HEAD(hed), (n.) 1. the top part of the human body or the front part of an animal where the eyes, nose, east and mouth are. "Your brain is in your head." DIBS(dibz), (n.) 2. a thick, sweet syrup made in countries of the East, especially the Middle East, from grape juice or dates. [Arabic "debs"]--World Book Dictionary, 1976.
The past few weeks have been stressful. Training new employees, dealing with difficult customers, not sleeping well, not exercising (I’ve gained 20 pounds in the last two years), getting through family drama (two life-threatening events in the same day, 2000 miles apart: my dad’s heart attack in NM and a 9 year grandchild starting the rest of his life with Type 1 Diabetes) . . . My CrossFit lifestyle withered into oblivion when I lost my job at the University in 2020, as Covid got going. Deep depression brought me to a standstill as I took a few months to try to reset. Since then, my physical status has been on steady decline. Now my daily schedule looks something like this: Work 3-11 pm (on a good day), Go to bed at 4 am, get up between 10:30 am and noon, get booted up and go back to work. If I get one day off a week I’m fortunate. At least I don’t have to work all night for now. That was the worst. So I haven’t had time or energy to do much, even read, much less write. And since my
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The Forgiveness Factor (part 3): The Freedom of Forgiveness
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“ . . . so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” [2Co 2:7-11 ESV]
When the church is permissive with sin, people will not be clean from sin. Forgiveness is not a reality where sin is permitted. The Corinthian church once permitted an incestuous man to remain in the fellowship. It was during this time the man continued without repentance, remaining unclean before God. When the church repented and confronted the man about his sin, then he repented. What happened next is astounding--the church did not forgive the man nor restore him to the fellowship.
One component of forgiveness is restoration. Paul says to forgive the one who repents (2 Cor 2:7). Hold nothing against him. He repented, received forgiveness by God; now, do the same. The key here is that forgiveness does not come without repentance. What is forgiveness?
First, forgiveness is NOT a feeling. Remember this scene?
Yes, the clip also provides a discussion about faith, but focus on the 1:10 mark and following. Forgiveness is not a feeling that wells up inside us. Forgiveness is a willful decision, but only as it is the fruit of a God-changed heart toward the repentant; Christ-given grace; love that stoops, humility toward another. Forgiveness comes from a Spirit-transformed mind about how we will or will not think or talk about the one who caused hurt. Forgiveness is a God-infused decision that changes feeling. If I forgave based on how I felt, I would not be doing much forgiving.
Second, forgiveness is not forgetting. Time never erases crime, so waiting for forgetfulness is a waste of time. Forgiveness is a deliberate action, rooted in God’s deliberate action. “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.” (Isa 43:25) God is not saying he cannot remember but that He will not remember. When He chooses to forgive, He chooses not to bring up our sins again because of the sacrifice of Christ. When we forgive, we draw on God’s grace to intentionally decide not to think of talk about what others have done to hurt us. The effort is tremendous as long as the offense is still in our mind. We don’t stop dwelling on sin passively, but actively, deliberately.
Third, forgiveness is not a “front”; that is, we do not excuse sin. Excusing says, “That’s okay,” which translates to “what you did wasn’t really wrong,” or “You couldn’t help it.” Forgiveness is really an authentic exhibition, the polar opposite of excusing. The fact that forgiveness is needed and granted shows that what someone did was wrong and inexcusable. This is how we should approach God first concerning our own sin. ii. Forgiveness says, “We both know that what you did was wrong and without excuse. But since God has forgiven me, I forgive you.” FORGIVENESS IS NOT NATURAL BUT SUPERNATURAL. Forgiveness deals honestly with sin, bringing freedom that no amount of excusing could ever hope to provide.
Finally, forgiveness is costly. Forgiveness does not simply happen because it is expected or demanded. Once cannot stand before a judge and be let go for crimes committed, so expec that God is the greater judge! The Swedish diplomat Dag Hammarskjold (1905-1961) said, “Forgiveness breaks the chain of causality because he who ‘forgives’ you--out of love--takes upon himself the consequences of what you have done. Forgiveness, therefore, always entails a sacrifice.”
We should Praise God for his gracious gift of forgiveness to us! (Eph. 4:32) says “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” You will probably have an opportunity to extend forgiveness this week. When you do, try to remember what forgiveness is not, and fix your eyes on the full and gracious forgiveness that God has given you in Jesus Christ.
July 2004 I went to Kenya, Africa to speak in two Pastor’s Conferences on the subject of Man, Sin and Salvation. At the end of each day I left just over an hour for questions (half the time were questions touching the subject of my lectures, and the other half for “open questions”; that is, people could ask anything). For the next few weeks, I will be sharing the questions that were asked of me, and my answers—and believe me when I say these people really know how to think! Question from Kenya #1: “Men and women who saw God in the Bible: Why did they not all die?” [“ But He said, ‘You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live! ’” (Exodus 33:20) was the basis of the student’s question]. Answer: First, consider those who did see God—how did they respond when they saw Him? They were instantly aware of their sinfulness, and God’s holiness and righteousness (to name a few. And notice also that each responded in an attitude of worship, bowing down): Abraham built altars, wors
“My God, where is that ancient heat towards thee, Wherewith whole shoals of martyrs once did burn, Besides their other flames? Doth poetry Wear Venus' livery? only serve her turn? Why are not sonnets made of thee? and lays Upon thine altar burnt? Cannot thy love Heighten a spirit to sound out thy praise As well as any she? Cannot thy Dove Outstrip their Cupid easily in flight? Or, since thy ways are deep, and still the fame, Will not a verse run smooth that bears thy name! Why doth that fire, which by thy power and might Each breast does feel, no braver fuel choose Than that, which one day, worms may chance refuse. Sure Lord, there is enough in thee to dry Oceans of ink; for, as the Deluge did Cover the earth, so doth thy Majesty: Each cloud distills thy praise, and doth forbid Poets to turn it to another use. Roses and lilies speak thee; and to make A pair of cheeks of them, is thy abuse Why should I women's eyes for crystal take? Such poor invention burns in their low mind Wh
“Edwardum occidere nolite timere, bonum est Fear not to kill the king, ’tis good he die. But read it thus, and that’s another sense: “Edwardum occidere nolite, timere bonum est Kill not the king, ’tis good to fear the worst.” Act 5, Scene 4 of “Edward The Second” by Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593)
