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Forgiveness: A Mark of Discipleship

Forgiveness is definitely a mark of discipleship and is also integrated into the other marks as well.  Let's read the following scripture (NASB):


Luke 17:3 "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 "And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him."


Luke 7:
Parable of Two Debtors
40 And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher."
41 "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?"
43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly."
44 Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45 "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.
46 "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.
47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."
48 Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
49 Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"
50 And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together.
35 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,
36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
37 And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
38 "This is the great and foremost commandment.
39 "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
40 "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

How can we truly observe these commandments, and by extension continue in the discipleship of the LORD unless we realize how much we've been forgiven?  Without forgiveness in this context, we should be reminded that the other marks of discipleship in a believer are affected more significantly than one might expect, even to the point of regression as a disciple.  Too often growing up, I often let my unforgiveness of others who wronged me for no good reason consume me quietly and control me, and even after the LORD came into my life, I still had problems with this.  I had to recognize that forgiveness in God's Kingdom isn't just an option, but a command by our Lord for us to carry out regularly with Christians and non-Christians alike, and a necessity for His grace and mercy to abound in a believer, which we need to glorify the LORD and become better disciples of Him.

Blessings,
Shaun



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"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that  which is good, and acceptable, and perfect." -Romans 12:2

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