A Vision of a Line in the Sand

Forgive As You Have Been Forgiven

One of the most sobering parables Jesus ever told was the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant found in Matthew 18:21-35. Peter asked Jesus how often he has to forgive his brother or sister who sins against him. Jesus replies, “Seventy times seven.” In other words, without limit. Let’s look at this parable again:

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’

“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

“‘Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

“‘At this the servant fell on his knees before him. “Be patient with me,” he begged, “and I will pay back everything.” The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

“‘But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. “Pay back what you owe me!” he demanded.

“‘His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, “Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.”

“‘But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

“‘Then the master called the servant in. “You wicked servant,” he said, “I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

“‘This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.'”

We are called to forgive from our hearts. We have been forgiven of so much; how can we clutch so ferociously to unforgiveness? We must forgive as we have been forgiven. We must drop our stones and move from law to grace. I am not promoting lawlessness, but we err when we fail to live in the grace freely extended to us by the only One who was able to fulfill all the righteous demands of God’s holy law. He alone is able to create within us all the righteousness that God requires.