MATTHEW 18:21, 22,21Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:21‑22) clearly teaches that we should. Peter, impetuous and always ready to ask questions says, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” Seven times seems a big stretch, denoting a forgiving spirit. But our Lord replied, “I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.”— four hundred and ninety times—a prodigious number.
Did our Lord mean that we should forgive up to exactly four hundred and ninety times, and that would mark the extreme limit? Surely not. It is a number that no one would equal in a particular case. It just means that we should go on forgiving. Long before four hundred and ninety acts of forgiveness were registered there would be no counting. No, it sets forth an attitude of mind, very foreign to the flesh that cries, “Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” (Ex. 21:23-2523And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (Exodus 21:23‑25)). The law principle we can understand as men in the flesh; fatal as it would be for our blessing, if that were all. But grace, how slow we are to understand it, and still slower to practice it, though we owe everything to it!
Scripture, however, let it be carefully noted, indicates a condition. An easy going forgiveness would do grave moral injury. We read, “If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him: And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent: thou shalt forgive him” (Luke 17:3, 43Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. (Luke 17:3‑4)).
There is a condition necessary to forgiveness, and that is repentance. That is, indeed, the principle of divine forgiveness. There is no forgiveness with God except through repentance. It is very evident that one who trespasses, and who is not repentant, has no desire for forgiveness, is not in the right spirit to receive it. Repentance is the moral foundation on which forgiveness can be rightly given and rightly received.
The attitude of the injured one should be that of forgiveness—a forgiveness forthcoming the moment repentance takes place. The attitude of the injurer should be that of repentance.
This is, indeed, a very serious matter. In the prayer of Luke 11:4,4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. (Luke 11:4) we read, “And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted, to us.” That means our attitude to others has a serious relation to ourselves. Doubtless in this passage forgiveness is looked at from a governmental standpoint. And it is just on the lines of government that the matter assumes very serious proportions. Do I forgive? Then I can call upon God to forgive me. Am I hard and unforgiving? I shall reap what I sow. We see it in the parable of Matthew 18:23-3523Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:23‑35). The man who owed ten thousand talents, a sum approaching two million pounds, was forgiven his debt. Relieved of this terrible incubus, he discovered a fellow-servant who owed him one hundred pence, a paltry sum. He seized his fellow-servant by the throat, and demanded payment, throwing him into prison, there to stay till the debt should be paid.
When the servants, shocked by all this, informed their lord, he was righteously wroth, delivering the wretched man to the tormentors till all should be paid. Little did the unrighteous fellow know that he was throwing a boomerang, that would hit himself, and hit him hard. “So likewise shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses” (Matt. 18:3535So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:35)).
Have we not been forgiven far more than ten thousand talents, more than tongue can say? Shall we be hard and unforgiving? If we are, we shall find we injure ourselves more than those we are harsh towards. It is a very serious matter. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a maw soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:77Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7)). Sowing to the flesh, corruption is reaped.
Righteousness on our part consists in acting towards others according to the way God has acted to us.
All this is very practical. Let us practice it, helped by the Spirit of God, for we cannot do it in our own strength.
A. J. Pollock.