Last night, Laura and I were in the kitchen unloading the dishwasher; just talking about stuff, when our conversation turned to the things of God. Our discussion was about forgiveness and mercy, because we had just watched a television show where a bad man repented and was baptized at the end. Laura commented that it’s amazing how anyone who truly turns to God can receive His forgiveness for each and every sin in his or her life.

That made me reflect on how anyone can change and become a new person. Sometimes it’s tough for me for give others that second chance–especially after they have betrayed my trust, or if I’ve seen them revert back to old behaviors again. When the second chance becomes the third and fourth, it’s easy for me to become skeptical and hard-hearted toward that person. It makes me doubt their sincerity. The apostle Peter also struggled with forgiving others, and asked Jesus how to handle the oft-offending brother:

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  Matthew 18:21-22 NKJV

Jesus used a euphemism here with Peter. The takeaway here is not that Jesus commands forgiveness up to 490 times per day (for who could even offend that much?), but that we should offer sincere forgiveness of trespasses against ourselves. And in case the disciples thought Jesus’ command unreasonable, He teaches them a parable to reinforce the point:

Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”  Matthew 18:23-35 NKJV

Jesus commands personal forgiveness to all who wrong us. Why? He offers personal forgiveness to all His servants. Just as in this parable, what right does the recipient of the king’s grace have to grab his fellow-servant by the throat and demand recompense? None. As a servant of the King, I am called to emulate His most important attribute–mercy. Therefore Jesus commands me to personally forgive those who sin against me (from the heart) if I wish to receive His mercy.

You may argue that everyone should pay their debts (they should), and that this arrangement isn’t fair for the one to whom a debt is owed (it’s not). The exact same is true between God and me. So, to the main point–that God doesn’t forgive me because of who I am. He forgives me because of who He is.