Longsuffering

September 26, 2023

ROUGH DRAFT

Matthew 18:21-35

Bible study topic this week on longsuffering as fruit of spirit. The questions in study booklet seem to tie longsuffering to forgiveness. I think we tend to focus on the suffering rather than the outcome sometimes. When we face challenges, do we remember the challenge or the results? The Greek meaning of forgiveness is basically "to let go" of debt. When we release someone, forgive them of a debt there is a cost to us. They no longer need to repay us. Where does that cost go? If it's money we may have to work and earn back the loss. If it is personal pain, suffering, emotional scars where does that cost go?

It is difficult to forget, we can not. Sometimes the memory fades with time, but it may always be with us also. We don't hold it against the one forgiven. We don't hold grudges. We still love but we also still have the memories. We bear the cost for the rest of our lives with the memories. Not that we dwell on them, they are just there. If we burn our hand on the stove, we don't dwell on it, a burn can be healed but we still remember the cost. When we are near the stove, we remember the pain it keeps us safe. So is the expression "forgive and forget" in scriptures? Scriptures do show to forgive each other as Christ forgave you in Ephesians 4:32. In Jeremiah 31:34, we read "...for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.". Isaiah 43:25

"I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins". Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us".

In our reading in Matthew, is it still remembered near the end of the text.

Another expression "forgive but never forget" is not what trying to express here either.

Thoughts: Do we tie sin to forgiveness? Need search scriptures and see if Christ forgive sin, not us. Maybe we are just trying to make something biblical that is not. We forgive but does it say we should forget?

Study Notes:

There can be 2 ways to read about Spiritual Fruit of Longsuffering:

 1 - Positive - God showing you this is your gift.

 2 - Negative - We just see all the suffering we go through.

Think about how God views us ....then he loves us so much he still came down , suffered, and died for us while we were yet (still) sinners. So he forgave 70 times 7.

Think of loving someone so much you would die for them. Not like a dramatic movie, but a real life situation. You don't know how to swim, you see your child drowning . What would you do, you would jump in to save them even though you know you would drown and die, but at least just give them a chance to survive. So Christ came to just give us a chance to survive.

Thoughts of God's tremendous power and not using it . He came into the world as a baby. Into a world Satan has power over, yet God showed how he is in charge. His will accomplished, while Satan tried to kill Christ as a baby, tried temptations, trials to conquer Christ., and when he thought he won, by crucifying Christ on the cross, he actually lost. Satan was accomplishing God's plan without even realizing it. We see the disciples who were blind to the word until Jesus revealed himself to them, taught them, opened their eyes to scriptures. With the crucifying we see Satans eyes were not opened.

Notes; In Matthew we see Peter asking how many times to forgive a brother when he sins against him. Christ knew Peter would sin, Peter would deny him . Yet, Christ forgave Peter. He still died for Peter,. Longsuffering. To die for someone you love, even when you know they will deny you.

Notes: Forgive verse Forget. Greek meaning of forgive is basically "to let go" debt. Interesting comparison when we Forgive we give something to someone, we let it go. Forget we "get" something in return in a sense. If we are emotionally hurt, physically hurt and we want to forget, not remember any more, then we are gettiung emotional release of it, physical release of it. It is difficult to forget, those thoughts or scars are already with us. If we look at the scriptures reference in Matthew, at the very end we might be seeing that the debt was forgiven ... but then at the end was still remembered what was done, and then not forgiven. So I think our modern view of forgiveness may be the scripture most remembered "forgive 70 times 7". However, if you continue in the text of the expression you see it is remembered, when it continues, and then acted on to stop it, or demand payment for it.

We read "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: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses (Matthew 18:32-35)". Did the Lord forget?

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

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.

And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

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:

Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

God I am thankful for thy forgiveness of my debt that I could not pay. I am thankful that thou hast forgets my debt.