Unlimited Forgiveness- Matthew 18:21-22 ESV

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

How many times should we forgive someone who sins against us and asks us for forgiveness? That was Peter’s question to Jesus. We somehow feel when we confess the same sin to God over and over again that he will eventually tell us that we are not forgiven, that we have used up our quota.

That is not the case with God and should not be the case with us. John tells us that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There is nothing said about the number of times we confess the same sin.

When Jesus told Peter to forgive his brother seventy-seven times, Jesus was not saying after seventy-eight times you don’t have to forgive him. Jesus was using hyperbole to demonstrate the unlimited number of times that we are to forgive, just as there is no limit to our forgiveness from the Father.

Our forgiveness from the Fether is possible because of the atoning death of Christ on the cross. Because Jesus died on the cross on our behalf, our sins, no matter how many, or how often, can and will be forgiven by God.

Because God’s forgiveness of our sins is without limit, our forgiveness for sins committed against us and forgiveness sought, should be without limit as well. After all, when someone sins against us, they are sinning against God as well. When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, he asked Potiphar’s wife how he could do that evil and sin against God. He saw his sin as being against God, not just Potiphar.

If someone sins against you and asks for forgiveness, remember that all sin is ultimately sin against God. We just happen to be the recipient of the sin. If God can forgive that person’s sin, we should be able to as well. After all, Jesus told Peter to forgive without limit.

Next time someone begs your forgiveness, extend it to them with no limitation.