Jesus on Forgiveness

Thesis

Forgiveness is central to Jesus’ teachings—both forgiveness of sins and forgiveness of debts. Jesus taught that we must forgive as we have been forgiven, and he connected forgiveness to economic justice through teachings on debt. These teachings form the foundation for our movement’s debt forgiveness work and our emphasis on mercy and reconciliation.

Why Forgiveness Matters

Forgiveness is not optional for followers of Jesus—it’s essential. Jesus taught that we must forgive as we have been forgiven, and he connected forgiveness to economic justice. Understanding and practicing forgiveness is central to following Jesus.

“Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” - Matthew 6:12

Key Teachings

1. Forgive Us Our Debts

Scripture:

“Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” - Matthew 6:9-13

What Jesus Teaches:

We are to pray for forgiveness of debts
We must forgive debts as we have been forgiven
Debt forgiveness is connected to God’s forgiveness
This is not just metaphorical—it’s practical

Action Steps:

Forgive: Forgive debts when possible
Pray: Pray for forgiveness and to forgive
Practice: Make debt forgiveness a regular practice
Support: Support debt relief programs

See Also: Forgive Debts, Action

2. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Scripture:

“Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

“But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due.

“So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him.

“So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.” - Matthew 18:23-35

What Jesus Teaches:

We have been forgiven a great debt
We must forgive others as we have been forgiven
Unforgiveness reveals a lack of understanding of God’s mercy
Forgiveness is not optional—it’s required

Action Steps:

Remember: Remember how much you’ve been forgiven
Forgive: Forgive others as you’ve been forgiven
Practice: Make forgiveness a regular practice
Reflect: Examine areas where you’re holding unforgiveness

See Also: Forgive Debts, Action

3. Forgive Seventy Times Seven

Scripture:

“Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.’” - Matthew 18:21-22

What Jesus Teaches:

Forgiveness is not limited
We must forgive repeatedly
There is no limit to how many times we forgive
Forgiveness is a way of life

Action Steps:

Forgive: Forgive repeatedly, without limit
Practice: Make forgiveness a way of life
Don’t count: Don’t keep track of how many times you’ve forgiven
Model: Show others what unlimited forgiveness looks like

See Also: Practice Mercy, Action

4. Forgive and You Will Be Forgiven

Scripture:

“Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” - Luke 6:37

What Jesus Teaches:

Forgiveness is connected to being forgiven
We must forgive to receive forgiveness
Forgiveness is active, not passive
We are called to forgive

Action Steps:

Forgive: Actively forgive those who have wronged you
Release: Release grudges and bitterness
Practice: Make forgiveness a regular practice
Receive: Be open to receiving forgiveness

See Also: Practice Mercy, Action

5. Forgive from the Heart

Scripture:

“So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.” - Matthew 18:35

What Jesus Teaches:

Forgiveness must be from the heart
It’s not just words—it’s genuine
We must truly release the offense
Heart forgiveness is what matters

Action Steps:

Examine: Check if your forgiveness is genuine
Release: Truly release the offense from your heart
Practice: Work on heart-level forgiveness
Pray: Ask God to help you forgive from the heart

See Also: Practice Mercy, Action

6. Debt Forgiveness and Economic Justice

Scripture:

“Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” - Matthew 6:12

What Jesus Teaches:

Debt forgiveness is connected to God’s forgiveness
We are called to forgive debts
This is not just about personal forgiveness—it’s about economic justice
Debt structures can be exploitative and need to be addressed

Action Steps:

Forgive: Forgive personal debts when possible
Support: Support debt relief programs
Advocate: Work for policies that address predatory lending
Create: Build economic structures that reduce exploitation

See Also: Forgive Debts, Economic Justice, Policy

Key Principles

1. We Have Been Forgiven Much

We have been forgiven a great debt by God. This should motivate us to forgive others.

Action: Remember God’s forgiveness. Let it motivate you to forgive others.

2. Forgiveness is Required, Not Optional

Jesus makes it clear: we must forgive. It’s not a suggestion—it’s a requirement.

Action: Make forgiveness a regular practice. Don’t hold grudges.

3. Forgiveness is Unlimited

There’s no limit to how many times we forgive. We forgive seventy times seven.

Action: Forgive repeatedly, without limit. Make it a way of life.

4. Forgiveness Must Be from the Heart

Forgiveness isn’t just words—it must be genuine, from the heart.

Action: Work on heart-level forgiveness. Truly release offenses.

5. Forgiveness Connects to Economic Justice

Debt forgiveness is not just personal—it’s about economic justice and addressing exploitative structures.

Action: Forgive debts. Work for economic justice. Address predatory lending.

See Also: Forgive Debts, Economic Justice

Practical Application

Personal Forgiveness

This Week:

Identify someone you need to forgive
Pray for the ability to forgive
Take steps to forgive from the heart
Release grudges and bitterness

This Month:

Work through areas of unforgiveness
Practice forgiveness regularly
Forgive debts when possible
Model forgiveness for others

Ongoing:

Make forgiveness a way of life
Forgive repeatedly, without limit
Forgive from the heart
Remember how much you’ve been forgiven

See Also: Practice Mercy, Action

Debt Forgiveness

Personal Debt Forgiveness:

Forgive personal debts when possible
Release others from what they owe you
Don’t hold debts over people’s heads
Practice generosity

Community Debt Forgiveness:

Start or support debt relief programs
Create structures for debt forgiveness
Support those struggling with debt
Work for alternatives to predatory lending

See Also: Forgive Debts, Action

Economic Justice

Work for Economic Structures That Support Forgiveness:

Advocate for policies that address predatory lending
Support debt relief programs
Work for economic structures that reduce exploitation
Create alternatives to exploitative lending

See Also: Economic Justice, Policy

Connection to Our Movement

Forgiveness is central to our movement:

Forgiveness & Debt Ethics - This is one of our core principles
Debt Forgiveness - This is a primary action area
Mercy - We practice mercy in all areas
Economic Justice - We work for economic structures that support forgiveness
Reconciliation - We work for reconciliation in communities