493 TRILLION VRS 28 THOUAND

Often, even as new men, Christians find it difficult to forgive, because they least expected that that particular person would hurt them. The feeling is that if anybody would hurt you, it wouldn’t be this particular person.

Sometimes best friends become worst enemies. Yes, even husbands and wives can become sworn enemies. The closest person who told you he loved and cared for you, can become your worst enemy. But as new men, we need to remember that God has forgiven us for lots of horrible things.

To illustrate this, Jesus told the parable of the unforgiving servant. He compared the Kingdom of God to a certain King who wanted to settle accounts with all his servants. One servant owed him 10,000 talents. When he was unable to pay, the King thought of selling him, his wife, children and all his property. But the servant begged for mercy. “…Lord, have patience with me... Then the lord... was moved with compassion, and... FORGAVE him the debt.” (Matt. 18:26-27)

However, this same servant found a fellow servant who owed him just 100 pence and immediately hell broke loose. Despite his cry for mercy, the unforgiving servant threw his fellow servant into prison, till he settled all his debts. This was reported to the King. “Then his Lord... said... O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt... Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant...? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors... likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.” (Matt. 18: 32-35s)

Talents could be either gold or silver talents. One golden talent is worth $29,085 US dollars. One talent of silver is equivalent to 1,920 US dollars. 10,000 gold talents is two hundred and ninety million and eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($290,850,000).

Current conversion of $290m into Ghanaian cedis becomes four hundred and ninety-three trillion cedis — that is ¢493,000,000,000,000. That is the amount that this young servant owed his master. The equivalent of 100 pence in cedis is twenty-eight thousand and nine hundred cedis (¢28,900). God has forgiven us ¢493,000,000,000,000 and we are required to forgive our friends ¢28,900.

Perhaps you think that you were not a bad person, even as an unbeliever. Maybe you were not a diamond thief or a drug pusher, so you think this 490 trillion does not apply in your case. It applies to everyone who has been a sinner before. Without raising a finger or uttering a word, man’s heart is already wicked. (Jer. 17:9).

Sometimes, in talking about what somebody has done to us, we forget that we have also wronged God and man before. From God’s point of view, a new man who cannot forgive, is rather strange. God will forgive if you murder, lie, fornicate, commit adultery and practice witchcraft. However, God will not

forgive you if you bear someone a grudge. “...forgive... that your Father also... may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mk. 11:25). That is the point at which God stops forgiving you.

If you have an unforgiving nature, the implications are far-reaching. It indicates that perhaps you are not a new man, or that you are just a pretending Christian.

Over the years, I have come to see and believe that unforgiveness is one sin that God will not forgive. It may be for you the difference between life and death. Moreover, the sin of unforgiveness is to me, even more dangerous than the sin of fornication. Often, because unforgiveness is not seen physically, many Christians feel that they can get away with it. But it is deadly if it is left unchecked in your heart. God will not hear your prayer, and He will not prosper or bless you if unforgiveness lingers in your life.

God will be angry with you, because He forgave you, but you would not forgive others! Remember, the Bible tells us the Lord was wroth with his servant for not forgiving. In addition, the Bible says the man who did not forgive his brother was handed over to the tormentors. Many Christians do not know why they are being tormented in this life. It could be because of unforgiveness.

Many times, we commit the same sins over and over again. Then we come to God expecting him to forgive us. God looks at our numerous sins and says, “Okay, I have forgiven you.” But we come back with the same sin over and over and God has to forgive us.

Now, if we refuse to forgive our brothers in the same way, don’t you think God will be angry with us? (Dag Heward-Mills)