The kingdom of God is where God does to you as you do to others
Do you find that your life is miserable most of the time? Do you feel as if there is a big burden on your back? Is life hard for you? If so, then pay careful attention to this section. Let us look at Mt 18:21-35.
Mt 18:21-25 21 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26 So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27 And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30 But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31 So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32 Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."
As we see in the above passage, if you forgive others, then God forgives you – and vice versa. However, there is a more general principal in operation here. The key thing to understand from this parable is that in the kingdom of heaven God treats you the way you treat other people. When you understand and effectively apply this truth you will find your life transformed.
If you are merciful to others then God is merciful to you – and vice versa.
Mt 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."
To forgive is to ask God not to hold against a person any sin that he or she has committed against you. To be merciful is to not make life hard for a person even though you can get away with doing so.
If you are generous then God is generous to you – and vice versa.
Lk 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure - pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."
If you trouble others, then God will trouble you. If you are crooked and cheat others, then God will appear crooked to you too. If you deceive others then God will deceive you too.
Ps 18:26 With the pure You show Yourself pure, and with the crooked You show Yourself astute.
I remember making great strides in my spiritual life when I stopped judging other people. You see, when I stopped judging others, God began to go easy on me. That is how it is in the kingdom of God.
Mt 7:1-2 "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you."
Lk 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned."
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