Matthew 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
{{tncms-inline alignment=”right” content=”<p>Edwin Woolsey’s family has lived in Shannon, Texas, and Howell counties since 1860. He taught 31 years at Missouri public schools and is currently the pastor of a small country congregation at Pilgrim Rest Community Church. Follow him on Twitter at <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/EdwinWoolsey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">@edwinwoolsey</a></strong>.</p>” id=”5f9562b0-99ae-43eb-9882-c606a6642cba” style-type=”bio” title=”Bio Box” type=”relcontent” width=”half”}}
So, how many times should we forgive a person seeking forgiveness? Jesus explained to Peter that our forgiveness should be boundless… infinite!
Unfortunately, the modern church has done a very poor job of teaching true scriptural forgiveness. According to WWII martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Church has dispensed God’s grace like “cheapjacks wares.” We fall all over ourselves granting forgiveness without first requiring repentance for sin. Although St. Peter taught, “REPENT, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,” we have promoted a remorseless religion where everyone is already approved regardless of their spiritual condition. For this reason, we hear unbelievers say, “Oh, I don’t think a god of love would ever send anyone to Hell… So, that makes me OK!”
Sorry, you better think again! Christ said, “The Son of man (Jesus) shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that OFFEND, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:41-42 God WILL NOT forgive you if you do not first ask to be forgiven for your sin. This act of contrition is called “repentance,” and God’s Word requires it! Although the Heavenly Father sent His Son into the world to die for your sin, He is under absolutely NO OBLIGATION to forgive you without your repentance!
Where did our current flawed theology come from? From a warm-fuzzy, politically-correct, materialistic Church that no longer follows Christ’s pattern of forgiveness. So, what is the formula of forgiveness that Jesus taught for both God and man? Consider Christ’s words, “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and IF HE REPENT… FORGIVE HIM. 4 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 17:3-4 Jesus taught the same rule for human forgiveness that our Heavenly Father also uses. When people REPENT… then God and His Church forgive them… but NOT WITHOUT REPENTANCE FIRST!
Why?
Forgiveness without repentance is nothing more than “license.” Forgiveness without repentance is nothing but a “blank check” or a “rubber stamp” that allows a sinner to continue in their sin totally unchecked and without accountability. This is the problem in our modern society! The Church has granted forgiveness for anything and EVERYTHING without any token of repentance. Not only is our world going to Hell, but the modern Church has literally facilitated this damnation, “They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.” Romans 1:32 NLT
In a nutshell, Christ’s Law of Forgiveness states, “If they say they’re sorry, then you forgive them!” Luke 17:3-4 However, if an individual is not sorry for their actions, then there is absolutely NOTHING to forgive. God does NOT forgive without repentance, and Christ did not require His Church to forgive without repentance… or else we become complicit in the offender’s sin through our lenient “license.”
But does this pattern allow us to carry a grudge? Oh, absolutely NOT! A grudge is nothing more than a spiritual cancer! You might be asking, “So, what do we do with an offense when the offender is unwilling to say they are sorry?’
Well, let me ask you, “What does a business do with a delinquent bill that cannot be recovered?” They turn the account over to a collection agency. (Matthew 18:34) This is EXACTLY what we have been commanded to do with an injury that the perpetrator is unwilling to resolve by repentance, “Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 CASTING ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM; for he careth for you. ” 1 Peter 5:5-7 And then again, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” 2 Timothy 1:2
In my own life, there is an individual who has hurt me worse than any person I have ever met… because I have loved them more than any person I have ever known. Following the devastating offense, I had to make a choice, “Do I hate them… or do I continue loving them?” If I chose to hate them, then that resentment would become a malignancy in my heart and soul. Consequently, I decided to continue loving them… in spite of their delinquent account. Sadly, I have been unable to forgive them because they have NEVER asked for forgiveness. However, I have placed their debt in God’s hand and continue to love them in spite of their actions and words. Why? Simply because they are now a greater debtor to God than they are to me. I have divorced myself from the deep hurt by trusting God to resolve the situation in His own time. When that person is ready to ask for forgiveness, I am eagerly and anxiously waiting to forgive them. That is my greatest desire!
Edwin Woolsey’s family has lived in Shannon, Texas, and Howell counties since 1860. He taught 31 years at Missouri public schools and is currently the pastor of a small country congregation at Pilgrim Rest Community Church. Follow him on Twitter at @edwinwoolsey.
