Forgiveness

March 11, 2019

“Why are we so afraid of this text?” As we were studying John chapter 20 in men’s group tonight, the 23rd verse loomed into view: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold the sins of any, they are withheld.” Someone asked what this statement meant, and we were off and running. I remember when I was a teenager listening to my very conservative Sunday School teachers explain how this was twisted by the Catholic Church to justify priestly absolution, which was obviously (to them) a perversion of the truth. It seemed to me even back then that one had to exert considerable mental gymnastics to deny the plain meaning of Jesus’ words. The sage advice of a college professor of the Bible seems apropos: “When the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense.”

Which leads me back to my question: “Why are we so afraid of this text?” Perhaps we don’t like the thought of someone being able to control our own forgiveness, but I suspect the real culprit is our fear of the enormity of the authority Jesus gives us. Or maybe we just don’t believe we actually have that authority, which if true, calls into question how much we actually believe what he says. 

While there are significant theological ramifications of these words, in practical terms, they are quite realistic and true to life. If someone sins against me and I forgive them, I set them free from any unholy bond or attachment to me, creating the potential of reconciliation and restoration. If however, I refuse to forgive, not only does the relationship remain broken, but in addition, an unholy bond is forged that holds both parties in a relational and spiritual prison. 

Some years ago, I loaned a friend a thousand dollars which he promised to repay within three months. That three months turned into three years during which he slowly withdrew from the church and any contact with me. Over the course of those three years, he occasionally would assure me of his intention to pay it back, but instead, the distance grew. I would be lying if I said it didn’t bother me. I rehearsed how I would approach him, tried to let it go, but it would keep returning, holding me in an unholy bond to him. It wasn’t until I wrote him a letter telling him that the loan was forgiven, that he didn’t need to pay me back, that I was set free. He wrote back telling me of his intention to repay the loan, whereupon I told him I would not accept it. He had been living in a self-imposed delusion, and I had been in this occasional bondage. I would let it go, only to pick it up again. Not until I wrote that letter was I free. 

That’s how forgiveness works. We stand in the place of God with people. Jesus has given us his own authority, with which we can either set people free or hold them in bondage. It is a powerful and dangerous gift that can either give or withhold life. I am thankful for this authority, and pray continually for grace to use it well.