ARE YOU PLAYING THE HYPOCRITE PART TEN

 

Matt 6:1-18

 

This prayer closes, concludes, with a lesson that reminds the listeners the important teachings of forgiveness from (v12). Why does Jesus go back or amplify this statement? First! To help us answer that question there is something we need to understand; as we look at what Jesus is saying in light of the gospel. This portion of teaching is not speaking about the “salvific power” of God in our redemption. This request is certainly not a prayer for forgiveness in the same sense when we first believed the gospel. That was done at the cross. Otherwise! Passages like Jer 31:34 “remember their sins no more” or Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west” would be meaningless if that was that kind of forgiveness Jesus meant. See! Christ came as the great Peacemaker not only to reconcile us to God, but to one another. God demonstrated His love first through the gospel; and this act of love, is what causes us to show mercy in return. This act of forgiveness that Jesus is speaking about is an act that comes after the divine act of forgiving you through the gospel. A.W. Pink wrote, “Unless we forgive those who injure us we are in no moral condition ourselves to receive the mercy of God. We have no scriptural warrant whatever to expect the Divine pardon while we refuse to pardon those who have trespassed against us.”

 

This forgiveness that Jesus speaks of is only possible after the divine act has been given already…through Christ. Why? His salvation is for His glory and honor and no other. If you have some part in this it diminishes the “means of grace”. This is the forgiveness that proceeded by the gospel that saved you form damnation.

What is meant by our

forgiving others then?

 

1. Forgiving others is forbearing ourselves and withholding revenge. 

As Prov 24:29 says “Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done." Think about what Jesus has already said leading up to this concluding statement that He makes here in (v14).

Matt 5:5 “Blessed are the meek…”

Matt 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful…”

Matt 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers…”

Matt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth…”

Matt 5:14 “You are the light of the world….”

 

Matt 5:21-26 reveals the truth about the heart when it comes to our anger. We are murderers at heart, revealed by the Law of God.

 

Matt 5:38-42 demonstrates that we are to emulate grace and mercy towards others.

 

Matt 5:43-48 speaks how we are to treat our enemies “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (v44)

 

Matt 6:1-18 and Jesus says beware of practicing your righteousness and don’t be like the hypocrites.

 

The hypocrite seeks what you seek; but they seek wrongly; to fill their own lusts and desires. They seek who they believe is forgivable and who isn’t. They are blinded by their self-glorifying, righteousness. They forget as James Boice said “When a sinful human being becomes a Christian he does not cease to be a sinner any more than he ceases to be a human being.” That’s why they are the hypocrites! But Jesus exposes theirs/our heart, to His truth that we are to extend in like manner. (v14) This only comes when the child of God is brought to the Father through the gospel of His Son. The self-righteous has conditions for forgiveness; where Jesus says “You forgive others because you have been forgiven.”

 

“Forgive” means literally “to hurl away”

 

The Apostle Paul wrote “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost (meaning of sinners), Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” 1 Tim 1:16

 

An unforgiving spirit is not only inconsistent with God’s Word and the gospel. But it also the opposite of what Paul desired as a child of God, his desire to was to be an example of mercy and “hurl away” others wrongdoings. We can learn a lot from the Wisdom of Solomon, when it comes to revenge and raging. “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” Prov 16:32. We rule our spirit when we overcome our passions, our corrupt nature hungers and thirsts for revenge, but God’s grace suppresses it.

 

Paul said these words “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Rom 12:12-21

 

Withholding revenge and demonstrating clemency to another individual changes the response of others as King Saul responds “He said to David, "You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.” 1 Sam 24:17

 

2. Forgiving others is more than tolerating the wrong-doing, but actually to pardon those who have wronged you.

We must lay aside our bitterness and anger and demonstrate what Jesus taught in His sermon on the mount. We must exercise love towards our neighbor, reminding them that I am no better than the offender. Paul wrote these words. “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Gal 6:1. If someone who falls we shouldn’t rejoice over their sin, but seek for them to find forgiveness of sins as, we have found it through the gospel. As Stephen did with his executioners “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” Acts 7:60 To pardon someone is must come from a sincere heart and desire to forgive….without conditions.

 

Another prime example of this is found in the history of Joseph and his brothers. They hated their brother because he tattletales on them when they were in the field and also because Jacob loved him more than the rest of his sons. Gen 37:1-4 It says “But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.” (v4) Though he was a gifted teenage boy and God was with Him , this only caused his brothers to resent him more since he is the last, the youngest of the brothers. Gen 37:11. They hated him so much they wanted to kill him; they planned this by staging a story to tell the father that wild animals killed Joseph.

 

We read in Gen 37:18 “they conspired to kill him.”

