Matthew 18:21-22 (CSB) Then Peter approached him and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times? " 22 "I tell you, not as many as seven," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven.

Forgiveness is essential to the Christian's life. We are told that if we know that a person has something against us that we are to go and forgive that person before God will forgive us (Matthew 5:23-24). With the same measure of forgiveness we forgive others, God will forgive us (Matthew 6:12-15). The reason why should forgive our fellow man is because God has forgiven us of a much bigger debt. In Matthew 18:23-34 Jesus tells the story of a ruler who forgave a debt of 1 billion days wages (10,000 talents) and a slave who would not forgive his fellow slave's debt of 3 months pay (100 denarii). The ruler who forgave the debt turned around and reinstated the debt because the slave would not forgive the other slaves debt. Jesus ends with Matthew 18:35 (CSB) "So also my heavenly Father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart." So if anyone sins against us yesterday, today, or tomorrow forgive them as many times as needed!