The Source & Depth of Forgiveness

When we encounter forgiveness it changes us. We’re transformed by the unique love that washes away our mistakes and trespasses. If you have wronged someone and been forgiven you can easily understand this. After we encounter Christ we live in a new way (Romans 6:4), we become new people (Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10), and we never return to who we use to be. A result of this washing and transformation is the ability and desire to treat others in the way we’ve been treated by God. We are not only obligated (John 13:34) but also inclined by gratefulness and excitement to reciprocate what we have received. As some say, we “pay it forward.” 

We love because we’ve been loved and we forgive because we’ve been forgiven (John 13:34, 15:9-17, Ephesians 5:1-2). We understand how powerful forgiveness is because we’ve experienced the transformation from sinner to saint and because of this we have hope that forgiving others will transform them as well for with God salvation can come to any person (Luke 18:18-29). Hope makes sense to us now. When we forgive others we make room for the Spirit to work in someone’s life. To forgive is to live out the gospel of Christ. Forgiveness is a form of scattering seed that God can nourish in the hearts of his wayward children. 

True forgiveness and love is evident in our actions and words. Our lives are the proof for our salvation. Our approach and continued treatment of others (especially those who have wronged us) is directly connected to our union or lack of union with God’s Spirit. If we love God we will love the way he does and follow his commands (John 14:15, 1John 23-6). The fact is, we can not withhold love from any person and still be true lovers of God (1John 3:10-24, 4:8). 

True forgiveness does not speak words of forgiveness and then abandon the person being forgiven. No, true forgiveness proves itself with a commitment to seeing reconciliation/redemption occur. In as much as we are able, we are to bless those who curse us. We don’t say a prayer, make a phone call and use nice words, and then call it good. If we can, we should invest in the transformation of those who wrong us. We must be sincere and our forgiveness full. Anyone unwilling to see to it that their trespasser is shown love in practical form is also unwilling to truly forgive (Hebrews 10:24, James 2:14-18). When forgiveness has truly come about then the heart only has room for love and no room for bitterness or a record of wrongs (1Corinthians 13:4-7). Forgiveness is not confined solely to our hearts. It is external as much as it is internal.*

Many people who are trying to follow Jesus are committed to forgiving people in their hearts but say they can not or will not treat others who have wronged them in a loving way.  This isn’t right according to the witness of the New Testament. However, it is in no way wrong to allow people to experience the consequences of their actions. For instance, we can forgive the man who rapes our daughter, murders our friend, assaults us, or robs our home but that does not mean we keep them out of their own wake. They deserve jail. It can actually help them. We can even love people during their time in jail! We should love people and build them up as they suffer the consequences of their actions. The duty and pleasure of the Christian is forgiveness and transformative love. 

Love is always harder when it has to cover sin. This is why Christians have a difficult task; They know the difficulty sin brings to relationships. Sin destroys. That’s the truth. Forgiveness is scandalous because it seeks to mend what the power of sin has ripped apart. It seems almost unnatural to us because we don’t see true forgiveness often. But if we have experienced the transforming love and forgiveness of Christ then we are know that forgiveness and love overcome evil and sin.

Jesus says the law and the prophets hang on the commands to love God completely and love neighbors. He instructs us that if we do not forgive others then we will not be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15). We forgive because we’ve been forgiven and if we cease to forgive then we cease to be forgiven. We reap what we sow. So we’re left with a decision. Will we take what God has done for us and give it to others when it is hard or will we prefer destruction of ourselves and our neighbor by neglecting forgiveness? My prayer is that we will all be able to say to our Father “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who trespass against us (Matthew 6:12)” and that our actions will follow.

Tooth for Tooth

Jesus said “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:38-48).

