Today’s Podcast
Today’s Bible reading plan:
Read it in a year – Job 33-34
see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)
Today’s Devotional
Matthew 18:22
Jesus: You must forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven.
What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?
We are still in Jesus’ fourth major sermon in the book of Matthew. He has given instructions to His disciples on how to deal with the unrepentant in the church. But Jesus’ goal in all of His actions and all His instructions for those who will follow Him continues to be to draw men and women to Him. He wants reconciliation and restoration as the outcome of our actions. He wants us to maintain purity within the ranks of the church. His bride will be spotless when He ushers us into the banquet hall of heaven, but He also wants us to bring as many with us as we can.
That means we must learn to forgive. So Peter, after hearing all these instructions about how to deal with tough issues within the body of believers asks the question most of us want to forget about. We don’t want to ask the question because we don’t want to hear the answer. "How many times must I forgive? Seven times?
Peter thought he was pretty magnanimous in his offer to forgive someone seven times for their offenses against him or his brothers and sisters in the church. But listen to Jesus’ words. “You must forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven.” Those words probably slapped Peter in the face as much as it would us if we had asked the question.
But Jesus, you don’t know what he did to me. Forgive anyway. But Jesus, you don’t know what she said about me. Forgive anyway. But Jesus, he just keeps doing the same thing again and again. Forgive again and again. But Jesus, he just doesn’t seem to get it through his thick head that what he is doing hurts the church. Forgive and teach him. But Jesus, every time she gets around me, she seems to start with that sarcasm that just grates on everyone. Forgive and show her love.
Jesus doesn’t pull any punches in his command to forgive. In fact earlier, you’ll recall He told us that we are forgiven in the same measure we forgive. He even gave us a model prayer that reminds us to ask the Father to forgive us in the same way we forgive others. That’s pretty powerful praying. If I want God to forgive me of my sins and they are many, so are yours, I must forgive others when they sin against me. I must be willing to let go of any bitterness and anger and let God heal me of all those emotions so that I may forgive as He forgives.
Does that mean I will give an embezzler charge of the treasury? Probably not. I will forgive him, but I will also act with what I would call “smart trust”. I would not put such a temptation at his fingertips when that same temptation caused him to falter and fall before. That would be like giving an alcoholic a job as a bar tender. That’s just not smart. God tells us to forgive and we do, but He also expects us to use some smarts in how we use the talents of those around us. So that embezzler? He’s great with numbers, so why not use him in an area that allows him to use his math skills but keeps him away from money.
But forgiveness is more than restoring a person into a position or bringing them back into the fellowship of brothers and sisters. It’s a reminder of the grace and mercy God extends to us. As we recognize the position others place themselves in apart from the fellowship of God’s people and apart from God by their actions, we recognize their lost state and our hearts should break for them. We can remember how God’s heart broke for us when we were far from Him. He died for us and took us under His wing when we came repentantly to Him.
There will also be those that never repent of their wrong doing, yet we must still forgive them. Because forgiveness is not really for them, but for us. When we harbor ill feelings in our heart for someone for something they did to us or someone close to us, that bitterness takes a foothold and gives Satan a way into our spirit. It isn’t long before all that’s left is bitterness and anger and a quest for revenge. If we are to keep our hearts clean and pure, we must recognize the truth of God’s forgiveness of our sins and then willingly forgive others.
Nothing must stand between us and God or between us and our fellow man. The only way to ensure we retain that close relationship with God is to forgive and be forgiven. How many times must we forgive those who wrong us? As many times as it takes.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.