DAILY TEXT, Today Sunday April 7, 2024, All things that bind on earth will already be bound in heaven (Matt. 18:18).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2024

Sunday April 7, 2024

All things that bind on earth will already be bound in heaven (Matt. 18:18).

When the elders meet with the person who has sinned, their goal is to make the same decision on Earth that has already been made in heaven. How does this benefit the congregation? Well, if the sinner does not repent, he is not allowed to continue in the congregation, and thus Jehovah's valuable sheep are protected from his evil influence (1 Cor. 5:6, 7, 11-13; Titus 3:10, 11). He can also help the person who has sinned to repent and obtain forgiveness from Jehovah (Luke 5:32). The elders pray on behalf of the person who repents and ask Jehovah to help him regain spiritual health. (Jas. 5:15) Let us think of an unrepentant sinner when he meets with the elders. In that case, he will be expelled from the congregation. But if the person later comes to his senses, repents from the heart, and changes his way of thinking and acting, Jehovah is willing to forgive him. (Luke 15:17-24) This is true even if he committed very serious sins (2 Chron. 33:9, 12, 13; 1 Tim. 1:15). w22.06 9 paras. 5, 6.

What does it mean to forgive someone who has sinned against us?

Isn't it a great relief not to have to decide whether Jehovah will forgive a sinner? Even so, there is something that is up to us to decide. What is it about? Someone who has sinned against us, even seriously, may apologize and ask for forgiveness. Or maybe he doesn't. In any case, we can make the decision to forgive him, that is, get rid of the resentment and anger that we may feel towards that person. The truth is that this may take time and cost us, especially if we have been hurt a lot. The Watchtower of September 15, 1994 says: “Forgiving a sinner does not mean excusing his sin. For the Christian, forgiving means confidently leaving the matter in Jehovah's hands. He is the just Judge of the entire universe, and he will do justice in due time.” Why does Jehovah want us to forgive and leave the matter in his hands, that is, to trust in his justice?

How do we show our appreciation for Jehovah’s mercy?

When we forgive, we show that we are grateful for Jehovah's mercy. In a parable, Jesus compared Jehovah to a master who forgave a huge debt to a slave who could not pay him. But that slave showed no mercy to a fellow slave who owed him much less money (Matt. 18:23-35). What did Jesus want to teach? That, if we truly appreciate the immense mercy that Jehovah shows us, we will feel moved to forgive others.​—Ps. 103:9. Speaking on this topic, many years ago The Watchtower explained that, no matter how many times we forgive others, our forgiveness will never equal “the forgiveness and mercy that God extends to us through Christ.”

To whom does Jehovah show mercy? (Matthew 6:14, 15).

If we forgive, Jehovah will forgive us. He shows mercy to the merciful (Matt. 5:7; James 2:13). Jesus made this idea clear when he taught his disciples to pray (read Matthew 6:14, 15). Jehovah had already highlighted this idea in the days of Job. This faithful servant of God had had to endure the hurtful comments of three men: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. Jehovah commanded Job to pray for them. And when Job did it, Jehovah rewarded him (Job 42:8-10).

Why does it harm us to hold a grudge? (Ephesians 4:31, 32).

Holding a grudge harms us. Resentment is like a burden, and Jehovah wants us to take that weight off our shoulders. (Read Ephesians 4:31, 32.) He advises us: “Let go of anger, renounce fury” (Ps. 37:8). Following this advice benefits us because resentment is bad for physical and mental health (Prov. 14:30). Holding a grudge against someone is like drinking poison: we only hurt ourselves. So when we forgive others, we give ourselves a gift (Prov. 11:17). We feel at peace and can continue serving Jehovah.

All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2024 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania JW.ORG.