Column from Stratford Church of Christ
Simon Peter came to Jesus and asked a question. “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21). Peter probably thought himself generous with “seven times” in his question. But the answer Jesus gave him was different from what might have been expected.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven’” (Matthew 18:22). These words do not suggest that we carry around a clipboard in case there are enough hash marks to exceed 490 times someone has sinned against us, so that we begin to think we no longer have to be forgiving. Instead, Jesus is teaching that we should be limitless with our forgiveness toward others, because that is the way God treats His obedient children.
After a parable Jesus presented to His audience in verses 23-34, that illustrates the need to be forgiving, the Lord made a very important point on this subject. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses” (Matthew 18:35).
Did you notice? In the above verse, Jesus used the phrase, “from his heart.” This describes something important about forgiveness. It means that since God treats us as though we had never committed a wrong when He forgives us, so we are to treat one another. When genuine forgiveness is given, friendships and fellowships are restored—instantly.
This was not the only time Jesus taught this. The Son of God said in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
What a frightening thought. Christ just said in this verse that if I do not forgive my brother who has sinned against me, God will stop forgiving me when I sin. Simply stated, I cannot go to heaven living like that.
Nothing is as welcome as forgiveness. Nothing heals as completely as forgiveness. Forgiveness helps in times of trouble when nothing else can.
God’s obedient children (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21) rejoice in the forgiveness provided in Christ Jesus. We must never take this spiritual blessing for granted. God’s Son tells us that we must be forgiving toward others, so that we may continue to receive God’s forgiveness.
There may be times in our lives that we might forget how important this is. There are some circumstances in which we might think a transgression that has occurred is so small that giving or receiving forgiveness is not necessary. It might be easy to think that the other person will not notice, or that he will simply “get over it.” We should think again.
To the Colossian church, the apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 3:12-13, “put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”
To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Jesus spoke of His Father and said, “For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36).
In Luke 17:3-4. Jesus spoke again about the importance of forgiving others. “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
Is there anyone you have not forgiven? If so, please do not hang on to your anger, and do not hold on to a grudge. Be forgiving, as your Father in heaven is forgiving toward you. What a terrible thought to think you could find yourself lost in eternity because you refused to forgive someone else.