Mark 11:20-26 — Faith & Forgiveness

Herodium, a man-made mountain, 
looking up from its base.

v. 23-24 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

Comments:

This passage is often wrongly used to justify the "word of faith" movement. But Jesus' emphasis is on Peter's observation of the cursed fig tree. Peter is saying look at this tree! He was seeing the miracle and making it a focus but Jesus seems to be discounting it and refocusing their hearts upon God. Jesus didn't say, "Yeah, it was a pretty impressive miracle" or "You better shape up or this is what will happen to you." He said, "Have faith in God."

When is it that we can believe that what we ask will come to pass—without a doubt—and that we have that which we say?

• When we place our faith in God,
• When we are depending upon him alone,
• When we are completely surrendered to his will and are asking in obedience to his call.

v. 25-26 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Comments:

For our prayers for personal forgiveness to be heard, we need to first forgive those whom we have something against. One of the first signs of spiritual deception is requiring law for others while demanding grace for ourselves. We must forgive or our prayers go for naught. As Gypsy Smith preached, "It is no good to cover God's altar with tears while your heart is in rebellion."

This passage is as close as Christianity gets to being a gospel of works. It shows that our forgiveness is dependent upon our extending the same grace we have received to others.  

We are not commanded to forgive others because they deserve it, because they are sorry, or because they promise never to do it again, but, because Jesus died to pay the price for their sins too—although they may not be embracing it. The price was paid for them when it was paid for us. To deny them forgiveness is to say that the price paid was not enough. However, if the price was not enough for them, then it won't be enough for us.

It was enlightening for me to see that this word on forgiveness was spoken in the context of faith in God being able to move mountains (even those of hurt, bitterness, and hate) and cast them into the sea of God's fathomless love, grace, and mercy. Praise the Lord!