Wednesday, June 18, 2003
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Wednesday, June 18, 2003 |
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The church is all about forgiveness By JOHN HATCHER One spiritual commodity seems to be on the scarce side these days in the very house where you hear more about it than anywhere else. In fact, the whole notion of salvation by grace depends upon its veracity. Talking about forgiveness. I just bet there's more forgiveness at Manuel's Pub on Highland Avenue than in most churches and among most church folks. In a bar, people try to understand a fellow, but church folks seem to have an active memory which prevents them from ever letting a thing or two go. The church house should epitomize forgiveness. It's the place where they should always know your name and be willing to give you a second, third, and even a fourth chance. At times in ministry, I have become near of the end of forgiveness toward a couple of people, only to be reminded that the book says to forgive an unlimited number of times (seven times seventy which means limitless). When no one else will welcome you, the church should. A mentor friend of mine said one time that the only reason the church should ever exclude someone from fellowship happens when that person refuses the fellowship and forgiveness of the church. But that also means that you John Q. Christian also have to forgive. The following are the words of Jesus, not John's: "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions" (Matthew 6:14). Jesus' declarative statement, coming on the heels of giving the Model Prayer, minces no words. It's not put diplomatically. It's straight to the point. After all, Jesus' mission was all about forgiveness. Humankind was bound on all sides by sins and its consequent guilt. Jesus made a way by forgiving us all our sins and finding a way through death to victory. Through law keeping, guilt-trips, prophecy conferences, and animal sacrifice, humankind has tried to deal with its sin. To no avail. We cannot atone for our sin. But Jesus did. Now, Jesus the chief executive officer of the faith comes and puts a condition on God including us in his forgiveness package: we must forgive others of their sins against us. Resident resentment, revenge, and an unforgiving spirit will keep anyone at bay from the Father in heaven. Seriously! This is a matter to be taken with great seriousness. This is my point: I am afraid that countless church members inactive and active are harboring unforgiveness toward fellow church members. Often, they leave the church and leave the fellowship not only of that church body, but also the fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I hear people thinking to themselves: "Well, I have forgiven so and so for what she did to me (or said about me) or didn't do for me, but I will never forget." One of the foibles of human nature is that we can't forget others' past sins toward us. God can. The Bible says that when God forgives, he remembers our sins no more. Wow! He can. We can't. If we can't forget, then what is a commitment to forgive? When we forgive, we are saying that the issue no longer carries weight or fuel in our relationship any longer. We are saying that we commit never to bring the matter to argument again. We promise we will never use it as ammunition in future disagreements. That's forgiveness! I don't know about you, but I tire of walking around people like on eggshells, in full recognition that one transgression and the relationship is over. The church house is supposed to be full of people who demonstrate the love of God - "...in that while we were yet sinners he died for us." John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center 1091 South Jeff Davis Drive Fayetteville, Georgia 30215 770-719-0303 |
