Forgiveness

Forgiveness is never cheap, nor easy. Someone always pays the cost for the grace that follows to take effect. The clue comes in the ‘give’ of forgiveness. It can never be earned, demanded, or deserved. It can be requested, or it may be offered, but to take effect both request to receive and the response are the essential ingredients to make it powerful, and the foundation of amazing grace. Without giving and receiving it’s like someone offering an embrace; when not reciprocated the one offering is left with arms open wide, and empty.

Jesus told the parable of a foolish man building his house upon sand. A foundation that shifts under pressure, or changing conditions. With shifting, the walls are weakened and the structure inevitably falls. Whereas wisdom builds on rock, that never shifts, solidly supports, and is the key to resisting the many changes swirling around. It’s therefore no surprise that when Jesus advocates forgiveness as a foundation for human relationships and community he also provides a foundation as solid as a rock.

It’s like the difference between a chocolate Easter bunny and the Crucifixion; tasty or truthful.

The foundation of forgiveness is rooted in Easter; in the coldblooded action of crucifixion. The nature of evil and sin is that it causes hurt, separation, division, and estrangement. Evil feeds on blindness, deafness, confusion, misunderstanding, lies, and everything that creates division and hostility between people. Evil invariably masquerades as innocent, harmless, good, even Christian. The inevitable consequence of the presence of such elements between humans is anger and death. And death is where humanity has no answer except grief, regret, and a place from which we can never return. Death (emotional, physical, spiritual) is the final outcome of unresolved relational breakdown and unforgiveness on earth.

We live in a world of rampant accusation and unforgiveness. People ferret through the lives of those with whom they disagree seeking reasons to expose flaws, highlight weakness, and disqualify because of a lapse in judgement perhaps. We seem to delight in the weakness of another. As if the perfect leader or individual exists. We are brutal and cruel, often self righteous, and lacking in empathy or grace. If forgiveness is proffered it is on the shifting sands of emotion, conditions, bargaining, subjectivity, doing time, serving penance, negotiated settlements.

Where the consequences of evil are death and divorce, the antidote of love offers reconciliation, forgiveness, and restoration. The punishment, or result, of sin in any human is death, and separation from God, and one another. It has nothing to do with whether we are willful or ignorant, or whether God loves us, or is indifferent. It’s the way things are. Much like a flame touching gasoline ignites.

The bedrock of Easter and forgiveness is found in this mysterious and wonderful historical event when Jesus, God’s only Son, died on a Cross for the sins of the world; including for you and for me. “He died to take upon himself the death that we deserve in order that we might be forgiven and take upon ourselves all that he deserved.” When wrongdoing occurs justice demands a penalty. Not even love can change that reality. What love can do is step in and take the penalty, serve the sentence, set the guilty party free by paying the price. But freedom and forgiveness are only real when the gift is received, and the embrace is returned. Part of that response and receiving includes acknowledging my complicity and guilt, and recognizing the one who paid the price in my place (there are no exceptions or short cuts here). That’s when amazing grace is truly recognized as amazing! It is freely given, graciously received, totally unmerited, and certainly undeserved.

Forgiveness in all its glory is only possible through the Cross of Jesus. It is not rooted in emotion, although feelings are inevitably present. We forgive others because we have been forgiven, we love because we have been loved – unconditionally. The reason and the rock spring from what God has done for us, first. As we receive grace and mercy ourselves for our guilt and sin something changes within that enables us to pay it forward. That’s the fruit of God’s Spirit alive within us. It doesn’t always come easy, it has to be worked out between the giver and the receiver, face to face. Too often we don’t experience the fruit because we fail to work forgiveness out in the nitty gritty of life.

And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)

Undoubtedly, the greatest privilege and joy in my years in pastoral ministry, was to help people encounter the forgiveness and grace of God. For many, if not most, it seemed too good to be true. Ironically, many attend church but have never experienced the personal reality of the message. God is kind, not religious, never prudish, never shocked or dismissive to our failings or blind indiscretions.

The ministry is always about helping each other receive what God has already accomplished and given. He said yes before we cried out. Jesus died on the Cross and rose again before we were ever aware we needed a Savior. The forgiveness and freedom come in the confession of the guilt and the receiving of the embrace. It is powerful, healing, and the rock solid gift and fruit of Easter. It’s so tempting to withhold forgiveness, “They don’t deserve it, look what they’ve done!” Until a voice whispers, “And what about you? Remember when?”

Even more amazing is that it is not a once-off gift. It is offered, extended, and poured out every day, as much as is required. We cannot drain God’s well of forgiveness dry!

God knows, we need His Forgiveness in the world right now, at every level, poured out, pressed down, overflowing.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38)

I never grow weary of hearing this song, from the hand and heart of one who received forgiveness and passed it on (John Newton 1772). Like you’ve never heard it sung before….