FORGIVENESS is ‘CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION’!
October
13 Bible Reading: Matthew Chapters 16-18
FORGIVENESS is ‘CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION’
Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord,
how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven
times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times,
but up to seventy times seven." (Matt 18:21-22)
Peter asked
Jesus a sincere question of how often he should forgive a brother who sinned
against him. He probably thought he was showing unusual grace by suggesting
seven as an outside limit. Actually Peter was being very generous in his
willingness to forgive up to seven times. The traditional limit was three
times, possibly because of the refrain in Amos 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6.
Peter had gone beyond the religious leaders’ limit of forgiving an offense
three times by suggesting one could be forgiven seven times. However, Jesus
raised the level to “seventy times
seven,” a hyperbole meaning no limits. He did not intend us to understand it
as literal 490 times; this was a figurative way of saying “indefinitely”, which is that forgiveness really knows no
boundaries.
When any
brother wrongs us, we should forgive him immediately in our hearts. That will free
us from a bitter and wounded spirit. After we have forgiven him in our hearts, we
should go to him and rebuke him in love, hoping to lead him to confession. As
soon as he apologizes and confesses his sin, we should tell him that he is
forgiven. This is God’s instruction to us concerning this matter: "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." (Luke 17:3-4)
Let us
understand that unlimited forgiveness must characterize the true disciple.
Jesus asks us to forgive no matter what the attitude of the offender. He means
limitless forgiveness (see 1 Cor. 13:4, 5). God has freely forgiven our debt;
therefore, we also should practice forgiveness I that liberal fashion. We are to forgive others because God has
forgiven us (Col. 3:13), and He has forgiven us at great cost to Himself!
“He who cannot forgive breaks the
bridge over which he himself must pass.” - George Herbert
"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you." (Eph 4:32)
