Forgiveness
Our final chapter on the Lord's Prayer was a tough one. Forgiveness is something that we all want from others, but have a really hard time sharing with others.
Matthew 6:12-15 gives us a really tough word from Jesus mouth, if we are unwilling to forgive others, our heavenly father is unwilling to forgive us. This is emphasized in Jesus parable found in Matthew 18:23-35
Some key thoughts for reflection and discussion...
True Biblical Forgiveness includes Reconciliation and requires repentance.
I have not found a place in Scripture where God forgives in the absence of repentance.
Equally significant, I can not find a place in Scripture where there is repentance and God does not forgive.
Reconciliation: Not going back to the way things always were. Rather, accepting the consequence of sin and beginning from this day forward on a new path.
Repentance: Hebrew word, Tshuva, means "to turn" I explain this as taking owning your sin and taking a new step in a new direction.
Penance: Is the belief that if I do enough good it will make up for the bad I have done. It can't. It must be owned, confessed and dealt with.
God's grace: This is where God forgives us and because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, the eternal consequence of our sin has been paid for. Repent, believe and be saved.
This is a hard teaching. Especially when there are people who have wounded us. Our response is to be angry, resentful, upset. Matthew 18:15-17 is where we should go, and in love, confront the sin. And following that passage to its completion. If someone does not repent, continue to love them, but as someone lovingly helped me to see after the 9:30, you need to love them at arms distance.
Looking forward to some discussion on this.
ben
I believe that your definition of Penance is wrong, Jesus told the man He healed to go show himself to the temple priests and pay the required offering.(Mark 1:43-44) Also in Luke 2:24, Joseph and Mary offer the required doves or pigeons required in Leviticus 12:6-8. Penance costs you something, it does not absolve you. (Although in the O.T that is more the idea) When I sin against my wife, (I am told) and I buy flowers that is an act of penance, or when I sleep on the couch...Penance. You are right penance can't make up for the bad but serves as a reminder to us that there is a cost to all of our actions.
So make sure when you get married that you buy a large couch! (Comment this)
But then if sin must be owned, confessed and dealt with, other than penance how do you deal with sin? (Comment this)
Keep the dialogue coming. (Comment this)
What of the sinner who doesn't think their sin is anything that warrants confession to me or to God? Without a confession/repentance from them, my forgiveness of their sin against me just seems like a skipped step. If for some reason the end of time will come, will I be there loving them "at an arms distance" but never having truly forgiven their sin? Can the heart be willing but the action never take place for it to be considered forgiven?
Or something so horrible that your heart just can't forgive like murder? Thankfully I've never had to consider this but really according to what you are saying I'd need to get to a place to forgive the sin or be doomed to hell?
Wouldn't this be so easy if we could repent of the sin of not forgiving the sinner? How's that for circular thinking?
Don't you pretty much have to fall back on grace?
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I forgive him for myself, not because he needs it. I need it.
But what if I get to heaven and he's there? If that thought makes my stomach knot up, then I don't think I have truly forgiven him.
I should be praying for God to soften his heart so he can live forever, too.
Okay, I guess what started out as me saying I forgave him for his abuse toward me - and my son - has now ended up being me thinking I have and now realizing I haven't. Better get to work on that
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What I am saying is that an act of penance is not to make up for the sin, it is the cost you pay in addition to separation from God. IE Your son wants to sleep over at a friends house on Friday night, Friday afternoon he takes a marker and writes all over the dining room walls, He says he is sorry, you forgive him but his penance is he does not get to stay over at his friends. I googled the word and wikopedia had this:Penance: "the Latin poena, the root of pen(it) ance, means "punishment"
"Generally speaking, however, it is used to characterize the works of satisfaction imposed or recommended by the priest on or to the penitent. Traditionally, penance has been viewed as a punishment"
The time that Jesus told the man to go pay what the law required was interesting because the man He healed doesn't seem to do what Jesus told him, at least scripture doesn't state anything about the man seeking out the priests.
I agree you can never earn forgiveness, but you must come to the end of yourself, (Penance, give up your pride and arrogance) and repent, admit your need for a savior and trust in His sacrafice because of you sin and depravity.
Blessing Leo
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I agree completely. A fuller definition of Penance would be more appropriate. Thanks for digging deeper. (Comment this)
It seems as though unforgiveness would be holding a grudge on that person. That does not seem like grace (Comment this)