Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-13

and worshiped him saying, Lord. have
patience with me, and I will pay thee
ALL Now the master knew that the
servant would never be able to pay
that debt, but since he had assumed
this attitude he had, patience with him.
This same servant, however, went out
The king took pity on him and cancelled
the debt.
and in looking over his own accounts.
found one of his fellow-servants who
owed him $17 His lords object lesson
was not worth much to him however,
for when this servant could not pay his
debt, he began to beat him and choke
him, and put him in prison. His fell
low servant assumed the same attitude
toward him as he had his lord. 1t was
possible for this one to have discharged
his obligation because OF the smallness
of it, whereas the largeness of his made
1t impossible. But he would not for
give him, and put him in the prison I'M
til he would pay the debt.
His lord was very angry when he
learned of it, and rebuked him. saying:
oh, thou wicked servant, cancelled
all your debt because you asked me,
now should you not also have had pity
on your fellow-servant even as I had
on thee. So he delivered him to the tor
mentors until he should pay all that he
owed Him. So likewise shall my heav-
emily Father do unto you if you do not
forgive men their tresspasses.
THE REASON AND THE EXTENT.
There are two things in this passage
which strike Us very forcibly in study
ing it; one is the reason for His forgive
ness; 1T was simply because ne desired
it. Now that servant could never have
discharged that obligation, it was be-
- ~
lord, he had embezzled his lords funds,
and there was no chance of his ever re-
placing them, much less the guilt of
taking it. The lord did not take this
into consideration, but simply because
he asked, he cancelled the debt. This
is the way God forgives when we ask
Him. Our obligations are so great and
our guilt is to great that nothing we
can do will ever remove il, and it is one
of the marvels of His grace that when
we come to Him and ask He cancels the
debt So ought we also to cancel the
debt of anyone who has trespassed
against us, which in comparison is no
more than the obligations of these two
debtors.
The other point which strikes our at
tention is the extent OF forgiveness.
Even though the debt was beyond our
when He forgives He remembers our
sins against us no more. He blots them
out as a thick cloud; He puts them away
from us as far as the east is from the
west; and He buries them in the ocean.
When God mas forgiven you there is no
obligation against you, He has cancelled
it absolutely. Unless He did, what
standing would the best of us have be-
fore Him? But because He does. the
very worst man or woman on earth has
the same chance of being saint of
God as anyone else. The past has been
wiped out and then He gives US power
for the present that we may live in the
manner which is pleasing to Him.
If you are harboring in your heart any
feeling of resentment toward anyone
who has trespassed against. you any
time in your life, in Gods name beg
of you to cancel that obligation. Adopt
the plan of Christ, If the trespasser is
within your reach. In your heart nave
that attitude toward him which God