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09/30/2002 Entry: "More thoughts on forgiveness"
National Forgiveness Day seems like an opportunity to ask the question: What is forgiveness?
Forgiveness is the means by which people(s) who have been estranged from one another are brought to reconciliation. It can be a single completed action, a proces to be worked through, or indeed an unaccepted offer.In the Bible forgiveness is sometimes offered by the one offended against, as in 2 Corinthians 5.19
For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against themSometimes it is the offender who takes the initiative, as in Matt 5.24. There are also situations in which a third person is the agent of forgiveness. Paul describes himself in this role in 2 Cor 5. 18,20. It is the task of the church to act in this way, as Matt 18.17 makes clear. Success is not guaranteed (Matt 18.17 again), but forgiveness is an important part of the peacemaking which a sign of "the children of God".But what about justice? Surely justice must be satisfied before forgiveness can be offered? It is certainly possible to read the scriptures in this way. Paul's theology in Romans 3 has been taken to mean that the death of Jesus satisfies God's demand for justice and therefore makes forgiveness and reconciliation possible. I think that is a misreading of what Paul means and would argue that properly speaking it is forgveness which comes first. Forgiveness can often make forgiveness possible even when the demands of strict justice cannot be met. Scriptures can be passed to and fro in debates on this, but overwhelmingly I'm convinced that it is Paul's assertion that "while we were yet sinners Christ died" (Romans 5.8) that should be used to interpret all else. The movement is entirely God's. Our forgiveness is all grace, unearned and undeserved. Our repentance and faith is a response to that gracious offer, not a condition of it. Christians are called to forgive others in exactly this way: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.But of course, the offer can be refused. To accept forgiveness from another is in effect to accept their verdict of "guilty" - you cannot receive forgiveness if you are convinced you have done nothing wrong! Like any gift, forgiveness must be accepted as well as offered. The forgiveness of God does not leave us free to carry on as we were. Once accepted, it has the power to transform and renew, kindling love in the loveless, hope in the despairing and faith in the unbeliever.
