When we speak about forgiveness, we must make sums with our hearts like God teaches us. Read more about the sum total of forgiveness.
by Anel Potgieter
“Lord, I’m in so much pain, I’m so broken. How can people be so cruel and ruthless? I know I should forgive Lord, but I cannot. I don’t want to …”
We’ve all felt that way – hurt, and in pain. And with hurt comes anger, even feelings of revenge. It often makes us feel better when we are angry, much more so when we feel that our anger is justified, that we have the right to be angry and bitter. This is also what the world teaches us: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. In worldly math atonement is equal to retribution.
However, in Matthew 18 Jesus explains that it should not be so – especially not between believers. Believers are all part of God’s household. Unfortunately, being a believer does not mean being without sin, and therefore it is unavoidable that believers will sometimes hurt each other. Often it can be those who we least expect it from who hurt us the most. In verses 15 to 20 of this chapter Jesus explains very practically how conflict between believers must be resolved. Jesus teaches us that reconciliation is equal to forgiveness.
It is against this background that Peter asks how many times we are to forgive (Matthew 18:21). Read the whole passage, Matthew 18:1-35, for more background about this article.
Summary of forgiveness
From Jesus’ explanation Peter understands that he must forgive, but how many times? In his head he makes his own sums based on the teaching of the Jewish Rabbis. The Rabbis taught that you need only forgive somebody three times. Peter has now spent a lot of time with Jesus, and therefore he understands that the gospel expects more of him. For him the Rabbis simply made a calculation error, therefore he doubled their number and even added something to it. Peter’s sum: 3 times 2 + Jesus = 7.
Forgiveness asks for mathematics of the heart
Jesus, however, wants to teach us not to keep a record of the wrongdoing. He is not busy with a math lesson here, but rather a lesson on mercy. He answered: “Seventy times seven times”. 70*7=490. It is actually a simple calculation. Some of us can do it in our heads, but here Jesus teaches us to do math with our hearts. It is not about the number, but about the principle. What Jesus actually wants us to do is to put away the calculator. There cannot be any real forgiveness if we are keeping score.
Is there no point where forgiveness stops?
Is it fair of God to expect that we must forgive repeatedly? Is there no point where we are allowed to turn and walk away?
We must remember that this specific text deals with how we must handle conflict between believers. The purpose of everything that Jesus teaches here is that believers must call each other to repentance and maintain the unity in the congregation of God. However, it does not mean that we must be hateful towards unbelievers that hurt us. The Bible is very clear that we must forgive, bless, and even pray for our enemies.
Think about your own debt before God
What Jesus wants to teach us about forgiveness is to look away from the mistakes of others and to do a self-introspection. It is when we become aware of our own increasing debt before God, and what He has forgiven us for, and still forgives us for daily, that forgiveness of others’ mistakes becomes easier for us.
Jesus uses a parable to remind us of our own debt before God (verses 22-35). Like the unforgiving slave in the parable, our debt against God is of the nature that there is no lifetime in which we can pay it back. Our sin is so great before God, and yet in his mercy He forgives it.
Our debt before God is zero
Jesus paid for all our sins on the cross so that our debt before God is zero. It is heavenly mathematics, accounting of the heart, not something that we can understand with our minds. We have received so much more than what we are asked to give.
Note: Please understand that this article does not argue that you should put yourself in danger. Nowhere does the Bible expect you to stay in circumstances where you are being molested, mistreated, or destroyed. Forgiveness does not mean that you must unwillingly stay a victim of the sinful actions of others. If you find yourself in such circumstances, please seek help. Forgiveness in such a case differs radically.
