"Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him." (Luke 17:3,4)

I once heard a brother argue from this passage that a Christian doesn't have to forgive another Christian until he repents. The speech was presented in a bible class and after he finished, we all debated the issue. I felt we were discussing a technicality and had missed the point altogether.

A similar passage is in Matthew 18:21-22, Then Peter came and said to Him, "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. What is the point that the Lord is trying to communicate with us? Is it when we forgive, or how often?

I have difficulty reconciling the premise of granting forgiveness only after a brother has repented with what Jesus said on the cross and what Stephen said as his enemies stoned him (Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60). Even if the premise is correct, is it the major point of those passages?

Our willingness to forgive should be limitless. That is our Lord's message. In this way we imitate God. He is abundant in mercy and profuse in compassion (Psalm 103:8-14). If you are convinced that you cannot forgive a brother until he repents, I hope you are praying every night that he do so. Instead of venting our anger and hatred toward an impenitent brother, we need to show him love.

In no human relationship is this virtue more needed than in marriage. We often mistreat our spouse; we act in selfish ways and say cruel things to each other. It is a poor attitude that thinks, "He's used up all his chances. I'm not going to forgive him anymore," or "she's never going to change so I'm not gonna forgive her ever again." What if God had such an attitude? Where would that leave us? Hasn't He had to forgive us many times for the same sins? Is He not longsuffering with us? Brethren, how can we afford to be any different?

I pray that all of us would have a tender heart toward our mate and each other. Let's not ask "When must I forgive?" Ask, "How often must I forgive?" I hope the answer is "seventy times seven."

Matthew 18:32-35 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Mark 11:24-26 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Luke 6:36-38 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

1 John 2:9-11 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.