07/05/2024 – Unlimited Forgiveness
Unlimited Forgiveness – In today’s crazy world we find it so hard to forgive, when someone offends us, we find it difficult to let go and move on, we hold on to grudges for years, we are ready to retaliate with life killing words. We explain it away or we give excuses that it’s a family trait or part of our pedigree. The sad thing is that we equate the fact that if we forgive, if we apologize when we do wrong, if we extend a hand of mercy, that somehow, we are weak, push overs or cowards. But nothing could be further from the truth, Christ teaches us our actions towards others to forgive them should be unlimited.
Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall 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 times seven.”
Jesus’ response to Peter did not mean the limit of forgiveness to be 490 times (70 X 7 = 490) but rather that there should be no limits to our forgiveness towards others. This is called “God math”; we must apply the “God math” in our hearts. Peter was fully aware that the rabbis taught that three pardons were enough. Knowing this, Peter added an additional 4 pardons to the standards of 3 pardons, perhaps to impress Jesus. But Jesus insisted that there must be no limits to forgiveness.
Meditate on the verse today Matthew 6:15
“But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Apply the “God math” in your heart!