Dec 14 2007
the primacy of forgiveness
As I continue to reflect on this past week’s sermon on forgiveness, I find myself struck again by the primacy of forgiveness with respect to repentance. This is of course the opposite of how we normally expect forgiveness to work.
In our normal thoughts about forgiveness, we expect that after someone offers sufficient apology, we might then offer the release of forgiveness. But in God’s kingdom of grace, the offer of forgiveness precedes rather than follows repentance.
However much this may seem counter intuitive, there are at least two reasons why this is the only way it makes sense.
First, if we must wait for repentance before we can offer release to the offender, then we are forever held prisoner by not only the initial wrong but also by their ongoing refusal to repent. Must we be perpetual prisoners? By no means. As Ben shared with us from the teaching of scripture, our forgiveness, our offer to release to others happens totally apart from their repentance. In stark contrast to the way I want to live my life, Jesus teaches (Matt 18) that it is the offended who initiates reconciliation by offering forgiveness.
Second, the economy of a grace-filled-community cannot funciton unless we can trust that forgiveness will be offered. Christian community should be marked by the giving and receiving of grace. And grace of course is the ultimate renewable resource. As it is given more is produced in the very act of giving it. As soon as it is withheld however, it becomes scarce. In the context of a community where grace is scarce, no one can risk confession. No one can risk seeking to be forgiven. If we wait for repentance before we offer forgiveness, we withhold grace and contribute to the destruction of Christian community. (I know that sentence, seems extreme, but that is how much is on the line.)
Christian community only maintains its distinctly Christian character when there is grace in abundance freely given and received. In this context, we must be the kind of people who are known for our stellar ability to forgive, and we need to regularly communicate, that as forgiven people, we are ready to forgive.
Ben talked about the parable of the unforgiving servant. This man had been forgiven a great debt but refused to forgive the very small debt of a fellow servant. We must be the opposite. I like to imagine how that story should have ended. Perhaps having left his masters chambers, he could have made a T-shirt that said, “I have been forgiven a huge debt so today is a good day to ask for a favor or to ask me to forgive your debts.” (Okay, so it wouldn’t make a great t-shirt but you get the idea.)
I want to live like that. I want to walk in the world so that everyday is a good day to approach me for reconciliation. (Not that a lot of people have wronged me.) I want to live my life giving away grace and forgiveness like Santa gives away toys. I need a sign, “Today is a good day to ask a favor of me or to ask for my forgiveness, because today- like every other day- I am living on grace, enjoying the high that comes from a canceled debt.”
on the walk
-Ethan
