ten Commandments and our response was , " Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this law." The ten commandments are part of the moral law which is for all time, not to be abrograted until we see the end of the world. Every society must have rules and ideas that bind them together. Some churches ignore this. They ignore doctrine and devotion that is Biblical too I would imagine. This is not just an accident.
We have a Church government. We have presbyters, ( priests) and Bishops ( episkopos in greek) that we should obey if they do not conflict with God's law in the Scriptures. There is form and order in the Church as in any organization. It is not do as we please. Of course we can, but then we will find ourselves of out of conformity to the law and love of Christ Himself. For ex. to ignore Sunday worship, His day is such an example of that. We are not to ignore His rest. The rest of the Commandments are also for us today. Jesus repeated them in the nt if we wish to dispute this point.
The second half of the message today is the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in 18:21-35. He was forgiven in today's amount about 12 million dollars. He then would not forgive the debt of the one who owed him less than fifteen dollars! Jesus then adds, " So shall my Heavenly Father also do unto you , if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts." 18:35
It was Peter who asked the question about forgiveness. The point is that there is not a limit on this. God's forgiveness was shown to us, and we must show it to all who change, repent, and ask for forgiveness. It does hurt when we are wronged, but it hurts more if we harbor an unforgiving spirit .
Forgiveness may be a process for us. It does take time and prayer to realize we must forgive others for their faults. " The society of the forgiven has no meaning if those who are forgiven are themselves unforgiving." vs. 21-22
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