Fast and First Without Reservation

Have you noticed how the world treats the issue of forgiveness? On television for example, it’s almost a virtue to withhold forgiveness particularly if the offense is especially hurtful. The idea is that we somehow participate in the offense if we forgive it; or that forgiveness for certain acts is unforgivable in itself.

Of course, there are those who withhold forgiveness because they feel it’s their right to do so. “Do you expect me to forgive you” is an oft repeated line. No one questions the right of the offended party to deny the request. In fact, people knowingly nod their heads in approval and focus on what the offender deserves.

And yes, we Christians know that the offender does not deserve forgiveness: ever. We also know there are consequences for sin. Yet, what sets us apart from the world is the obligation and compulsion to forgive. We forgive others because God’s forgiven us. That’s what it means to be a Christian. We’ve been forgiven, not because we deserve it, but because God is gracious. And, because God has changed us, we can’t help but forgive others.

It’s not a virtue to withhold forgiveness any more than it’s a virtue to sin against God or hurt someone. When we forgive, we don’t participate in the commission of the offense. We do bear it though. Just as the one seeking forgiveness bears the burden of guilt, we bear the burden of not allowing our being hurt to come between us and the offending party. In granting forgiveness, we don’t let people off the hook nor do we wipe away any consequences that might be in effect. In fact, we acknowledge that there is an offense simply by saying the offending party needs forgiveness. We acknowledge it and bear it at the same time.

Now, we can’t actually grant forgiveness if someone has not sought it (though we are required to rid our hearts of ill feelings and be willing to forgive). When we do grant forgiveness, in addition to not letting the offense come between us, we’re saying we won’t gossip about it, we won’t hold a grudge, and we won’t bring it up in the future. That’s the way God treats us.

Neither do we have the right to withhold forgiveness. It’s not up to us. Nor can we let our feelings rule. We may feel so hurt that forgiveness is impossible for us. But we go to God; we get His help; we do what He tells us we must do. And, in so doing, not only do we put His character on display, but we actually feel better; we get the joy of being where God wants us to be.

We also set ourselves apart from the world, not in a prideful way, but in a way that says to the world that we do hurt each other. All of us do that. But, relationships can be restored by the power of God. That’s what God’s done for us; He’s reconciled believers to Himself and given them peace with Him and others. That reconciliation can only truly be had in Christ. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the sons of God” (Matt. 5:9).

Do you want to promote God’s ways in the world? Then put His power on display; be quick to forgive others. That’s a real virtue. And yes, God does expect His people to forgive.

A Person Once Said

A person once said that all the Christians that they had met were hypocrites. Of course, I was at first tempted to answer with either a snappy comeback or with a philosophical comeback or by re-defining the term. I finally concluded that I had no way to disprove the statement.

You see, all of us are sinners. As a result, all of us behave in ways that are inconsistent with the very Christianity that we profess. And, the people that observe us can see every one of those inconsistencies. They can see our sins better than we can. They can see the ways in which we self-justify our sins. They can see that we are, by one definition of the term, hypocrites. If they are fair-minded they can understand what it means to be a sinner on the path of redemption. But, if they have been hurt by one of us, or if one of us behaves badly, it becomes very difficult to see the discrepancies as anything other than hypocrisy, pure and unadulterated.

So, what is the difference between a hypocrite and a not-hypocrite? After all, Jesus himself differentiates between those who were hypocrites and those who were not. I think that the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee gives us a strong pointer. The hypocrite is the one who actually thinks that his/her Christianity is in a fairly good state. The not-hypocrite is the one who cannot go before the Lord without first acknowledging sins and asking for God’s mercy. The not-hypocrite is not sinless, but is humble and willing to acknowledge sins, particularly when they are pointed out.

There is a reason for the Lord’s Prayer, there is a reason for us all, too frequently pray Lord, have mercy. Sadly, some Christians can even become proud of the fact that they pray that prayer. Too many of us have turned a cry for mercy, for forgiveness from our hypocrisy, into a proud statement that we know we are sinners and is that not great! No, it is not great. We are all just sinners desperately in need of God’s mercy.

One caveat, no I am not talking about justification. I know our sins have been forgiven. I am talking about sanctification. I am talking about where the shoe meets the road. You see, I believe that most people can understand that we are far from perfection provided they see us walking a path of humility in the direction of our God, asking for his mercy and guidance. But, if we are not walking that path of humility, then they will see us as something they do not wish to be.