07/10
No Matter How
Many Times
So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
Luke 17:3-4
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Matthew 18:21-22
As humans, we are limited people. Because of that, we tend to place limits on other aspects of our lives. We can only be so patient. We can only wait for so long. We can only be so kind. And we can only forgive people up to a certain amount. These limits were what was on Peter's mind when he approached Jesus and asked this question. To paraphrase his question, it could have sounded something like this. "Jesus, I know we should forgive, but what if people keep hurting us, or take advantage of us, or keep doing hurtful things and do something really bad? At what point are we allowed to hold a grudge? At what point is it okay for us to hold onto bitterness and hatred for that person for what they did and seek to find a way to get revenge and even the score?"
Jesus knew where Peter's question came from, and He also knew what was in store for Peter's future. Peter would be arrested, beaten, slandered, intimidated, accused, tortured, and eventually murdered. Jesus' answer was meant to take the limits off of what Peter wanted to place limits on. This does not mean forgiveness only goes up to 490 offenses and that on offense number 491 we are biblically in the right to no longer forgive. That is not what this passage means. Jesus is speaking to the idea of continually walking in a spirit of forgiveness for your entire life, no matter how many times you are wronged. Jesus knew that there is freedom and power in living life with a spirit of forgiveness and he wanted that for Peter as well as for all his followers. This means we allow hurtful words to pass over us. We allow offenses and slander to slide off our backs and not stick. We live free of the opinions of others and free from worrying about what other people think or say about us behind our backs. Walking in a spirit of forgiveness is not easy. It requires spiritual maturity and humility that is foreign to our flesh. It's far easier to store up bitterness, but what is easy is not what the life of a Christian is all about.
Luke 17:3-4
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Matthew 18:21-22
As humans, we are limited people. Because of that, we tend to place limits on other aspects of our lives. We can only be so patient. We can only wait for so long. We can only be so kind. And we can only forgive people up to a certain amount. These limits were what was on Peter's mind when he approached Jesus and asked this question. To paraphrase his question, it could have sounded something like this. "Jesus, I know we should forgive, but what if people keep hurting us, or take advantage of us, or keep doing hurtful things and do something really bad? At what point are we allowed to hold a grudge? At what point is it okay for us to hold onto bitterness and hatred for that person for what they did and seek to find a way to get revenge and even the score?"
Jesus knew where Peter's question came from, and He also knew what was in store for Peter's future. Peter would be arrested, beaten, slandered, intimidated, accused, tortured, and eventually murdered. Jesus' answer was meant to take the limits off of what Peter wanted to place limits on. This does not mean forgiveness only goes up to 490 offenses and that on offense number 491 we are biblically in the right to no longer forgive. That is not what this passage means. Jesus is speaking to the idea of continually walking in a spirit of forgiveness for your entire life, no matter how many times you are wronged. Jesus knew that there is freedom and power in living life with a spirit of forgiveness and he wanted that for Peter as well as for all his followers. This means we allow hurtful words to pass over us. We allow offenses and slander to slide off our backs and not stick. We live free of the opinions of others and free from worrying about what other people think or say about us behind our backs. Walking in a spirit of forgiveness is not easy. It requires spiritual maturity and humility that is foreign to our flesh. It's far easier to store up bitterness, but what is easy is not what the life of a Christian is all about.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Have you asked the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and help you to walk in forgiveness?
- Who in your world is praying for you through this journey of forgiveness? If you don’t have someone we want to encourage you to text us back so we can pray for you and your connection in the local church!