Parable Of The Unmerciful Servant

[Hidden In Him]

Oh wow! Okay, that is plain enough.
I can't agree.

Israel did not want to do what God wanted them to do...but God made them willing, by hornets , to do what He wanted done.

My belief is that God will always keep His promise to David...and He will cause the 'seed of David'..to make it to the end.

Phil 1.6 " Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Therein is my hope. "Lord if I am not willing , MAKE me willing!"

If I lay down to sleep , prod me back into the race.

He is Father...He will get His children to the end by hook or by croook.
He is the Shepherd...He will not rest until he finds the stubborn wanderer...

Play fair! I want everyone's explanations of the parable of the unmerciful servant before this thread turns into a free-for-all, LoL!!

 

[CoreIssue]

I think that kind of reasoning pre-supposes that we get a saved ticket that rules out any free will on our part. No one is eternally saved for all time until the race is finished in this life.

Have you ever heard the story of the tortoise and the hare?

Now, did the hare ever have the win? Or was that only determined at the end of the race? We can be in a position to win...but miss the calling and election because of sin that seduces us away from the simplicity which is in Christ.

The problem with constantly courting versus about the race neglects the issue of when the verses were said.

Before the resurrection no one was born again. They could lose their righteousness.

After the resurrection one could lose their rewards, not to salvation.

Rewards are given at the end of a race, any race. Not salvation.

 

[CoreIssue]

LOL...unforgiveness in us causes us to become unforgiven likewise. As in...forgive our debts AS we forgive others.

Salvation is conditional and remains so until we leave this world.

Many Christians are actually those who have stoney hearts in the parable of the sower. These receive the salvation of God with joy...but don't play fair and get offended when the sins of others gets in their face.

What is missing is self-knowledge. The more we find out about ourselves the more humble we learn to become because we see our own inabilities. THAT is the way of humility and salvation.

People tend to mislabel things...

Oh, I'm a hard man...

Your problem is all the true according was before the resurrection, before one could be born again.

 

[Episkopos]

I remember this commercial I saw once. In it, was a marathon where everybody went home except a few people. They were waiting to see if their friend was going to finish. After a long but indeterminate amount of time a lone man was seen slowly and painfully moving towards the finish line. He was overweight and sweating profusely. But he made it and collapsed at the finish line to the rejoicing of his family and friends.

His race was his own. But he persevered till the end in spite of all the setbacks he had (maybe he was rich). If we do likewise persevere then we will be saved too.

You see how it is hard to make a salvation formula.

God rewards diligence.

 

[Helen]

And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:21-35)

I rest my case.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I rest my case.

Ok... but I'm about to pick your case up and hand it back to you, LoL.

Who are the tormentors, and how and when will the servant pay back what was owed?

 

[bbyrd009]

Salvation is conditional and remains so until we leave this world

yet Christ tells us to leave the world today!

 

[VictoryinJesus]

We will all receive from God according to our works....

Galatians 5:19-21
[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, [20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, [21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Or Galatians 5:22-23
[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Then you believe the parable teaches that losing one's salvation over unforgiveness is a possibility, yes?

Matthew 5:3-9
[3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. [5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. [6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. [7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. [8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. [9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Mercy is a fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: ... not the works of the flesh. Where there is no Spirit there is no fruit of mercy. Can one lose what there never was. Does Spirit fail? Can the gates of Hell prevail against Spirit? Can any thing overthrow the work of God?
Acts 5:38-39 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: [39] But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

Flesh cannot show mercy only the Spirit (fruit manifest) is able to do what the flesh (works manifest) cannot do?

 

[bbyrd009]

We are definitely talking of the condition of salvation according to calling and election.

I don't think so, wadr, I believe you have conflated salvation with death More Abundantly and immortality, which you imagine somehow despite the many illustrations otherwise in Scripture that you might attain

 

[bbyrd009]

Rewards can be lost, salvation cannot.

And then you woke up wadr, see, right after you fix your def of "salvation"
which is now intrinsic to your imaginings of Death More Abundantly

 

[CoreIssue]

Greetings all. My beliefs on this parable may bother some, if not many, but I only seek to interpret and teach the word for what it says.

Specifically, I believe this parable teaches that those who do not walk in forgiveness will have their forgiveness from God rescinded. This interpretation seems patently obvious to me, based on the internal context.

