17 March 2014 - real forgiveness makes a difference

17 March 2014 - real forgiveness makes a difference

In Old Testament the LORD commands us to "be holy, because I am holy" (cf. Lev. 20:26).  Jesus does not disagree, but he shifts the focus when he tells us, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."  The emphasis moves from a walled off, guarded, segregated, and set apart holiness which was appropriate to that era for God's people, to become mercy that reaches out, the builds bridges, and that connects people at a personal level. This gives us context for the next things Jesus says.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.

Jesus is unwilling to let sin be a roadblock in our relationships.  In the Old Testament the holiness of Israel is so important that they can't risk forgiveness, they can't forgo judgement for mercy, and they have no choice but to condemn their enemies.  If they get too close to the sinful peoples who surround them they will be contaminated. 

But we live in the era of grace.  We follow Jesus who is not contaminated by the sin and sickness that surround him.  He is not afraid to reach out and touch those who are thus afflicted in order to transform and heal them.  We are called to follow, confident nothing which "enters one from outside can defile that person" (cf. Mar. 7:15).  If God prioritizes his holiness above his grace we can not be saved.  He is utterly set apart and, as we read, light has no fellowship with darkness (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14).  And we can do nothing on our own to draw near to him.  But while we are yet sinners Christ dies for us (cf. Rom 5:8).  His mercy compels him to draw near to us.  It calls him down from heaven into our broken world to save us.  And we are called to follow in his footsteps.

This tells us that forgiving, not judging, and not condemning are not abstractions.  The litmus test for whether we have forgiven has nothing to do with feelings.  The test is to whether or not renewed relationship is now possible.  Clearly the other party can prevent this, but if we have forgiven them then there should be no obstacle to relationship on our side. 

We are quick to reserve the right to judge actions, not people.  And this is just.  We need to discern actions in order to live in accord with God's law.  But when we judge the actions of others it is not a pretense to put a barrier between us and them.  There may be actions in which others engage that are dangerous if we are exposed.  They may be occasions of temptation for us.  And it is fine to avoid these.  We must be wary because it is easy to make the subtle shift from this sort of judgment to a prideful one.  We must not hold aloof from relationships because of some sense that we are too good to be close to sin.  As Christians there are certain expectations on how we act and who we must be.  We may have a certain image in our heads of who we should be as "good Christians."  May we not let this image keep us from our sisters and brothers in need.

Let us experience the full healing of the LORD for our failures.  When we experience the forgiveness of our Holy God are we empowered to share it with others.

O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers,
for having sinned against you.
But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!

We're not really succeeding at this.  Relationships in the Church do not yet exist at the level of kingdom relationships.  They are still afflicted by the death-bound world in which they exist.  We fear to venture the greatness to which we are called, seeing everything around us winding down and wearing out.  We need God's help and we need it desperately.  Fortunately, he delights to give it.

Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.