I don’t know how common this is in other parts of the world, but at certain grocery stores if you want to use one of their shopping carts you need to first unlock them. In an effort to try to get people to put their carts back where they belong, some grocery stores have shopping carts each fitted with their own lock that will connect to all of the other carts when you replace it. In order to unlock a cart you first need to insert a coin into a slot, usually a quarter, and that coin acts as a key to unlock your cart. You can then go shopping through the store, buy the things that you need, and as soon as you are all done if you take that cart and return it to the place you got it from, the quarter that you used to unlock it will be returned to you. You get back what you put in.
And that is how forgiveness should work. Because we are sinners, having imperfections in our lives, it is an inevitable fact that we will sometimes fail. We will eventually do something that is a sin, either towards God or towards others.
We need forgiveness to have those sins taken away, so we go to the Lord and ask Him for it. The Lord, because He is a kind, loving, and merciful God, readily gives us the forgiveness that we so desperately need. He “unlocks” the door of forgiveness for us, forgiving us with the condition that we do the same for others.
“Matthew 18:21-35 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.
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
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.”
When God gives us that forgiveness, it is like we are putting in that quarter to release that lock on the cart. If we want to get that quarter back, if we want to continue to receive forgiveness, then we need to be able to be forgiving with others as well. We need to “put the cart back,” forgiving others “from your hearts.” This is not someone who only says the words “I forgive you” when you can tell that they really didn’t feel that from their heart. It is a full and true release of all anger and wrath.
So please, always remember the words of Christ:
Luke 17:3-4 “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”
As Jesus is forgiving with us, we need to be forgiving with others. To be like Christ, we have to live like He did, and follow the teachings that He left for us to follow. That includes having the ability to forgive. If we don’t, we won’t ourselves will not receive the forgiveness that we need. We won’t get our “quarter” back.
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 