Go to Hell?
Is that what Jesus is inferring when He said, "for if you forgive men of their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But, if you do not forgive men their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive yours?" (Matthew 6:14-15) Several thoughts come to mind when I read this passage. One, the immediate consequence of unforgiveness is that it breaks personal fellowship with God.
Two, I am reminded that if if I refuse to forgive another then a root of bitterness will spring up that can defile myself and others. That is what Hebrews 12:15 says, "watch carefully so that you do not fall short of the grace of God: allowing a root of bitterness to spring up and cause trouble and defile many people." If I choose not to forgive it can defile people I care about. This is one reason why the Lord attaches a sense of urgency to the command to forgive.
But let's take off the kid gloves and play some hard ball for a moment ... Is Jesus saying in Matthew 6 that if we choose not to forgive that we will not be permitted into heaven? Does unforgiveness really carry such eternal consequences? What say you?
Thanks for stopping by!
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Adrian
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I cannot wrap my mind around a God that would be that quick to anger, slow to love. I believe the Bible says the reverse. Jesus says the heavenly Father will not forgive yours (trespasses), He does not say anything about getting to heaven or not, and is one assuming He is speaking post mortem? Maybe He is speaking of this life, walking in the Kingdom on earth. Perhaps Jesus is referring to the continual spiritual discontentment that takes place as the Lord waits and the Spirit nudges you to be like Christ. I believe the Father than does not dismiss your trespass of unforgiveness, to better mold you into His likeness. He may "wrestle " with you until you come to the place of forgiveness by your choice to do so. In that way , The father's "Unforgiveness" is used to not only provide for us an opportunity to grow in HIm, but to then offer as well as receive forgiveness. It seems to me that the struggle of forgiveness of another person correlates with the direct need to be forgiven by the Father for your flesh getting in the way of who He wants you to be. It ultimately affects your relationship with the King, and that is not ok with Him. He wants us to live fully, everything we are worth to HIm. Wow! What does that look like?
ReplyDeleteI return to something I wrote back in February.
ReplyDeleteEverything Jesus commanded of us, and all we are to live our life by is: GOD'S PERFECT LOVE.
We are to love perfectly as God loves perfectly, that is the essence of all the laws and all the commandments.
Mathew 5:48
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
The most illuminating word in this verse is not the word “perfect”. The most illuminating word in this verse is the word “therefore”. “Therefore” is the all-important word that refers us to the meaning of verse 48. When Jesus says “therefore” he is telling us to look at the preceding verses to understand the meaning of this verse. He is saying, “If you follow my entire line of reasoning thus far you must then conclude you are to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” So, in order to understand His line of reasoning and be perfect as God is perfect we must look at what He said in the preceding verses. What does it say right before this passage 5:48?
Mathew 5:43-48
Love your enemies
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
The “perfect” that Jesus demands of us in this verse is the perfection of God’s love. To be perfect, totally undiscriminating in our love, as God is. This is not "moral perfectionism", and it’s not something we have to build towards over years of “process sanctification”. It is the way of Jesus, to make no distinction between friend and enemy, neighbor or foreigner, reliable or untrustworthy, victim or persecutor.
Be perfect, therefore as your heavenly Father is perfect… IN LOVE.
Perfect love leaves no room for “unforgiveness”.
“Dilige, et quod vis fac"
ReplyDeleteBoy oh boy! that Monkeystein is one blessed guy!
ReplyDeleteYes I am.
ReplyDeleteby the way, I looked up fodder in the dictionary and report it states: 1.something fed to domestic animals; esp. coarse food for cattle, horses, sheep.........and monkeys.(ad lib rites)
ReplyDelete2. Something that is used to supply a constant demand. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
Nice choice.
I don't think we should "assume" what God means here, since He didn't clearly state it. I am sure of ONE thing...that I am not sure of ANYTHING...but Jesus
ReplyDeleteGod's forgiveness alters us if we are truly repentive. This goes to the core of who we are. We tend to accept His forgiveness mentally as an idea rather than the miracle it truly is. If one has the forgiveness of God within his spirit he cannot help but forgive others. If His forgiveness is merely a mental acceptance a person will be unable to forgive.
ReplyDeleteForgiveness is the test. That's what Jesus is telling us. If I am unable to forgive than I should truly suspect whether I am a child of God or not.
The premise of hell is unforgiveness. It is the commonality of everyone that resides apart from God.
It is our sin nature acting out and playing God in judging and punishing others according to our sense of justice.
It is the nature of Christ that is forgiveness within our Hearts.
Anyone who doesn't have the very Spirit of Jesus as his or hers new heredity and nature is already in hell.
Carry on!