T.G.I.Forgiven

Posted by Christian St John in Faithblogs | 2 comments

[audio:TGIForgiven.mp3|titles=TGIForgiven|artists=Christian St John]
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“Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.” Matthew 6:12 (The Message)

There’s the true story of a priest in the Philippines, a much- loved man of God, who carried around with him the burden of a secret sin he had committed many years before. He had repented but still had no peace, no sense of God’s forgiveness. In his parish was a woman who deeply loved God and who claimed to have visions in which she spoke with Christ, and he with her. The priest, however, was sceptical. To test her he said, “The next time you speak with Christ, I want you to ask him what sin your priest committed while he was in seminary.” The woman agreed. A few days later the priest asked, “Well, did Christ visit you in your dreams?”
“Yes, he did,” she replied.
“And did you ask him what sin I committed in seminary?”
“Yes.”
“Well, what did he say?”
“He said, ‘I don’t remember’”

Forgiveness is a powerful thing. It’s more than a feeling or an emotion… it’s a choice. We choose to forgive. But it’s not always easy is it? There have been many times in my life when forgiveness has been the furthest thing from my mind. I’ve been ripped off, shot down, lied to, stolen from, and it’s during or just after these times when I have found forgiving others the hardest thing to do.

I don’t think that forgiveness comes naturally to many people. One only has to look at the world to see that vengeance, or getting even is the way most people choose to deal with hurt or loss. And we can’t escape this message. Movies like the vigilante flick Death Wish are plentiful and present a world far removed from what Jesus taught. In fact, over the past couple of years there has been a plethora of movies that deal with vigilante justice – The Brave One, The Punisher, Death Sentence, A Man Apart, Man on Fire, Walking Tall, Four Brothers, Munich, and Batman Begins, to name but a few. The premise is simple: Someone hurts or messes with you or yours, the justice system fails, and yet there’s still a need for someone to pay, the classic basis for vigilante justice. Some would argue that this kind of justice is justified, because when the justice system fails the need for justice still exists. And let’s face it there are a lot of bad people out there walking around on our streets, surely it’s better for one person to pay for their sins than for more people to get hurt or even killed.

Heck, even I subscribe somewhat to this way of thinking, as I see nothing wrong with German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s role in the assassination plot to kill Adolph Hitler. I have no problem with a death sentence punishment for those people who have done heinous things if it can be proven without a doubt they did them. And I believe that Governments that hunt down and execute terrorists and evil dictators are justified in their actions.

But I’m not God. And God says in his Word, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:17-19 and “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.” Deuteronomy 32:35

Personally I think it’s inbuilt into our nature to want to get back at those who hurt us in some way and it goes against every fiber in our beings to forgive. And yet we are called to become more and more Christ-like throughout our faith walk. If this is to be, and we are to be to be transformed in the likeness of Jesus (2 Cor. 3:18) then we are to look at his teaching and example when it comes to this sensitive issue.

“But I say to you, Do not make use of force against an evil man; but to him who gives you a blow on the right side of your face let the left be turned.” Matthew 5:39

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25

A good example of forgiveness can be found when Jesus’ own people turned against him and called for his crucifixion. They wanted it so bad that Pontius Pilate, even though he found no wrong in Jesus, feared an uprising and eventually handed him over to be beaten and scourged beyond recognition, nailed to a splintering cross, and left in the blistering heat of the sun to die. Through it all he didn’t raise a hand in his own defence, he didn’t try to fight back or get even, in fact, when all was said and done he turned around and with his dying breath prayed out loud, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke23:34

But some would argue, “But he is God.” Do you think it made what he had to go through any easier? After all he was fully human as well as fully God. He felt the pain of every lash, fist, boot, nail, and thorn. And yet he chose to forgive us. Jesus could have, at any moment, chosen to call down angels from Heaven to wipe mankind from the face of existence and blot them from his memory forever. Instead he chose to forgive mankind their sins against him.

Furthermore, Ephesians 4:31-32 tells us to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman who survived a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust, said, “Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.” Forgiveness is a powerful thing. It has the power to break down walls, to restore, and rebuild. And ultimately it has the power to set us free.

The road ahead is a hard one and should we choose to walk it in the light of Christ’s example one of the things we will be called to do over and over is to forgive. And by forgiving we are ensuring that we remain forgiven.

T.G.I.Forgiven… Thank God I’m Forgiven!

Christian St John M.Div, BChM, ACS
July, 2009