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
Why did Peter ask this question? Conceivably, he knew that there is a difference between a call to repentance (which was covered in verses 15-20) and forgiving the sinner.
Forgiveness is best moved by the force of gratitude. When the servant in this parable (verses 23-34) was forgiven the unpayable debt, he was un-phased by the forgiveness extended by the king. "When the servant went out [of the king's court]", he apparently gave no further thought to what had been forgiven him. For when he went out he saw his coworker who owed him a couple dollars and "refused" to even him grace - forgiveness notwithstanding.
What kind of testimony, then, are we (who do not extend forgiveness) to a watching world? Will they accuse us before the One who forgave us our unpayable debts? Indeed, they will at least harbor judgment. What's more, from the Crucified and Resurrected One calls us to hold our offenses loosely in light of the debt we ourselves have been forgiven.
Recognize the sin and address it, but do not harbor the offense - lest it harbor you. Let gratitude instead motivate you to extend that forgiveness Jesus calls of all of us.
Forgiveness is best moved by the force of gratitude. When the servant in this parable (verses 23-34) was forgiven the unpayable debt, he was un-phased by the forgiveness extended by the king. "When the servant went out [of the king's court]", he apparently gave no further thought to what had been forgiven him. For when he went out he saw his coworker who owed him a couple dollars and "refused" to even him grace - forgiveness notwithstanding.
What kind of testimony, then, are we (who do not extend forgiveness) to a watching world? Will they accuse us before the One who forgave us our unpayable debts? Indeed, they will at least harbor judgment. What's more, from the Crucified and Resurrected One calls us to hold our offenses loosely in light of the debt we ourselves have been forgiven.
Recognize the sin and address it, but do not harbor the offense - lest it harbor you. Let gratitude instead motivate you to extend that forgiveness Jesus calls of all of us.
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