The law Jesus is referencing that states “eye for eye and tooth for tooth” is one that restricts a person’s reaction to injustice found in Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, and Deuteronomy 19:21. Some of those include “life for life.” That law ensured that the victim would not retaliate with greater injustice than was brought upon them. It limited the injustice in the world by creating a people who no longer reacted to injustice as severely as they saw fit but instead a people who showed mercy when they were wronged. The most extreme manner in which a person was able to respond justly was in kind. Knowing that, Jesus contrasts that law with love.* He says “This is what you once knew but I’m telling you something better.” It may be more accurate to say Jesus was communicating “You once heard this, but the message you missed was actually this…” So in this instance Jesus says “You once heard to live a tit for tat life in regards to injustice but what you were supposed to know is how to love in response to injustice.” Many believe this is where Paul gets the saying “do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” These verses revolutionize our lives even today.

In nonsugar-coated terms, to live a revengeful or tit for tat lifestyle is unbiblical and against the way of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:21). Christians can not hate enemies or react to them in kind (Luke 6:35). That’s it. They can’t. The Gospel forbids that the Christian demand retributive justice (Romans 12:17-21). Instead, the Christian is to offer forgiveness and love (Matthew 6:12-15, 18:21-35), doing good to the enemy (Luke 6:27) and seeking to reconcile the sinful neighbor to God through Christ (Luke 12:45, 2Corinthians 5:11-21). Part of that beckoning to repentance will come out of when the Christian mercifully responds to the injustice brought upon them just as Christ’s mercy and sacrifice brought many to repentance and restoration. This was the intent in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy but Israel did not understand. Jesus came back and taught us how to get back on the right path. He showed us the narrow Way when he died for his enemies (Matthew 7:13-14, Romans 5:6-8). We are to imitate Christ (Ephesians 5:1). 

If someone wrongs you it is right to react in love. We are not to give people what we think they deserve but what they need in order to be reconciled with their heavenly Father! If you are cursed you are to bless (Luke 6:28, Romans 12:14, 1 Corinthians 4:12). If someone acts in hate or indecency then they prove a lacking of love (1John 4:7-8). The evident need in the enemy’s life is not anger, hate, or revenge but love. If they had love they would not do the evil they do. They act selfishly but the Christian is to be selfless and treat others as they would like to be treated (Luke 6:31-36). It only makes sense to give love to those lacking love just as the need in an HIV positive person’s body is not a continuance of losing white T cells but an influx of those healthy cells! The answer is not found in perpetuating the void and making it bigger but filling the void and thus eliminating it. If a neighbor is digging themselves a grave don’t grab a shovel and join them in the digging (for you may end up digging your grave at the same time)! Instead, fill the hole with dirt and plant a garden there! We must give to neighbors what they are missing. When we were sick God gave us a doctor in Christ (Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:31). We must give to our opponent what they lack and what keeps them from fullness. Love must be our answer to their lack of love. Our answer to evil must be good for satan can not cast out satan (Luke 11:14-20). If we return their indecency with similar action then we prove ourselves to lack love as well for we prove ourselves to be living the same life as them. If we have the same fruit we are the same tree (Luke 6:43-45). We have a choice to add or subtract love from existence with every situation in which we are wronged. We either choose to address the lacking of love by giving love and seeking to reconcile the sinner to God and to ourselves (2Corinthians 5:11-21, Matthew 5:21-26) or we choose to deprive the person and the world of love and prove that even we are a part of the problem. We build or destroy.

When Jesus told his disciples “anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” he meant it. Shane Claiborne once said “The cross is not a detour or a hurdle on the way to the kingdom, nor is it even the way to the kingdom; it is the kingdom come.” This love may take us to the point of death just as it did Jesus. If we are not willing to accept such a life then we can not be united with Christ (Luke 14:27). If we will not love others then we do not love God (1John 4:20). We have not been entrusted to live this way because it “works” (whatever that means) but because it is good, right, and Godly. We are to live this way because we are representing a kingdom that is not of this world (John 18:36, 2Corinthians 5:20). We are to live this way because it is the Way of heaven and it is how God answers our pray “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done here on earth just as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-15). Like Christ, we must address every difficult situation that challenges us with the words “not my will but yours be done.” Even if we can not fully understand his message right now we know we can trust Him. 

Hebrews 12:14-15Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

What does this mean for your life? How does Jesus’ tit for tat message affect you? What would you add to this commentary? Do you receive these words of Christ differently? 

*Do not resist an evil person is more accurately translated as do not react in similar fashion.