The Perfect Sinner

“and if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” Luke 17:4

Seven Times – Jesus, of course, did not speak to his disciples in Greek.  So, even though this verse uses the Greek word heptakis (seven times), it is quite unlikely that Jesus used this word.  He probably used the Aramaic or Hebrew word for seven (shevah).  And that little change makes all the difference, for the number seven in the Hebrew culture is not simply the number that comes after six, it is the number of completion – the full number – the finished number.  What Jesus is saying, using this Hebrew symbol, is that this sinner has filled up all the possible allowances that you could make.  He is the perfect sinner.  He has done all that he could to harm you.  It might not be seven times.  It might be one or one thousand.  But, whatever the actual number is, it is your final limit.  You’ve had enough.

Then, when you can’t take one more thing, you forgive!

Asking for forgiveness may be difficult.  Asking requires humility, remorse and ego-deflation.  But, giving forgiveness?  Oh, that is so much harder!  When someone who has offended comes to me seeking forgiveness, I have every right to withhold it.  I am justified.  They are wrong.  I hold the upper hand.  Now, at this moment, I am vindicated.  Now I have the opportunity to exact revenge.

Jesus says, “No!”  If we are to reflect the heart of the Father, we must leave all of the consequences in His hands.  We have only one option – to forgive even as we have been forgiven by God.  Giving forgiveness is so much more demanding, so much more painful, because it asks me to set aside my “rights” and act solely on the basis of mercy.  Nothing in the human world understands or endorses such action, and that is precisely why it is commanded by our Lord.  If we forgive as the world forgives, we have done nothing to glorify the Father.  We have only collected another IOU.

We stand before the throne of grace as number seven sinners.  We have done everything possible to bring God to the breaking point.  We have rejected Him over and over, far more than imaginable.  We are perfect sinners.  And still, He forgives.

If He can forgive my #7 condition, can’t I do the same?