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THE K I NG ' S BUS I NES S
ill-will. We rejoice when calamity over takes them, and yet we call ourselves Christians. We have one standard for the judging of our own sins, and an other for our neighbors. We crave for giveness; we want our faults overlooked, but we parade the faults of others. He went out. Peter went out, and it was night. We need to stay in; to keep in close touch with the God of grace. In His presence we could not harbor evil thoughts. Of what avail is profession? It is mere pretence. (Rom. 8:9.) “If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of His.” (4) THE UNENDING PENALTY, vs. 32-35. The king sent for the man and de livered him to the tormentors until he should pay all, and (Jesus says), “So likewise shall my Father do unto you also, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother.” Men must meet their record. .This man was without sympathy. The-merey shown him had left him cold and cal culating. He has the same old criminal nature. If mercy failed to touch him, he is hopeless. Here is a picture of the eternal state. Many men are uninfluenced by God’s grace and favor. They would be willing to be forgiven so th a t they might enter heaven when they die, but they are not willing to receive a new nature which will enable them to love their enemies. When one has been born again, has the nature of God, then the forgiving spirit will he dominant. Measuring the forgiveness of God by the sacrifice of the cross, they will manifest a life of forgiveness. Having been freely forgiv en, they will freely forgive. It is diffi cult to imagine a child of God with an unforgiving spirit, but it would not be a strange thing to find professing Chris tians with all the hardness and harsh ness of the old nature. “Freely ye have received (forgiveness), freely give.” There can be but one place for the
5 :6 ). As the king extended the scepter to Esther so God reaches out His scepter to us and grants us unmerited and un limited .forgiveness. He knows we cannot pay, but He sets us free. There is no admixture of law and grace. (Gal. 3:10). “For as many as are of the works of the law are under th e curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written" in the book of the law to do them .“ (Rom. 3:28.) “Therefore we conclude that a. man is justi fied by faith w ithout the deeds of th e law.“ The basis of grace is: Nothing in us; no ability; no strength; no worth; no righteousness; everything in Him. (Rom. 3:24, 25.) “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitia- - tion through faith in his blood, to _declare his righteousness for the rem ission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” (Eph. 2:8.) “For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” (3) THE UNMERCIFUL CREDITOR, vs. 28-30. This man went out, we are told. He did not even stop to thank the king. He does not say, as he might well have said, “Let me be thy servant henceforth for ever,” but he goes out, and seeing a fel low servant who owes him seventeen dollars he lays hold of him violently and demands payment. The man bows a t his feet and beseeches him for mercy. He pleads patience and time and prom ises to pay. The probabilities are that he could and would have done this as the sum was inconsiderable. But this njan, fresh from the scene of marvellous clemency extended to him, throws his fellow into prison! God gives His hand to the sinner and grants full forgiveness, and that same forgiven sinner lays(his hand upon the throat of a- neighbor. God sets men free. Men bind their fellows in chains. We owed twelve million and were bank rupt. God forgave. Some one slights us, snubs us, m istreats us, and we “have it in for them.” We harbor enmity and
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