Mark 11:25 Ouch!! This is one small verse, but it packs a mighty punch!
Jesus says that the Father will not forgive our sins if we don't forgive others of their sin. That's a tough statement to hear. Forgiveness is a very difficult thing to do in some circumstances, yet Christ commands us to do it; it's not a choice. I find, at times, that I'd rather hold a grudge and be angry at someone rather than forgive them. In some way, I feel that my anger/the silent treatment repays them for what they've done/said to me. That feeling of "they don't deserve my forgiveness?" Have you and that feeling before? You know what, though? The only person it's hurting when I do that is myself. The Bible says that when I don't forgive others, God won't forgive me when I sin. It can eventually affect me physically as well, but that's a whole other topic.
In Matthew, Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive and asked if seven times was enough. Jesus responded, "...not seven times, but seventy seven times." (The KJV states, "...until seventy times seven.") Regardless of translation, Jesus was trying to get across that my forgiveness of someone should be never ending. In other words, people are going to wrong me more than once; the same people will wrong me more than once. I am to keep forgiving them. There is not a limit to the amount of forgiveness I am to offer someone. Jesus then tells a parable about an unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:21-35.
There is not a limit to God's forgiveness of me. I don't deserve God's forgiveness, yet He willingly forgives me when I come to Him with a repentant heart. Who am I to think I don't need to forgive others after God's forgiven me? God takes it a step further and says that once He forgives me, He forgets that sin...wipes my slate clean. Psalm 103:12 states, "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." How often do I tell someone I forgive them, yet I am not willing to forget what they did? Forgiveness needs to come from my heart not just my mouth. I will admit, there are times when it seems humanly impossible to forgive someone, but God will help me forgive when I, in my humanness, cannot. I think two of the greatest examples of forgiveness in the Bible are Jesus and Stephen. The Gospel of Luke mentions that after they crucified Jesus, He said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing." (Luke 23:34) Stephen, when he was being stoned to death cried to the Lord, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them." (Acts 7:60) I don't know about you, but to me forgiveness doesn't get much harder than forgiving those killing you.
One of my favorite quotes about forgiveness is by Max Lucado, "Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner!"
Two songs came to mind that go along with today's passage. If you have the time, I'd encourage you to listen to the words of these songs.
7 Times 70 Times by Chris August
Forgiveness by Matthew West
Jesus says that the Father will not forgive our sins if we don't forgive others of their sin. That's a tough statement to hear. Forgiveness is a very difficult thing to do in some circumstances, yet Christ commands us to do it; it's not a choice. I find, at times, that I'd rather hold a grudge and be angry at someone rather than forgive them. In some way, I feel that my anger/the silent treatment repays them for what they've done/said to me. That feeling of "they don't deserve my forgiveness?" Have you and that feeling before? You know what, though? The only person it's hurting when I do that is myself. The Bible says that when I don't forgive others, God won't forgive me when I sin. It can eventually affect me physically as well, but that's a whole other topic.
In Matthew, Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive and asked if seven times was enough. Jesus responded, "...not seven times, but seventy seven times." (The KJV states, "...until seventy times seven.") Regardless of translation, Jesus was trying to get across that my forgiveness of someone should be never ending. In other words, people are going to wrong me more than once; the same people will wrong me more than once. I am to keep forgiving them. There is not a limit to the amount of forgiveness I am to offer someone. Jesus then tells a parable about an unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:21-35.
There is not a limit to God's forgiveness of me. I don't deserve God's forgiveness, yet He willingly forgives me when I come to Him with a repentant heart. Who am I to think I don't need to forgive others after God's forgiven me? God takes it a step further and says that once He forgives me, He forgets that sin...wipes my slate clean. Psalm 103:12 states, "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." How often do I tell someone I forgive them, yet I am not willing to forget what they did? Forgiveness needs to come from my heart not just my mouth. I will admit, there are times when it seems humanly impossible to forgive someone, but God will help me forgive when I, in my humanness, cannot. I think two of the greatest examples of forgiveness in the Bible are Jesus and Stephen. The Gospel of Luke mentions that after they crucified Jesus, He said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing." (Luke 23:34) Stephen, when he was being stoned to death cried to the Lord, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them." (Acts 7:60) I don't know about you, but to me forgiveness doesn't get much harder than forgiving those killing you.
One of my favorite quotes about forgiveness is by Max Lucado, "Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner!"
Two songs came to mind that go along with today's passage. If you have the time, I'd encourage you to listen to the words of these songs.
7 Times 70 Times by Chris August
Forgiveness by Matthew West
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