 

Though they want to kill him one brother had a better plan. Reuben said “Throw him into the pit but do not kill him and see if God will save him.” (v21-v24). So they strip him down to his skivvies and threw him into the pit and had lunch. (v25) They hated him so much they had zero patience to wait for God to restore their younger brother, so they saw a caravan of Midianite traders and sold for a profit, because what is a dead kid worth to us. We read in Gen 37:25-28 “Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.” Then to top it off… they stage a fake animal attack story to tell dad about his precious son, whom he loved more than the rest of his sons. (v29-v36)

 

Fast forward a little bit… Joseph is sold as slave to Potiphar, who was an officer of Pharaoh. Gen 39:1-6. Then Potiphar’s wife advances towards Joseph but he refuses loudly and she accuses him of rape. Gen 39:6-18. Now Joseph is sent to jail for a crime he did not commit. Gen 39:19-23

Then Joseph is released when he interoperates Pharaoh’s dream that there is going to be a great famine that will kill everyone if we don’t prepare now. Gen 41:1-36. So Joseph is given the highest ranking position next to Pharaoh to oversee that this doesn’t happen to his people. Gen 41:37-57

 

Here is where we see the great act of pardoning one another. Jacobs’s sons make the travel to the great city that has the resources they need to survive. Gen 42-43. The brothers meet him for the first time in thirteen years, but they didn’t recognize him for he was thirty now, but Joseph recognized them. Gen 42:8. So Joseph complies with their request, but with a test for them to see if they are different. Gen 44:1:23. The brothers were arrested! Joseph demanded they do something in order to be let go; but they explain that it will kill their father if they did not bring back the boy with them. Gen 44:24-31. Why? Their father couldn’t bear to lose another a son and either could they? “For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.' Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father." Gen 44:32-34

 

This was the breaking point for Joseph; he sees that his brothers have been living with the guilt for all these years. They were different! See! Joseph was a man who exemplified the characteristics of our Lord. Joseph was a man of integrity and honor and allegiance to God “How then can I do this wickedness and sin against God?” Gen 39:9. This was a man who loved God and desired to live for Him despite what he went throughout his life. This is why Joseph is a Christ type, not the Christ, but as type of Christ. To forgive like this, has to have a divine power, presence of grace over one’ life.

 

So how does Joseph respond to his

brothers explanation?

 

We read “Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, "Make everyone go out from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.” Gen 45:1-3

 

See! Anger, revenge, looking for payback, doesn’t solve the hurt, but only prolongs, produces callouses, to numb the pain. Joseph demonstrates for us the relationship we have with God that he is with us through everything and to see the hand over one’s life. It’s this truth that gives us a heart that will naturally forgive others because of our love for God and His Word. Even after the family is reunited and Joseph sees his father again all things are well until Jacob passes away. Gen 46-49. The brothers begin to worry because they fear of payback. How could he ever forgive us for what we did? So they send a letter to Joseph explaining that dad said “forgive your brothers for their sins.” Gen 50:15-17

 

But what does the Scripture say about how Joseph responded? “Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants." But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Gen 50:17-21. Joseph demonstrated and provided comfort and showed them kindness.

This is what genuine forgiveness looks like. This is what it looks like to pardon another person for all their wrong doings. Joseph is a Christ-type; a godly example because this is what Christ did for you and me, and still does today. As Paul wrote “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom 5:8. John wrote “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:9-11

 

3. Forgiving others is an active response of God’s love in our life towards those who have wronged us.

 

There is no room for unforgiveness in one’s Christian life, whether the offender is saved or not. Jesus said we are to do what? "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Luke 6:27-28. We are to love our neighbor! “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31

 

Pray for those who spitefully use us! How did Moses respond when Miriam had wronged him? “And Moses cried to the LORD, "O God, please heal her—please." Num 12:13. See! We who have received an abundance of mercy, extend that mercy to other fallen human beings. Every believer knows they need God’s mercy and forgiveness every day and we extend that same love that God gives us to others.

No matter what the offence is!

 

Because every one of us has offended a holy God to send His Son to pay the penalty for our sins. We need to be extremely careful how we approach others that we do not bypass forgiveness and go straight to judgement. Why? James has something to say about that! “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.” James 2:13. If we demonstrate mercy towards others; we shall ourselves receive mercy as well. We do not take the positon as God and perform judgement upon a person who wronged us.

 

Do I retain in my memory the wrongs and scold

the one who has wronged me?

 

If the answer is….You do! Then I really want you sit down, alone with God and seek Him to for forgiveness as John expresses in first epistle. Why? You’re in danger of being no different than the person that Jesus taught in His parable of the “Unforgiving Servant” found in Matt 18:21-35.

 

Please listen to this! The more you study and hold to the Word of God, as a child of God, the easier it is to forgive others. It’s the Scriptures that transform our hearts to respond like Joseph and Moses and ultimately like Jesus. It’s the Scriptures that captivates our heart to be an example as Paul desired. Because we have all offended a holy God with our lives; before the gospel came and transformed you for His glory.

When we offer someone forgiveness we are making a commitment never to bring it up again. To forgive is to erase the slate and to love that person despite the wrong. Does it hurt? Yes, it can and does. But by God’s grace and mercy…. we nonetheless extend that olive branch of forgiveness to the one who wronged you. We aspire to reflect kindness, mercy and grace…which God has already demonstrated to us though the sacrifice of His ONLY Son for you and me. The Gospel saves! But the gospel also transforms our lives to extend grace to others, from a pure heart, that has been cleansed of sin.

 

R C Sproul said “There is no greater experience than to get off your knees knowing that in God’s sight you are clean and that he has forgiven every sin you have ever committed. That grace…that forgiveness….is something we all need, and we need it desperately.”

Remember if we are merciful to others we ourselves shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Matt 5:7. The hypocrite/unbeliever cannot pray this prayer or demonstrate genuine forgiveness, because they do not see others though the lenses of Christ. They are blinded by their self-righteousness and pride, to see others, as fellow fallen sinners, who need the grace of God over their lives… constantly. It’s through this example/model of prayer that we aspire to seek God, to glorify His holy name, for it’s His kingdom and power that is over us, to live a life of personal purity.