But if you disagree, what is your interpretation of the meaning behind the unmerciful servant being given over to the tormentors for not forgiving his fellow servant? One argument I've found so far is that "if we do not forgive others, we are not forgiven," which I believe is intended to protect the Once saved, Always saved position by teaching that anyone who is truly saved will always forgive. But I'm not sure that bears out in real life. I think a Christian still has the ability to be unforgiving if they want to, and many are. Others profess that Jesus did not mean "tormentors" literally, or that this parable does not apply to Christians. But I don't think those interpretations hold water either.

Please share how you interpret this parable, and what you believe the words "servant" and "tormentors" are referring to in this parable.

I will post it in full below, and please don't let this thread become a contentious debate. I'd like to discuss this with some spiritual maturely if at all possible.

Thanks in advance for all replies.
Hidden In Him
________________________

21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 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. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 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. 29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 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: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:21-35)

Simple answer, you can't lose what you never had.

The unmerciful servant did false repentance. He ran up debt he could not repay.

For the unrepentant sin is a debt they can never. For the repentant Christ paid the debt.

We have many frauds in the world pleading repentance. They will plead it before the white throne judgment but Christ will tell them you were never mine, meaning he never forgave their debt.

Christ offers debt payment to everyone. Many claim they accepted, but on their terms, not Christ's.

They will be thrown into the lake for eternity because they can never repay their debt and Christ will not pay it for them.

 

[Hidden In Him]

yet Christ tells us to leave the world today!

You too! Byrd, everybody is supposed to respond to the OP first!
(not that many actually are, but they're supposed to anyway, or at least try, LoL).

 

[Episkopos]

Oh wow! Okay, that is plain enough.
I can't agree.

Israel did not want to do what God wanted them to do...but God made them willing, by hornets , to do what He wanted done.

My belief is that God will always keep His promise to David...and He will cause the 'seed of David'..to make it to the end.

Phil 1.6 " Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Therein is my hope. "Lord if I am not willing , MAKE me willing!"

If I lay down to sleep , prod me back into the race.

He is Father...He will get His children to the end by hook or by croook.
He is the Shepherd...He will not rest until he finds the stubborn wanderer...

As I lay down on my face, prod me back into the race...

Amen.

God is working in us...but it the shallowness of our own dedication that is in question. May we learn to persevere and dig deeper. May we learn to humble ourselves before the mighty presence of God....who desires to give us the kingdom.

 

[CoreIssue]

I remember this commercial I saw once. In it, was a marathon where everybody went home except a few people. They were waiting to see if their friend was going to finish. After a long but indeterminate amount of time a lone man was seen slowly and painfully moving towards the finish line. He was overweight and sweating profusely. But he made it and collapsed at the finish line to the rejoicing of his family and friends.

His race was his own. But he persevered till the end in spite of all the setbacks he had (maybe he was rich). If we do likewise persevere then we will be saved too.

You see how it is hard to make a salvation formula.

God rewards diligence.

Salvation is not a reward.

Rewards are earned, salvation is not.

 

[CoreIssue]

And then you woke up wadr, see, right after you fix your def of "salvation"
which is now intrinsic to your imaginings of Death More Abundantly

No matter how cute you try to be you are wrong in so many ways.

 

[Episkopos]

Amen Bro.

IF we endure till the end THEN it comes to the quality of the salvation.

In a great house there are both vessels of honour AND vessels of dishonour. Run to win. Persevere to make your calling and election sure.

There is a salvation unto dishonour and shame. These are naked and blind....just like the spiritual condition they boasted in in this life.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Simple answer, you can't lose what you never had.

The unmerciful servant did false repentance. He ran up debt he could not repay.

For the unrepentant sin is a debt they can never. For the repentant Christ paid the debt.

But the Lord forgives the servant of his debt initially. What does this represent if not the forgiveness of his sins, and that the servant was therefore a "saved" person?

 

[Episkopos]

Salvation is not a reward.

Rewards are earned, salvation is not.

One can be disqualified from a race for a variety of reasons. Not finishing is one of these. Another is to strive unlawfully (as in cheap grace).

 

[CoreIssue]

IF we endure till the end THEN it comes to the quality of the salvation.

In a great house there are both vessels of honour AND vessels of dishonour. Run to win. Persevere to make your calling and election sure.

There is a salvation unto dishonour and shame. These are naked and blind....just like the spiritual condition they boasted in in this life.

Quality of salvation?

Salvation is salvation. There are no degrees thereof.

There are degrees of rewards.

You were talking works for salvation.

 

[Episkopos]

But the Lord forgives the servant of his debt initially. What does this represent if not the forgiveness of his sins, and that the servant was therefore a "saved" person?

According to the modern semantics. You almost need a translator to get around all the funny ideas people have been taught to fill the pews and get more income for the institutions presently called churches.