As I have continued to study “temptation” I have noted that no matter where I find myself, temptations will come and present themselves to me. I have to be aware of this and look for every opportunity to avoid them. I have to associate with others as accountability partners, I have stay working and avoid idleness, I have to be content with what is provided by God and not fall to the ways of the world. And not only do I have to do my work to avoid temptation, I have to know that the LORD will deliver me when I fall to that temptation. But, how will I get that deliverance, by repenting and asking for forgiveness.
It is up to me to repent of all of the sins that I have committed and will commit. Being human, I know that I will commit them. I have to admit to my failures and the sins and allow God to forgive me and I have to accept His forgiveness, even though I do not deserve it. And this brings me to my study today, forgiveness of those who are tempted to or actually sin against me. I have to forgive them as Christ has and does forgive me.
“3Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” — Luke 17:3-4 (ESV)
Above are the words of Jesus as He speaks about temptation and sin. He is very clear that those who sin against us are not to get off without consequences. Notice that one should first “rebuke” the one who sins against you. I have to let them know that it is unacceptable to treat others that way. And once there is repentance of the sin to me, I have to then forgive. And this is not just the one time. Remember that as often as we sin against God, He ALWAYS forgives us, and I am to do the same. When repentance is displayed, forgiveness follows.
I know what you are thinking and you are not wrong in your thoughts, how much is too much to forgive. Well, notice the number that is stated here, “seven times in the day”. And elsewhere it is noted as seventy-seven.
“21Then 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?’ 22Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” — Matthew 18:21-22 (ESV)
I look at what Jesus says in Luke and have to take the full statement into account. He says “in the day”. This to me indicates that we give our brothers and sisters seven times each day, and even looking in Matthew, that should be seventy-seven times each day. What this tells me is that we are to forgive our brothers and sisters that are repentant, continuously and an infinite number of times. The thing is that there has to be the repentance that comes before the forgiveness. Without the repentance, I am only tasked with loving them. I will love them always and when they come to me repentant, I will forgive.
When has someone done to you that they were repentant for doing? Were you forgiving of their transgression against you and were you each time? What if you loved until repentance and the forgave infinitely for the sins against you?
Trevor's Thoughts 