If the person seeking forgiveness isn’t a believer, we’re still instructed to forgive. Who are we to withhold forgiveness if Jesus offered it freely? ![]() If the person seeking our forgiveness is a true believer, then their sin was already covered on the cross through Jesus’s sacrifice and blood. Yikes! That’s obviously not the heart posture we’re supposed to have as believers, or should even want to have. At the end of the day, when we withhold forgiveness from a brother in Christ, we’re essentially saying that the work of Jesus on the cross wasn’t sufficient for this offense. Peter was still focused on the law when he asked this question of Jesus, and Jesus was focused on grace when He answered. There’s a difference between someone toxically, repeatedly treating someone poorly, and someone messing up, seeking forgiveness, and having a repentant heart that truly aims to not repeat the offense (even if they do fail again). A brother seeking forgiveness from another brother (believer) implies repentance. He didn’t mean his biological sibling, but rather, was referring to a fellow believer-family, spouses, friends, church members, etc. It’s also important to note that Peter is asking about “my brother”. Now, when it comes to forgiving the same offense, or similar offenses, from the same person in our lives, this command from Jesus doesn’t mean to become a doormat or accept abuse or inappropriate behavior. “Seventy times seven.”Īs Christians today, we know Jesus didn’t literally mean 490 times, though there can be days with our children and spouses that we feel like surely, we’ve met that quota by now! This instruction from the Lord doesn’t mean that at 491 times, we can hold a grudge and be free and clear of the command to forgive. But Jesus had an answer that blew them all away. Peter possibly assumed that by suggesting seven times-more than double the assumed appropriate amount-he would get brownie points with Jesus for being extra gracious. In Peter’s day, this was a popular passage that the Rabbis taught from on the subject. According to Amos 1:3-13, God forgave His people three times before exacting punishment. They were still thinking in terms of the law. The disciples weren’t quite sure how it all worked, either-hence Peter’s discussion with Jesus in Matthew 18. And that can make the forgiving part a lot harder. While we understand the ‘forgive” part, we’re not gifted this side of eternity with the “forget” capability. ![]() After all, we’re commanded to do so as believers. Matthew 18:21-22 (ESV) Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.įorgiveness can be a tricky thing. ![]() The Beauty in Forgiveness ( Matthew 18:21-22)
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