One of the passages (of the numerous in Scripture) I like to use to illustrate this point of view is the parable of the unforgiving servant.. In fact, it's not my illustration, it's Jesus'. I find this passage, Matthew 18:23-35, loaded with severity.
If you're from the tradition that doesn't believe one can lose their salvation, follow along closely...
Matthew 18:23-35:
23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents;25 and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.28 But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii;and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.'29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'30 He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt.31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me;33 and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers,till he should pay all his debt.35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
Firstly, the precursor to this parable states that this parable can be compared to Heaven (v23). I remember listening to a bible preacher spend 55 minutes of his 1 hour sermon to point out that what this parable is 'really' about, is just how much God is willing to forgive us. And that's true, but it's only half of the moral of the story...
How much was owed?
The unforgiving servant owed "ten thousand talents". The NIV footnotes tell us that's somewhere in the neighbourhood of several million dollars. His fellow servant, whom he was unwilling to forgive owed him merely a few dollars. This gives us some perspective.
So what is this parable telling us?
The debt that the unforgiving servant owed was impossible to pay. It would have taken him, and his family working lifetimes over and over again in wages just to pay the king back. Yet what is interesting is that the king demanded justice. The king demanded they be sold and the debt be paid.
However, the servant begged and pleaded with the king, the king had mercy on him and forgave the entire enormous debt. Similarly, we are born into a state of sin with a debt we cannot pay. It's impossible for us to work long enough or hard enough to procure for ourselves the means to pay our debt that God demands for justice. We have a king that when we approach sincerely and ask for his mercy, he grants it. Our debt is cleared, our sins are forgiven.
But this story isn't over. The unforgiving servant was debt free. He was given a new life. Then when a fellow servant who owed simply a few dollars asked for his patience and mercy that he might have more time to pay his debt, the unforgiving servant was unwilling to forgive him or extend any grace. When the king heard about this, his entire enormous unpayable debt was placed back on him and he was sent to prison to pay every last cent.
So what does this mean for us?
Even though our debt of sin has been forgiven, washed away, cleansed, if we are unwilling to forgive another, even for a small thing, God will see justice. He will place our old debt back on our lives and we will be in the same place we were before--unable to pay our debt of sin, in prison for eternity unable to pay lifetime upon lifetime of wages of debt.
Still think we can't ever lose our salvation?
It's not about us working to procure the payment of debt, it's all about asking for the kings mercy. And when we are unwilling to extend mercy, after its already been shown to us in an immense way, that mercy we were given is revoked, we are imprisoned forever to pay a debt we can't afford. This passage is very clear and severe.
Asking for God's mercy is important, but extending mercy is also required.
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