9/05/25 Forgiveness Is a Command

Takeaway: We have been forgiven a debt we could never repay, so we are obligated to forgive others without limit.

Opening Prayer (Friday)

God, as this week comes to a close, I ask for endurance to finish strong. Keep my heart steadfast, my mind focused on You, and my spirit at peace in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection

When Peter came to Jesus asking how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him, he likely thought he was being righteous in suggesting seven times. But Jesus’ response shattered the limits Peter, and the law, tried to place on forgiveness: “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” With these words, Jesus makes it clear that forgiveness is not a matter of keeping count, but of cultivating a heart that refuses to measure grace. Forgiveness is not an optional act, but a command rooted in the very heart of the gospel. We forgive because we have been forgiven a debt we could never repay. The parable that follows this exchange illustrates the point perfectly. A servant released from an unimaginable debt refused to forgive a much smaller one. The king’s anger makes clear that withholding forgiveness is not merely a relational failure. It is a spiritual failure, because it denies the grace we ourselves have received.

When we struggle to forgive, it is often because we measure the weight of the offense against our own sense of justice. But Jesus calls us to measure it against the mercy of God. Left to ourselves, we could never balance the scales of our sin before Him, and yet He chose to cancel our debt entirely through the cross of Christ. If God has not only forgiven but restored us, how can we, who are debtors-turned-free, hold tightly to the wrongs of others? Forgiveness is not about diminishing the seriousness of sin or pretending wounds do not hurt. Forgiveness is about releasing our right to vengeance and entrusting justice to the One who judges righteously. In this way, forgiveness becomes an act of faith, believing that God’s grace is sufficient not only for us but also for those who have wronged us.

Forgiveness without limit is difficult, maybe impossible, when left to our own strength. Every fiber of our human instinct cries out for fairness, for repayment, for acknowledgment of pain. But Jesus teaches us that forgiveness is not grounded in human fairness but in divine mercy. Each act of forgiveness is a reflection of the cross, where God’s justice and mercy met. When we forgive, we declare that the gospel is true, that Christ’s sacrifice is greater than any injury we endure, and His grace is strong enough to heal the deepest wounds. Simply put, to forgive is to bear witness to the kingdom of God.

Questions

What makes forgiveness so difficult when we’ve been deeply hurt?

How does remembering God’s mercy toward us change our perspective?

Application

Prayerfully bring before God the names of those you are struggling to forgive. Release your grip on vengeance and trust that God’s justice and mercy are sufficient. Take one name and commit to forgive them. Each act of forgiveness becomes a witness to the cross, demonstrating that Christ’s grace is greater than our wounds.

Closing Prayer

Lord, thank You for forgiving me a debt I could never repay. Teach me to reflect Your mercy by forgiving others without measure. When forgiveness feels impossible, strengthen me with Your Spirit, and help me trust Your justice and healing power. May my life bear witness to the gospel through a heart that forgives freely. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Don’t forget to like and leave a comment letting us know that you are reading.