HOW OFTEN SHOULD CHRISTIANS FORGIVE?

Forgiving someone is probably one of the most difficult things for a human being to do , especially if the person is someone close to us who has really hurt us in some way.

Maybe it's more difficult to forgive a loved one since we feel family should be together and stick together. But then when someone in the family does anything that adversely affects us, we find it difficult to forgive them.

Divorce courts are filled with people who can't forgive. Perhaps we feel that way because the offending party has not repented, or continues to make our lives miserable.

Yet, the Bible is filled with examples of forgiveness and admonishing from Jesus that we should forgive one another.

A good example of forgiving is Christ himself, who when on the stake in Luke 23:34, said, "Father , forgive them , for they know not what they do."

This had to be difficult, especially when these people were responsible for His scourging and terrible suffering. Another example of forgiveness is found in the book of Acts 7: 54-60. This account involves a man named Stephen. He had just had a run-in with the high priests of the Pharisees. His words cut them to the quick, and they gnashed their teeth in rage against him, dragged Stephen out of the city and stoned him for blasphemy.

Stephen, as he lay dying, said, "Lord, lay not this sin against them." He was in his death throes, yet able to forgive his attackers. Everything he had said was true, but the hypocritical Pharisees couldn't handle the truth.

Another good example of forgiveness is when Peter asked Jesus how many times should one forgive? We read in Matthew 18:21:

" Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?"
v 22 - "Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

This would indicate an attitude of forgiveness at all times.

In the book of Colossians, Paul is writing to the new Gentile Christians. In Col. 3: 11 - "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
v 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
v 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
v 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
v 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Paul told the Colossians in Chapter 1:14 - "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:"

We read about the Passover that Jesus kept with his disciples in:

Matthew 26:27- "and he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying Drink ye all of it;
v 28 For this is my blood of the testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.".
[Remission means forgiveness.]

If we partake of the Passover and forgive not, Paul said in I Cor. 11:27 - " Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."

If we can't forgive others, how can God fogive us?

Lets read Jesus' example prayer in Matthew 6 : 12-"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. v 13 And lead not us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil : For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. v 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgve you; v 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your your trespasses."."

So if we want forgiveness from God, we need to be able to forgive our fellow man.

Notice Jesus' words in Mark11: 22 - And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
v 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

v 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
v 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

v 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses

We can also read in Luke 17:1-4 - "Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
v 2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
v 3 Take heed to yourselves:If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him.
v 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Notice Paul's words in II Corinthians 6:

v 6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
v 7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
v 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
v 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
v 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
v 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices

If we are in a spirit of revenge, it seems Satan will take advantage of us and make it all the more difficult to repent or forgive.

If God can forgive us of our sins upon repentance, we should be able to forgive those who trespass against us. Actually our salvation hinges on forgiveness,

Matthew 5:20- "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed "the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
v 21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of judgement.

v 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
v 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
v 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
v 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Should we forgive? If we claim to be Christ's then yes, we should forgive . Because if we can't forgive and we hate our brothers, then God calls us liars.

I John 4:20 - " If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother,`he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"

v 21 "And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."

Once reconciliation comes, and it usually will come when we forgive one another, it gives a great sense of relief and a heavy burden is lifted from us.

How often shall we forgive? 70 times 7? It sounds like we should always be in the spirit of forgiving. After all, God is.