Biblical Reciprocity

[Cow Poke]

What comes to mind? What is your first response to that phrase?

Then, thinking about it some more, what are some good examples?

[Faber]

Exodus 11-12 might come close.

Now the sons of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, for they had requested from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:35-36)

Note the word "plundered".

[Cow Poke]

I'm thinking, maybe, about the times Jesus said things like (paraphrasing) 'if you don't forgive your brothers, God won't forgive you'.

The inverse of that, I'm posing, would be a form of reciprocity. I'm probably not using the right word.

[Faber]

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And Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at Him. (Mark 12:17)

[Cow Poke]

.

So, how ya been?

[Faber]

Staying healthy, working full time at home on company computer. Listening to Christian music. Tuning to online church services from my own church and some guy in Texas. The Lord has been blessing tremendously.

[KingsGambit]

I see some limits on it, because we are forbidden from taking revenge on other people.

The James passage mentioned above kind of illustrates how I see it - the biblical examples are used to remind us of how much we receive(d) from God to discourage us from being selfish us. When we think about how hard it is to forgive someone else, we think about how many times we've asked God to forgive *us* for the same sins, and that puts things into perspective. Jesus says "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". It's "as you would have", so we don't actually have any control over what other people do. All we can control is what we do.

[Cow Poke]

Staying healthy, working full time at home on company computer. Listening to Christian music. Tuning to online church services from my own church and some guy in Texas. The Lord has been blessing tremendously.

I am happy for you. Wishing you well.

[Cow Poke]

I see some limits on it, because we are forbidden from taking revenge on other people.

The James passage mentioned above kind of illustrates how I see it - the biblical examples are used to remind us of how much we receive(d) from God to discourage us from being selfish us. When we think about how hard it is to forgive someone else, we think about how many times we've asked God to forgive *us* for the same sins, and that puts things into perspective. Jesus says "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". It's "as you would have", so we don't actually have any control over what other people do. All we can control is what we do.

I was referring to the Sermon on the Mount -

Scripture Verse: Matt 6:14-15

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

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It kind of reminds me of a mini-version of a covenant, where, Jesus is saying "if you do this, God will do this"... and, of course, the inverse.

[Thoughtful Monk]

I'm thinking, maybe, about the times Jesus said things like (paraphrasing) 'if you don't forgive your brothers, God won't forgive you'.

The inverse of that, I'm posing, would be a form of reciprocity. I'm probably not using the right word.

I was once told in a Bible study that if you do unto others as you expect them to do unto you, don't expect the others to do it.

Probably not what you're looking for but it's why I have a dim view of reciprocity.

[KingsGambit]

I was once told in a Bible study that if you do unto others as you expect them to do unto you, don't expect the others to do it.

Probably not what you're looking for but it's why I have a dim view of reciprocity.

That's how I feel. We are told how we are to act without regard for how others act, and if we want to complain about that, all we need to do is realize that we don't deserve eternal life yet still have it.

[Cow Poke]

I was once told in a Bible study that if you do unto others as you expect them to do unto you, don't expect the others to do it.

Probably not what you're looking for but it's why I have a dim view of reciprocity.

It's just an open discussion, TM - something away from the ..... other stuff.

[lee_merrill]

[Cow Poke]

That's what I was thinking - like my post #3

[Thoughtful Monk]

So who is being reciprocated with? It can't be God since that looks to violate Romans 11:35, "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" which is referring to Job 41:11, "Who has a claim against me that I must pay?..." I don't think anyone here is saying "I'll be so forgiving that God has to forgive me." So I don't think the reciprocate is God and man. I do think its legitimate to say, "God has forgiven me therefore I forgive." To me, that's a response and not an attempt to pay a debt back. I think this is best covered in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18:21-35 especially verses 32-33, "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'"

Therefore it must be between man and man. I think Jesus is saying be non-judgmental, uncondemning, merciful, etc. to others and you're reputation will get that response from them to you. Now, of course, others may not respond in kind but that's a different discussion.