How many times should we forgive someone?  Once or twice should be plenty!  We should give them the benefit of the doubt, shouldn’t we?  But do we have to forgive them if they do it again?

Peter asked Jesus this question, “Lord how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?  Up to seven times?”  Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

That seems like a lot of turning the other cheek.  How much punishment should a man take? Wow, just think if you were the one that needed to be forgiven, how many times would you like to be forgiven?  We all do things we know we shouldn’t, or sometimes don’t realize that we have hurt someone.

When we look at scriptures we see that even holy men of God needed forgiveness.  Look at David, how many times did he need forgiving?  Moses was not allowed in the Promised Land.  What did Jonah’s disobedience of God cost him?  How many times did Peter deny his Lord?  We all need the Lord’s healing hand.

What does God do when we confess our sins to him:

-Psalms 103:12 “as far as east is to west is our sins removed from us.”

-Isaiah 1:18 “He cleans our stains and makes them as white as snow.”

-Isaiah 38:17 “He put all of our sins behind his back.”

-Jeremiah 13:34 “He remembers them no more.”

-Micah 7:19 “He crushes our sins in the dirt.”

-Micah 7:19 “He hurls them into the ocean”

Brothers and sisters, when someone sins against us, let us strive to forgive them like our Heavenly Father forgives us. Let us be sure to tell others of the forgiving love of our Lord God.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  Colossians 3:13

WWJD