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leaders taught that God was willing to forgive you only three sum. Indeed, it is the largest sum of
times. It was “three strikes and you’re out”—long before baseball money mentioned in Scripture. You

was invented.
could never pay back this kind of debt,

Peter, knowing Jesus was indeed merciful, bravely doubled not even over many lifetimes.
the number of times he had been taught to forgive someone and The king’s servant must have

even added one for good measure. But Christ’s response shocked had a royal credit card and, evidently,
not only His disciple, but—tragically—shocks most professed had been freely spending the king’s

Christians today.“I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up money—perhaps going on expensive

to seventy times seven” (verse 22, emphasis added).
business trips, staying in luxurious
Now, most Bible scholars agree that Jesus wasn’t setting a hotels, and feasting lavishly with

literal limit. God isn’t sitting up in heaven checking off the number friends at posh restaurants. He

of times He has forgiven you; otherwise, all of us would have might have even had a drinking or
already exhausted our quota. God’s mercy doesn’t run out at 490 gambling habit that drained precious

allotments of grace. As long as we are willing to repent, the Lord government resources. As he amassed

will forgive.
this mountain of debt, surely he lived
The issue is that God asks the same of His people. Don’t keep in constant fear, knowing that a day of

track of how many times you’ve forgiven your friend, co-worker, reckoning was coming. But he could

or spouse for his or her unkind words or actions. God claims— not help himself.
and has proven time and again in your life and mine—that He is As it always does, judgment day

“merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness finally caught up to this debtor.“As

and truth” (Exodus 34:6). The Lord does not quickly give up on he was not able to pay, his master
us. Seven times Jesus cast devils out of Mary. Solomon said,“A commanded that he be sold, with his

righteous man may fall seven times wife and children
and rise again” (Proverbs 24:16). and all that he had,

The Gospel of Luke adds,“If your and that payment be

brother sins against you ... seven made” (verse 25). In
times in a day, and seven times in a America, if you get into

day returns to you, saying,‘I repent,’ a financial crisis, you

you shall forgive him” (Luke 17:3, 4).
can declare bankruptcy.
The Bible is full of promises In Bible times; you were

that connect forgiveness with thrown into prison and your

the number seven—a number family could be sold into slavery.
representing completeness and It was an unmitigated disaster.

perfection. In Daniel chapter 9, When the servant saw all his

when the prophet prayed for his possessions being carried from his house
people, God sent an angel to declare that seventy weeks (70 and his wife and children being hauled away, in desperation

times 7 for 490 literal years) of additional mercy would be he fell on his knees before the king and cried out,“Master, have

extended to the wayward Jewish people.
patience with me, and I will pay you all” (verse 26). Of course, the
servant could never repay his master, and the king knew it.
The Unmerciful Debtor
Yet the heart of the compassionate and understanding king
Jesus next shared the parable of the unmerciful debtor, was touched by his wayward servant’s pleading.“The master

in which He addressed two kinds of forgiveness—between of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and

yourself and God, and between yourself and your neighbor.
forgave him the debt” (verse 27). Amazing! The king didn’t set
Jesus explained,“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain up a payment plan or negotiate a settlement with this debtor. He

king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.And when simply forgave it all.

he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who How does God deal with our sins? Does He calculate our
owed him ten thousand talents” (Matthew 18:23, 24).
balance due, divide it into a certain number of installments, and

A talent was the largest currency in New Testament times, then enroll us in a payment plan? Not at all! God has compassion

anywhere between 56 and 75 pounds of metal. Can you picture and freely forgives all, just as the king forgave his servant this
a giant heaping pile of bags of silver? It was a ridiculously large
enormous debt.

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Inside Report 2Q 2016