Radical grace preachers will say, "Of course, we will forgive as God has forgiven us (Mat 6:12-15). There is no question about it. But God has also shown us that He will always forgive us no matter what we have done. We will not need to always ask Him to forgive us.."
I will tell them, Of course, we know that we have to forgive as God has forgiven us. But do you know God's forgiveness ? If we think that God has forgiven us, we must know what is God's forgiveness. They will say, "Of course, we know what is God's forgiveness. We don't need anyone to teach us what is God's forgiveness. God's forgiveness is the goodness of God. In another words, God was angry with us; but now He is happy with us. God should condemn us; but now He would bless us and prosper us. He should judge us as sinners; but now He would only judge us as His children.. Are we wrong to preach these?"
I will tell them, Of course, there is nothing wrong to preach these. But these are not what Jesus would want us to preach. Obviously God's forgiveness are not all these if you read the Bible.
What is God's forgiveness based on Mat 18:21-35 ?
They will say, "What are you saying ? Are you saying that God's forgiveness are not the goodness of God and prosperity for us? On what basis would you say that? Haven't you read the following Bible passage on the basis of how God will forgive us and how we should forgive others:
Mat 18:21-35 KJV Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? (22) Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. (23) Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants... (27) Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.Isn't it clear that God's forgiveness is His forgiveness of all our financial debt in this world? When we have no more debt, we would be blessed and we would prosper in this world, like the servant above also."
God's forgiveness in Mat 18:21-35 is spiritual
I will tell them, Yes, God's forgiveness is given to us based on the parable that was given by Jesus Christ in Mat 18:21-35; but it could be a very different basis from what you have expected or interpreted. Your basis of God's forgiveness could be wrong because you have confused yourselves and others about the forgiveness of God as the goodness of God or the favour of God. God's goodness and favour is given to everybody in this world. God's way of blessing on the rich and the poor; or on the sinners and the righteous is not a mystery. God's goodness is given to everyone. Mat 5:45-48 KJV .. for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (46) For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? .. However, God's forgiveness is only given to His people who are peculiar and who know 1. His forgiveness, and 2. the basis of His forgiveness:
- His forgiveness of our sinful debt in God's kingdom is NOT the same as the forgiveness of financial debt or financial 'curses' in this world. I would think that we should never confuse the people that our spiritual debt is just our financial debt or our lacks of prosperity; our spiritual debt is our sin or our sinful debt. Please use your head to think, If I happened to owe you $1 million and I became a true believer, will you think that God would forgive me so that I will not need to pay you? If this is what you think, please let me know where is your company or bank? I would like to be your first debtor or customer. Of course, we can't equate financial debt to spiritual debt and vice versa, and give the people the false promise that all our financial debt would be paid supernaturally and physically. Of course, we would still have to pay our financial debt eg. our car loan, housing loan, investment loan, gambling loan, or whatever loans we have from the banks. If God has forgiven our sinful debt, it does not mean that we have no more debt to pay in this world. Yes, we can say that God will help us to repay the debt to different parties in this world, but it would be a lie if we say that we have no more debt to pay.
- The basis of His forgiveness of our sinful debt is NOT the same as the basis of our forgiveness of other's debt. What is the difference between His basis and our basis of forgiveness? Of course, it would be different: He is God; we are not. We would forgive the debts of others on the basis that they must pay us. In another words, no payment, no forgiveness. However, God's forgiveness is not based on physical payment, it is based on the spiritual payment through His Son. Of course, we cannot pay God like we pay other with money, animals, crops, or good deeds. We are spiritually 'bankrupt' and would never be able to pay God. Hence, we could only ask for Him to pay for us. However, there is something common in His forgiveness of our sins and our forgiveness of others who have offended us - ie. someone must pay. Hence, we know that we must ask or get God to pay for us. But how do we ask or get God to pay for us?
- God will pay for us if we repent. Yes, repentance ! It is something that must be present in anyone's payment for the forgiveness of his sins or offences. Of course, God can make payment for us for the forgiveness or remission of our sins but He cannot repent for us.
In fact, He enforced it with the baptism of the Holy Spirit after John the Baptist had preached it with the baptism of water. On what basis ? On the basis of the following Bible verses from John the Baptist, God's voice, and the sign of the dove.
- Mar 1:4-11 KJV John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins .. (8).. : but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. (9) And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. (10) And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: (11) And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
- Luk 3:3 KJV And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
- Luk 24:45-48 KJV Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, (46) And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: (47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (48) And ye are witnesses of these things.
