“21 Then Peter came and said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ 22 Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy times seven times’” Matthew 18:21-22.
In Leviticus 4:26 and 5:7 it speaks of offering a goat on the altar so that “the priest shall make atonement on your behalf for your sin, and you shall be forgiven.” Whatever we make of Jesus speaking specifically of forgiving “seventy times seven time,” the meaning has less to do with how many times you must forgive someone. The most compelling meaning, it seems to me, is that forgiveness must persist. When Jesus teaches us to pray, one of the things Jesus asks us to pray to “our father in heaven” is that God would “forgive us our sions as we forgive those who sin against us.” Again, our issue or responsibility is to make sure that forgiveness persists in our life forever. For who among us would ask God to forgive us just a certain number of times, such as “seventy time seven” times — and then quit forgiving us?
Because forgiveness is based in love, we must persist in our forgiveness.
We must step away from analyzing the sin and sinner. Instead, we must simply forgive. Always forgive! In the conversation between Peter and Jesus above, Jesus wants Pater and all of us to love, which means that we must forgive until our dying breath.
My experience is that my life is so different when I begin with forgiveness.
So take time in pray and forgive those who have sinned against you. And if you find your mind wandering to all sorts of conditions and circumstances or qualifications regarding your forgiveness, ask yourself this question: How do I want God to forgive me?
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” Ephesians 4:32.
“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” Mark 11:25.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9.
“But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” Matthew 6:15.
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” Matthew 6:14-15.
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven” Luke 6:37.
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