So my friend Jared put his candidate for Da Man in the bible. Well he had a good pick, but my personal pick is the one, the only, *drumroll*.....PAUL!!!
That's right Paul, the greatest evangelist in history. What was he in the beginning before God got hold of him, well he was a christian killing roman. Whoa whoa whoa! a what? a christian killer!? That's right. So how oh how could God get hold of him? He spoke to him one day.
Acts 9:3-5
3 And as he (Paul then Saul) journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou Lord? and the Lord said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
So in the beginning Paul, then Saul was blinded by God. That's one way to get someone's attention.
continuing on...
6 And he trembling and astonished said,, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
So Paul even in the beginning submitted to God. And the rest, as they say, is history. He went on to form the first Christian church, and he was probably the most persucted Christian in history. So there is my case for Da Man in the Bible.
Well this blog is gonna cover Matthew 18 21-35 so this may be lengthy.
My blog is beginning with Peter asking Jesus how many times to forgive someone
21 Then Peter came 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 unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Now during these times the Priests (Pharisees and Saducees) taught that you should only forgive someone three times. I guess Peter was thinking he was being very generous saying he should forgive them seven times, God's number. But Jesus said seventy times seven, the number of infinty. So in other words forgive someone till the Lord comes back.
The Jesus went into the parable of the unforgiving servant. One of my favorite parables.
I am gonna break this parable in parts, so I can explain each part.
23 Therefore 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 the servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
So the parable is started with a king looking at his, for lack of a better word, financial report. He noticed that one of his servants owed him ten thousand talents, and during these times having a debt is a serious thing. So serious that not paying on could result in death, but the king was merciful to his servant. It's like when we as christians, have sin in our life and we go to God asking him to forgive us. The king (lord) was moved by the servant's cries, not unlike God, and forgave him.
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 what thou owest.
29 And his fellowservant 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.
Whoa! What happened to the servant who wanted forgiveness. Sounds like he forget what his Lord taught him. We do this alot, well I do, I know y'all never hold grudges y'all have the spirit. I have held grudges before and you know the funny thing about grudges, you don't feel good when you hold them. Until you let that grudge go you ain't right with God. Let's get back to the scriptures.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord what was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wickedest, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredest me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, 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.
Well well well. Look at 31, when I read that I felt like the Lord was leading me to believe that the fellowservants are the people of the world, the sinners. If you ain't forgiving to other people, especially worldly people, then how do you expect to win them to God. In 32,33, the Lord was angry because his servant did not do as his Lord did unto him. I wonder if God looks down on us and says, "Were you even listening?!". In verse 34, the servant got the treatment he was initially saved from. Alot of christians are gonna go to a place that God initally saved them from. I can't end this lesson any better than Jesus did So I am gonna let him do it.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you (verse 34), if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their tresspasses.
sorry had to do it as soon as I saw it