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NASB | Matthew 6:15 "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 6:15 "But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses. |
Bible Question:
Hi Tim, Thanks for the response. To answer your questions, in my opinion: Matthew 6:15 means that, before Christ died to provide the 'taking away of sin' and reconciliation with God that we now enjoy, if you didn't forgive others, then God would not forgive you. This verse is pretty clear. Jesus cited another example of this economy - the man who was forgiven much. 1 John 1:9 answers 1 John 1:8. Look at the charateristics that Paul cites there in verse 8. These people 1) say they have no sin and are 2) thereby self-decieved and 3) the truth is not in them. Verse 10 adds further clarification. These people again 1) say they have not EVER sinned and are 2)thereby calling God a liar (because Rom 3:23 says ALL have sinned) and 3) His word (Who is the Word?) is not in them. Do these characteristics define believers in Christ? Now that the Holy Spirit indwells you, would you: 1) Say you have NO sin? 2) Not have the truth (the Spirit of Christ) in you? (See 2 John 1:2 - the truth abides in us forever) 3) Say you have NEVER sinned? 4) Call God a liar? 5) Not have His Word in you? (Again, see 2 John 1:2) I don't believe that these are characteristics of a Christian. In fact, in order to become a Christian, we must: 1) Agree (confess) with God that we have a sin nature. 2) Accept the truth (what God says about us) and be indwelt by the Spirit of truth. 3) Agree (confess) with God that we have sinned, all have (except Christ). 4) Recognize that God is the source of all truth and that He is not a liar. 5) Accept His Word and, thereby, allow it to dwell in us. So, Tim, I believe that 1 John 1:9 addresses these people described in verses 8 and 10. John says, "If you confess (agree with God) about your sin nature and your acts of sinning, then God is faithful and just to forgive (why? because of Christ's shed blood) you and He will cleanse you from ALL (not just past, but past, present, future) unrighteousness (sin). Obviously, Tim, I am NOT saying that a Christian does not confess their sins. Confession is agreeing with God. A Christian, by his partaking of the new divine nature, we MUST agree with God concerning the sin issue. But we confess our sins to allow God to renew our minds, not to seek further forgiveness. Please permit me to ask, what is the ONLY thing, in scripture, that provides for the remission (removal) of sin? Hebrews says that without the shedding of blood, there is NO forgiveness. So, if you require further forgiveness of sin between you and God, what will need to happen? Was Christ blood sufficient to forgive ALL your sins or only some? In Him, Bill Mc |
Bible Answer: Hi Bill Mc! Thanks for your response! Concerning Mt. 6:14-15, I've always viewed it as a warning that Christians have a proper attitude toward others. Notice the example you used of the man who was forgiven much. He was already forgiven, but refused to extend that forgiveness to others. So, I think Mt. 6:14-15 is a warning that we had better extend the forgiveness we have received to others as well. Concerning 1 John 1:9, you have layed out one way of understanding the passage. But, there is another way, that still would do justice to the completeness of our salvation. We can take 1 John 1:9, not as a reference to salvation (as you said, that is complete at the cross), but as a reference to an ongoing confession of individual acts of sin that we commit as a believer. This would not mean that we are being re-saved each time we fail, but simply that we are taking our sins to God and asking Him to forgive and purify us from all acts of unrighteousness. This would fit well with the context of 1 John 2 as well. There John says, "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." (1 Jn. 2:1) I appreciate your thoughts my brother! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |