Unlimited Grace

“Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times…’ This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:21-35.

Forgiveness…most are fast to require it and slow to give it! This conversation between Peter and Jesus makes the requirements clear according to God. Traditional Rabbinic teaching only required a person to forgive three times. Peter had offered what he considered a generous amount of mercy and forgiveness, as he more than doubled the number. When Jesus answered He was not really giving a certain number but rather inferring an indefinite amount of times we are to forgive. He goes on to tell a story of a servant who begs his master to extend his time to pay back a huge amount of money. The master extends this due date and shows him mercy. That servant, in turn, would not extend the same to his servant who owed him a much smaller amount. The one who was shown grace was unwilling to give grace. Jesus ends this illustration with the truth that people who treat others this way on earth will be treated the same way in Heaven by the Father.

According to Scripture and my commentary the following is laid out regarding true forgiveness.

"The answer is that there are stages in the administration of forgiveness, as follows:

1. When a brother wrongs me or sins against me, I should forgive him immediately in my heart. (Eph 4:32) That frees me from a bitter, unforgiving spirit, and leaves the matter on his shoulders.

2. While I have forgiven him in my heart, I do not yet tell him that he is forgiven. It would not be righteous to administer forgiveness publicly until he has repented. So I am obligated to go to him and rebuke him in love, hoping to lead him to confession. (Luke 17:3)

3. As soon as he apologizes and confesses his sin, I tell him that he is forgiven. (Luke 17:4)

It seems to me that we cannot hold someone accountability for wounding us if we have never approached them in truth and love on the subject. Just as we cannot ask God for forgiveness if we are unaware of any unconfessed sin, we cannot expect those who wound us to know they have hurt us. We have the Holy Spirit to convict and reveal what sin we are carrying. We, too, should lovingly and Scripturally follow this Christian principle in seeking forgiveness from others.

By following the instructions of Jesus, we stand pure and merciful when we approach God to receive our own mercy and grace.