3 So watch yourselves.
"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."
I am reminded of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew:
14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matt 6:14-15 (NIV)
It is impossible for a believer to walk in close fellowship with God while harboring unforgiveness in his or her heart. It simply breaks our fellowship with Him. Every Christian has been forgiven a debt of which they had no way of paying. The basis for the believer’s forgiveness of others, therefore, is centered upon his realization that he too has been forgiven. Paul tells us in Ephesians:
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Eph 4:32 (NIV)
We must also never forget that forgiveness is for the forgiver too! Have you ever noticed how bitter we can become when we are literally consumed with an unforgiving spirit towards someone? The offense could have occurred many years prior yet we continue to harbor ill will or revenge towards the offender. Sometimes we cannot even remember the exact offense or perhaps we let it “grow” in our minds to the point that it has no similarity to the actual occurrence. Jesus wants us to nip that in the bud! It is God’s to avenge – that simply does not fall into our job description! He tells us in Romans 12 through the pen of Paul:
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)
I do not know about any of you, but verse 21 can be a tough one for me to flesh out! In fact, apart from the power and presence of the precious Holy Spirit it is practically impossible to consistently persist in such a high calling as this. When we respond with good to an offense done towards us we respond like Christ. This goes contrary to and far beyond a fleshly human response and red flags others that they are viewing a changed life from the ordinary - a life which does not emulate the world or its standards of retribution. This, of course, opens the door for the conversation of why there is such a difference in our lives. We certainly should manifest a difference in our lives which will point others to Jesus. Scripture tells us:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Cor 5:16-20 (NIV)
When we respond in Christ like love towards someone who wrongs us, it dispels dissension. In fact I Corinthians tells us what our “mo” towards others should look like – showing Christian love to be volitional not simply emotive:
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. 1 Cor 13:4-8 (NIV)
We should take our cues from our Savior who while on the cross spoke these words over those who placed Him there:
34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. Luke 23:34 (NIV)