Mt 18.23-35 - "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Divine forgiveness precedes and conditions human forgiveness. While there is an element of eschatology here, even that judgement is based on a prior experience of the gift of God's forgiveness. Jesus isn't bringing new doctrine, He is bringing new experience.
Human forgiveness and divine forgiveness are inseparable. Unconditional and unmerited forgiveness is from God. If one who claims to have received this then denies to forgive another, then they in fact deny their profession of divine forgiveness and contradict the life and character of the Kingdom. As the Church of Christ, it is our obligation to display love and mercy in the same measure in which we freely received it.
Furthermore, when Jesus proclaimed forgiveness He didn't just explain that God was forgiving. He didn't discuss some future salvation or reaching of a place called heaven after death. Instead Jesus brought salvation into the present. He did what He proclaimed. Again, He didn't bring new teaching, He brought new activity. People experienced in the presence of Jesus the power of the Kingdom of God. Jesus brought the reality of the future into the present.
Two thousand years later Bible scholars still do not see it. Amazing is the blindness among those that call themselves the Church.
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