New Testament Forgiveness - 2
Modern sermons on forgiveness appear to be influenced more by pop psychology than by the Word. Instead of being wrongdoer-focused, sermons usually focus on the forgiver. The Christian is taught that he is duty-bound to forgive and if he does not, according to the preacher in the first post, St. Peter will turn him away at the Pearly Gates. The result of this is actually a self-centered martyr complex. The one who’s been wronged approaches God, the Father, in this fashion:
God, look at me. Look and see how much I have been damaged by this man. How can anyone bear it? But I know that I must forgive. And I do forgive, but look at me. Oh, the pain of it all, but, Lord, I do forgive.
This also allows him to extol his martyrdom-complex in front of everyone.
Yes, of course I know what he has done to me, and you all can see how much I’ve been hurt. But I, yes, I have forgiven, but please don’t forget this cross I am bearing because I have forgiven.
Makes for quite the drama, but it cuts against Jesus’s statement that “everyone that exalts himself shall be humbled; but everyone that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:14; cf. James 4:10).
True New Testament forgiveness does not focus on the forgiver, but on the wrongdoer.
In order to properly explore the doctrinal bases and mechanics of true New Testament forgiveness, we must first be clear of our rights and privileges in Christ as New Testament believers. In John 3:3, Jesus said:
Truly I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (RSV)
In Romans 10:9, we see that when a man believes that Jesus was raised from the dead and calls him “Lord,” he is saved or otherwise born-again.
because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (RSV)
In being born-again, that man is righteous before God, the Father, which means that he has perfect standing before Him. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17). As such, that man has direct access in Christ to God’s throne to obtain mercy and grace for himself and others.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrew 4:16, RSV)
It is this standing before God, the Father, that forms the basis wherein the New Testament believer can exercise real forgiveness for the wrongdoer. Before Jesus died and was resurrected, man did not have this kind of standing before God so forgiveness was exercised under the Law as elucidated in my initial post.
In the next post, I will deal with the scriptural mechanics of New Testament forgiveness that are based upon our rights and privileges in Christ.