Forgiveness

 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"
Matthew 18:21 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.18.21.ESV

I think Peter thought he was being pretty charitable here. We talk about giving people a second chance. Here Peter was showing openness to giving people a seventh chance.

Jesus's answer however shows how limited Peter's understanding was. Jesus's replied seventy seven (or according to some translations seventy times seven (four hundred and ninety!). In other words, we should be prepared to lose count of the amount of times we're willing to forgive someone.

We're not to get to seventy eight or four hundred and ninety one and suddenly become vengeful. We're always to forgive. Even if someone doesn't repent and isn't forgiven, we are to have a forgiving attitude to them.

Even if we don't trust someone anymore because of their multiple sins against us, we're still to be prepared to forgive them. Why? Because God's forgiveness of us is limitless. If we want God to forgive us, we're to forgive others.

'God Almighty, we praise You for Your forgiveness in Christ. May we live in the light of that forgiveness in all our relationships. For Your glory and honour, amen'

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