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Forgiveness 70x7?

Are humans to take literal what the Lord said about forgiving 70 x 7? If one to forgive someone 490 times does that mean they are not under the condition of forgiving again?

Matthew 18:21-22
21. Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22. Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

x Forgiveness

I don't believe this was to be taken literally. It equates to today when kids say the word 'gazillion' to mean a lot of times. I think what Jesus was trying to convey is that one must not count the number of times one forgives another. It would be very easy to lose count if counting to 490 times, and what Jesus is telling Peter is that he should not keep track of such things, but instead forgive as many times as is needed. There should not be a limit to forgiveness, and even though Jesus' response does have a finite boundary, the symbolism indicates an infinite concept.

Forgiveness 70x7? Revealed Bible The

I agree with this statement. Sometimes it is not easy to forgive someone, but I feel that this is what I am commanded to do. Ironically, forgiveness has always turned out to be the best thing for me to do. In my opinion, the scripture advising me to forgive 'seventy times seven' can especially be applied to family members who may hurt one another over and over. I have been hurt before by members of my family and it has been difficult for me to forgive some of them, but I know that following the commandment to forgive "seventy times seven" is what God would want me to do. I have been fortunate to progress some in this area, but I have further to go. I don't think forgiveness is always for the other person I am forgiving, but for myself as I gain peace of mind from letting go of the pain, anger, and bitterness I may feel. Not limiting my forgiveness, as this scripture suggests, is the best way for me to obtain happiness and peace again. In my opinion, and as one of my church leaders once said, "people can and do change, and our duty is to forgive them."

I am only speaking for myself and my opinion here and I would not presume to tell someone that they should forgive another that has offended them. I understand that people in general have different beliefs about forgiveness and are at different levels in the process of forgiveness, if forgiveness is what someone is striving for. I am trying to say that my experience has been that forgiving others has been good for me in just about every way I can think of. When I try to continually forgive others (seventy times seven), even those who continue on in the same hurtful behavior, I feel better as a result of not harboring bad feelings. This would be for a different thread, but I do want to say that I don't feel that forgiving someone, especially who has habits of being offensive or otherwise hurtful, means I have to keep 'coming back' to the relationship for 'more of the same' if I don't see signs of change or even a desire exhibited by that person to change.

One more thing that is important for me to remember about this scripture is that it also applies to myself. I don't know if anyone else feels this way, but it can be easier for me to forgive someone else than to forgive myself. I can be hard on myself sometimes. When I get angry or frustrated with myself I need to remember to forgive myself 'seventy times seven' as readily as I would forgive someone else. When I am dealing with an issue that I have worked on for a long time and I am not where I want to be yet, I need to remember that when I forgive myself it allows me to get beyond any negative feelings I might have and to move on, continuing to strive in whatever goal(s) I am pursuing.

Offtopic but, I am very sad to say that I have been the one to cause hurt or harm to others at times. Though I know my intentions, at times this does not change the results of someone feeling offended. All I know what to say in those situations is my sincere apologies. In the past I have tried to offer explanations for my actions, but I am learning now that that can be one of the worst things I can do. I can only live my life to the best of my ability and try to keep this scripture of forgiving others in mind, trying to implement this important truth in my life.

x Forgiveness

No, I do not think it should be taken literally, I think the Lord meant to say we should forgive as many times as necessary.

I think forgiveness is one of the most wonderful doctrines of the Gospel and it is also the most misunderstood of all of doctrines.

Most people think that forgiveness is to accept someone's faults and weaknesses just because we are all humans and we all sin, I think we need to be very careful on this. Just because I decide to forgive someone that have hurted me, it does not mean that I want to have a personal relationship with them afterwards, sometimes you forgive people because that's the right thing to do but it does not mean that I should expose myself to the risk of being hurt again. Let me illustrate the example: Someone killed a loved one and you live for years with resentfulness and hate towards the killer but one day you decide to forgive the person for what they have done, it does NOT mean you need to become a friend of the person in order to forgive them for the horrible thing they have done...

Sometimes when we hurt people, there is no way we can put the pieces together, even more when we hurt them more than once. And if we do put the pieces together, they are so fragil that in any moment that "glass" may be broken again. We need to realize that takes more than mere words to get someone to forgive us. Sometimes we think that just because we say we are "sorry" it should be enough but really it is not, even more, if we are constantly doing something wrong to that person, no matter whether our intentions were good or bad...it is in my opinion like a lack of respect to have someone constantly saying they are "sorry" yet they continue hurting me. In my personal opinion, a person should have a total change of attitude. Words and a good explanation are good but just words, important to a certain extent but definetly must be accompanied by good actions.

