Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Y'shua said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Of the woman who washed His feet with her tears He said, "she loves much, because her sins, which were many, were forgiven, but he who is forgiven little, loves little." Then again He said, “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”
What is forgiveness? He is not talking about merely saying the words and ending it there, but going beyond the words into the heart and demonstrating those words with action, which is love. Forgiveness IS loves greatest act. God demonstrated His love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, He sacrificed His Son so that we could be forgiven and fully restored to Him. He acted so that, in our response, His love could deliver and restore! He never contemplates how bad we have been, He immediately responds to our contrition with acceptance and love. EVERY SINGLE TIME! 70X7! God doesn't say it's ok to sit around and mull it over when the person who has sinned against you repents. When we forgive, we are forbidden to hold it against them. If we do, our sins will be held against us. To do so is unforgiveness and judgment… not love. Y'shua commands us to “be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect” (meaning perfect in love) who forgives and demonstrate that forgiveness towards us with open and willing acceptance and love. Forgiveness is not an option… it’s a command! If God says that He NEVER turns away a broken and contrite heart, why should we act any differently? Even the Angels rejoice when just one of us repents... it's a BIG deal.
We all sin and sometimes, tragically way worse than others... but whatever it is, sin is sin. It is never worth the loss of a relationship not to forgive. The lack of forgiveness in this world creates an absence of love and establishes a path for conflict and conflict is one of darknesses greatest assets. Isaiah says that in the end, "The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, says the LORD.” There will be no conflict; there will be no unforgiveness; only peace! The Judge of all will Himself dwell among us. So if you have sinned against someone, humble yourself as soon as possible, go to him or her and acknowledge it, and then ask for forgiveness. If you're holding someone in chains today because of what they have done to you, even though they have asked you to forgive them... release them from the prison you have kept both them, and yourself in. We are not the judge, God is. Remember, the one who has been forgiven much loves much. So let love have its way. Forgiveness releases love and love heals, it restores and covers a multitude of sins!
© 2012 Steven Bliss
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I believe the 70 x 7 also refers to how we have to discipline our minds to not relive sins someone has committed against us, and for which we have already forgiven them, but the enemy and our flesh wants to bring it up again and allow ourselves to wallow in the sense of victimization. If we say have forgiven someone, but then we relive their sin against us in our minds, we are harboring unforgiveness. This is especially the case where we have had to forgive someone who has not asked forgiveness. This is a trap and a prison that we keep that person in, and which Satan keeps us in.
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