The two disciples whom Jesus talked to in Luk 24:45-48 could be the witnesses. He would tell us that Jesus had commanded us to preach repentance for the remission of sins after the Holy Spirit has been sent to convict all of us in the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement:
- Joh 16:7-8 KJV Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (8) And when he is come, he will reprove the world (Kosmos) of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
The Word of God and the Holy Spirit bare witness on the Lord's baptism too Please read the Bible verses from Mar 1:4-11, Luk 3:3, and Luk 24:45-48 above again. The water baptism of John the Baptist, the voice of God from heaven, and the descending of the dove (or the baptism of the Spirit) could be the witnesses of the water, the Word, and the Holy Spirit for baptism of repentance and the gospel of Jesus Christ:
- Joh 19:34-35 KJV But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. (35) And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
- 1Jn 5:6-11 KJV This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. (7) For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (8) And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. (9) If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. (10) He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. (11) And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
- Joh 1:32-34 KJV And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. (33) And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (34) And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
- Joh 3:5 KJV Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
God would still want us to pay in repentance to those whom we have offended in the world
Hence, we know that God's forgiveness is given on the basis of repentance. And repentance is to die to sin or to accept death through Christ. It is death of self or the old man in this world, but life in the kingdom of God. However, many preachers say that they do not need to die to self in this world to get the forgiveness of God. They think that the forgiveness of God would also forgive them of all their debts they owed others too. However, I would think that it is an insult to God's forgiveness by relating it to the forgiveness of our debts to others in this world. They have preached the gospel like the gospel of the world. To show how they would mislead the thinking of the sinners and remove repentance from them, I will give a scenario:
Let's suppose that a murderer has accepted the Lord before he was convicted of his crime in the court. You were to give the sentence in the court for his crime now because you were the judge. Will you forgive him because he has accepted the Lord? No, you would make him 'pay' by giving him the sentence to go to jail. But some may argue, "God has forgiven him. God would not make him pay anything when He made His Son pay for him." I will tell them, No, God would pay for him the spiritual debt, He would not pay for him the debt he owed to the banks, the companies, and the victims. If he has stolen, he would have to repay those he has stolen from. If he has killed somebody, he would be answerable to the families of the victim and the law. It would be ridiculous for a murderer to be treated differently because all his sinful debts have been forgiven by God.
- In fact, God would require all of us to pay the penalties we owe others in this world. Hence, if we have stolen from others, we would have to recompense others. Luk 19:8-10 KJV And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. (9) And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. (10) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
- God would also require all of us to pay the penalties we owe the world too. Hence, if we owe the world, we would have to die to the world too. If we have the sin of the world, we would have to repent or die to the old man in this world. Luk 9:23 KJV And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Joh 12:24-26 KJV Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (25) He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. (26) If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
I will tell them, It is a lie to tell everyone that God is too good to want us to pay our banks, our creditors, or our victims, that God would not want us to recompense if we have wronged others, and that God has paid all our debts in this world so that we have no more debt to pay or no more sin to repent from..
I will ask them, Have you read how Zacchaeus recompensed or restored those whom he had cheated or offended in Luk 19:8-10 above ? That was a very natural and clear attitude from a truly repented sinner. How can you preach that recompense, restoration, or paying of debts to those we have victimised is not always expected in your repentance. When Jesus said in (v9) that This day is salvation come to this house, He had shown Zacchaeus and us clearly that restoration is important in our repentance and salvation. Hence, it would be a great question mark if a sinner argues frequently that he has no more debts to pay because Jesus has forgiven him. I am afraid if he would not learn from Zacchaeus example, he could behave like the servant who thought that he had no more debts to pay and, hence, he was not obligated to forgive the debts of others too.
- Mat 18:28-34 KJV But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. .. (32) Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: (33) Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? (34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
a. justification by faith or by grace is only the beginning of a believer's forgiven life so that he can do more with the words and commandments of God in his life. The grace for cancellation of debts or forgiveness of debts is not given so that we can have more future debts or more future lawlessness. It is certainly not an excuse or license to have more future sins with no more repentance (or to sin wilfully).
- Luk 13:2-10 KJV And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? (3) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (4) Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? (5) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (6) He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. (7) Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? (8) And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: (9) And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. (10) And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
b. Grace is not forever - it is given for the purpose of repentance, turning back to God's commandments, keeping God's laws, and doing His words. Grace is not given for the purpose of enjoying or living in lawlessness forever. Grace is not there forever if we are forever lawless in our hearts or minds. However, if we repent, keep the commandments of God, and live with the laws of God in our hearts and minds, God will remember all our lawlessness no more and He will be our God forever:
Hence, the cancellation of debt or forgiveness of debt is not given so that a believer can have more future debt or lawlessness forever. It is certainly not an excuse or license to have more future sin or lawlessness without any repentance. However, many preachers have deceived the believers into thinking that they can literally expect forgiveness of all their future sins, and even supernatural cancellation of all their future financial debts, if they will just radically believe or do and teach their 'holy communion's blood cleansing' ritual, 'pure grace' confession, 'supernatural' favour, 'mind changing' philosophy, or 'false repentance' to disregard and to 'repent' from all the laws and commandments of God. I did write about some preachers who have managed to quote the Bible out of context and capitalise on this 'supernatural' deception or 'cancellation of debts' to transfer effortless wealth to themselves. (see "Supernatural cancellation of debts - Is it really a supernatural transfer of wealth, a religious gimmick, or just a vain religious boasting?" in my previous post here.)
- Heb 10:16-17 LITV "This is the covenant which I will covenant to them after those days, says the Lord: Giving My Laws on their hearts, and I will write them on their minds;" (17) also He adds, "I will not at all still remember their sins" and their lawlessnesses. ..
- Heb 8:10 LITV Because this is the covenant which I will covenant with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, giving My Laws into their mind, and I will write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
- Luk 19:8-10 LITV But standing, Zaccheus said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor. And if in anything I accused anyone falsely, I restore it fourfold. (9) And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, for he also is a son of Abraham. (10) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the one being lost.
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