Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
These verse have often confused me, at first reading it seems to make salvation conditional on ones ability to forgive, which is contrary to the gospel. I know the classic response to this is that this is descriptive rather than perscriptive. In other words if you are truely forgiven by God then you will forgive. This is true but is this what this verse is really saying. Could the be another interpretation in light Matt 18?
This chapter speaks of church discipline, and Jesus concluded by warning the Apostles that they should forgive the brethern if they repent of their sins. Could this be something to do with their Apostolic authority (John 20:20-23) that was unique to the laying of the foundation of the church(Eph 2:20) In other words is Christ saying that the religious leaders of that day were completely corrupt and didn't pronouce forgiveness those who sought it e.g.Matt 23:4,13 . In other words is Christ telling the disciples that the Old Cov order was going to be destroyed (because it was corrupt Matt 23:28), and that they were to make sure not to be corrupt like the religious leaders. That they too would be destroyed with the religious leaders of that day, if they failed to pronouce forgivens to those who sought it 1 Cor 9:16.
Any thoughts??
VanVos
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
These verse have often confused me, at first reading it seems to make salvation conditional on ones ability to forgive, which is contrary to the gospel. I know the classic response to this is that this is descriptive rather than perscriptive. In other words if you are truely forgiven by God then you will forgive. This is true but is this what this verse is really saying. Could the be another interpretation in light Matt 18?
This chapter speaks of church discipline, and Jesus concluded by warning the Apostles that they should forgive the brethern if they repent of their sins. Could this be something to do with their Apostolic authority (John 20:20-23) that was unique to the laying of the foundation of the church(Eph 2:20) In other words is Christ saying that the religious leaders of that day were completely corrupt and didn't pronouce forgiveness those who sought it e.g.Matt 23:4,13 . In other words is Christ telling the disciples that the Old Cov order was going to be destroyed (because it was corrupt Matt 23:28), and that they were to make sure not to be corrupt like the religious leaders. That they too would be destroyed with the religious leaders of that day, if they failed to pronouce forgivens to those who sought it 1 Cor 9:16.
Any thoughts??
VanVos