"You can forgive someone almost anything. But you cannot tolerate everything...We don't have to tolerate what people do just because we forgive them for doing it. Forgiving heals us personally. To tolerate everything only hurts us all in the long run."
(Lewis B. Smedes - Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve)

Edited: LDS_forever on 1st Mar, 2005 - 1:17am

x Forgiveness

Forgiveness is not excusing the offense or sin. I think that's where we get tripped up.

God says that unless we forgive, we cannot be forgiven. That is perpetual.

I remember when I was 15 sitting in a Southern Baptist Church Sunday School class listening to the account of God's anger at King David's numbering the people against God's will (2 Samuel 24:10-25). God forgave him, then turned around and gave him a choice of punishments.

I said... "Hey! I thought God forgave him" to which I was answered "God did and said he did... but all sin has consequences and results.

I have come to learn that the forgiveness of sin by us is a spiritual matter... but as I once heard... "God forgives, but the laws of nature aren't so merciful."

Just ask the grieving kid who got aids by violating the rules... 'forgiveness yes... and the consequence... yes."

We, as believers, must be in a constant state of forgiveness of those who have offended us. As a veteran... I must forgive Jane Fonda for her acts and accept her apology. She now claims she is a Christian. If so, she is my sister in Christ. Like Corrie Ten Boom had to forgive the Nazi concentration camp guard responsible for her sisters death when he came up to her years later and asked her for it.

We can do no less if we are really know the heart of God in this matter and the consequence to us if we don't. To not do this is to no understand Christ's death on the cross for us.

Forgiveness 70x7?

SteveB, I enjoyed your post, but you didn't really answer the question posed in the opening thread. I don't think the question is really what if forgiveness, but is there a finite number of times we must forgive?

I agree with all of your statements regarding forgiveness and consequences of sin. However, the question is "Is there a point when we can stop forgiving?" The bible says we must forgive 70 x7. Is that statement to be taken literally? Now, as others have expressed to this point, I don't think so. I think it is a high number given to demonstrate that we must always forgive. Yet, if I don't take this statement literally then I must also be allowed to look at other statements and decide they aren't meant to be taken literally as well. This can be dangerous.

However, if as has been expressed, forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting, which I agree is the case, then, hopefully, I wouldn't keep putting myself in a situation where a particular person could continue to do things requiring me to forgive up until I had reached the number 490. So, I think it is meant to demonstrate I must always forgive, but it is done in such a way also as to allow me a literal translation if I must.

Forgiveness 70x7

I believe there is no finite number of times we forgive.

And I agree with you in that though I forgive... if a person is a danger to me... I simply (forgive-put him in God's hands)... and stay away from him. If he attacks my family... I forgive him... call the police or defend myself... and let the law deal with him. My attitude toward him is redemptive even if he wants to kill me. It is his choice if he wants to reject God's transforming gift and forgiveness.

Forgiveness 70x7 The Bible Revealed

Name: Steve

Comments: Forgiveness 70 X 7

We make forgiveness complicated. I am, and have been guilty of this and when I embrace the simplicity of what it means to be forgiven I am always amazed by the reality of how far reaching it is in my life.

"God forgive me a sinner"

This simple statement, when spoken from the heart, rings so loud in eternity that if it were audible, the sound would deafen the world.

Forgiveness can be a process, it can take time to completely forgive someone for an offence. The key to getting free from carrying a grudge and reliving the events that have caused bitterness and stagnation in your faith walk is to continually allow God to work in this area of your life. It sounds simple because it is. Some people don't want to forgive. I have experienced this issue in my own life and in the middle of it God showed me that some times forgiveness happens in steps.

When issues like this come up in my daily thought life I give it to God (it doesn't have to feel all warm and fuzzy). And I keep doing so until that issue doesn't surface any more. When you do this your giving God access to your heart and the freedom to change your mind and free you up from oppressive garbage that may be dogging you in your waking hours. Un-forgiveness steals sleep and causes stress. It's distracting and destructive.

A pastor friend of mine counseled a woman who had been in and out of mental institutions for quite some time. She would shake uncontrollably and display emotional anguish that required heavy doses of medication to calm her down or enable her to sleep. They were about to commit this pour woman to a mental facility for permanent mental care. As my friend counseled her he realized she had been traumatized as a little girl. The long and short of it is she began forgiving the adults that had abused her. All the symptoms I mentioned above ceased. She was released a month later and never returned to the hospital.

See Mathew 18:22