There is a parable in Matthew 18 of a king who was owed 10,000 talents by one of his servants. The servant begged for the mercy of the king—that the king would be patient until he could repay his debt. And the king finally relented and forgave the debt.

Just as the king forgave the servant, our God forgives us.

Later in the parable, we learn that the servant went to a fellow servant trying to collect a debt owed him, and when the man asked that it be forgiven, the servant refused. This servant refused to forgive another, even after he had been forgiven.

This is a good lesson for us. We need to be forgiving, just as we are forgiven.

We, in fact, are commanded to forgive

Matthew 18:35 says, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” We ask God for forgiveness and He gives it to us so that we may also learn to forgive. To continue walking with the Holy Spirit, we must forgive others!

If a friend sins against us, we are to go to him or her alone (Matthew 18:15-17). And if our friend sins against us again, we are to continue to forgive him or her (Matthew 18:21-22).

Just as the king forgave the servant, our God forgives us. In turn, we are to forgive others who ask to be forgiven, even those who may not forgive us in return.

Jesus Christ is showing us that our sins can be forgiven if we ask God. So, we ask for forgiveness and we are forgiven, which teaches us and encourages us to forgive others.

Jesus Christ is basically saying, “I’m forgiving you. You forgive your brother. You can do it with My strength.” Even though we have a different type of relationship with those outside our faith and family, we should still forgive them. As Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:17, “Honor all people. Love the [brethren]. Fear God. Honor the king.”

When the disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, Christ said, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Luke 11:2-4).

Though we may sin against each other, we really sin against God (Psalm 51:4), so we ask that our sins be forgiven first and that we not be led into temptation (Luke 11:4). We ask for forgiveness because we are sinners. We forgive others who sin against us so that we may be more like Christ who was forgiving.

Remember Matthew 18:21: “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.’”

Are we forgiving?

Christ teaches us to forgive and to be forgiven. We are called to live God’s way. A true friend to Christ will embrace God’s ways and, in turn, Christ will embrace us back. We must always be willing to turn the other cheek when hurt and to try to make amends when we have hurt someone else.