We Aren't Preaching the Bad News
Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?” “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven."
Forgiveness isn't a matter of math; it's about having the spirit of forgiveness. It's not about keeping accounts of the offenses committed by others, it's about keeping our own heart held to account for the forgiveness that has been given to us. Forgive them from your heart and your Father will forgive you. By the way, you'll need more than just a forgiving of words, it's got to be from the heart. And you'll likely need to pray for your own forgiveness and pray for the spirit of forgiveness in order to find forgiveness for others.
It's really simple, how often do you want God to forgive you?
Rather than selfishly holding onto grudges Jesus' followers should forgive everything and without measure. You don't bury the hatchet but hang onto the handle. You shouldn't be nursing ill feelings and creating division since you have already received infinite forgiveness from God. God has already forgotten your offenses, you do likewise.
Just moments before, and even following this lesson on forgiveness, Jesus is teaching about dealing with sin in the church. And he was describing the causes for all these conflicts as being hardheartedness. And he didn't describe a situation where you can't challenge a wrong or shun an offensive idea. Take a look at his teaching about dealing with someone who refuses to correct their sinfulness. After giving many opportunities to reconcile he does say that there is an end to one expression of grace, not the end of it completely, but the reshaping of it in how and where it is given.
Matthew 18:17
"If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector."
I want to stop here for a moment and dig into this because it is my spirit to try and understand the mind of God as best as I can.
To begin with let's take a second look at this sin and forgiveness of sin process:
1. Go to them and point it out. Just you and them.
2. If that doesn’t bring repentance, take one or two with you.
3. If there is still no repentance, take it to the church.
4. If they still don’t repent, treat them like a pagan/unbeliever or tax collector.
First of all let's be clear, this is not about how we treat all and any random people in the world. This is distinctly having to do with how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ. These are fellow believers. And we're dealing with a believer who is apparently missing the mark.
And this person isn't simply confused or misled, this person is stubbornly unrepentant. And so, Jesus' final instruction is that we should then treat them like pagans and tax collectors.
How do we treat pagans (unbelievers)?
How do we treat tax collectors (collaborators with evil people who are working against our interests)?
The natural way of thinking about this situation is to think we should shun them, to turn away from them. Kick the dust off our feet and walk away. Maybe even despise them.
Is this what Jesus really meant?
Let's let the scripture teach us about this. What do we know about Jesus? How did Jesus treat pagans and tax collectors?
One thing we know is that the Pharisees hated him because he welcomes and eats with sinners and tax-collectors.
"This man, Jesus, welcomes sinners and eats with them." Luke 15:2
He's in relationship and fellowship with them. Jesus doesn't snub them or ignore them. He doesn't treat them as enemies. But he does instruct them. He does warn them. He does tell them the truth. There is a communion between the believers and the unbelievers, but there is also a separation. And notice, nowhere in the scriptures does it say that the pagans and tax collectors and their friends and cohorts accused Jesus of being judgmental just because he told them the truth. Why is that? Food for thought.
What's separating them?
In some cases, it's the truth. Sometimes it's guilt. Sometimes it's selfishness. And in other instances, its unrepentant sin. In every situation however there remains some kind of communion. We are to love them. We are to tell them the truth in love. And we are to continue to pour out our spirit of forgiveness into them.
Jesus tells us in John 13:35 that people will know we are His by our love for one another.
The pagans and tax collectors probably shouldn't be a part of our inner circle, or a part of our culture of trust. Jesus didn't invite them inside the church, he went into their spaces and called them out from that lifestyle. He called them out and into repentance. He told them to sin no more. We are likewise called to continue to be salt and light to them. That would be being Christlike.
They're not going to be teaching in the church or leading a Christian worship service with their pagan practices. He didn't ecumenically visit their temples and pagan shrines and join in their prayers to their god. Jesus went into their common places in the villages, and into their homes, and he discussed and helped them discover the truth while stepping into their lives. Jesus just wants us to avoid being a stumbling block for someone who is a little lost right now.
That's how we treat pagans and tax collectors. We go and we preach the good news to them, and we invite them to turn from their path and towards the truth.
How many times do we preach to them?
As many as it takes.
It's no different than how often we forgive our brothers and sisters.
We aren't preaching the bad news.
And so, the brothers and sisters who have missed the mark, and persist in that regard, are to be held in our regard as we would regard one of the gentiles or collaborators. With love and caution.
Further learning:
Later on, Jesus continues to describe another situation in which we are to resolve conflict with grace, respect, and sometimes separation as well.
Matthew 19:9
"I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Here again we see a reasonable thoughtful response is expected by Jesus from believers, and more precisely married folk.
Not anger, not hatred, not selfishness or hardheartedness. Jesus expects love, compassion, and reconciliation unless you have good grounds for separation. In the case of divorce the principle that governs separation is adulterous behavior. Keep in mind, that behavior includes emotional affairs, the wicked thoughts of people are just as damning as the act.
The assumption here is that all the same previously discussed forgiveness practices have been followed by the one who has been offended and rejected or left unresolved by the sinner. No room for reconciliation.
Yes...even in matters of divorce there needs to be forgiveness, grace, and love.
Amen and God bless you.
#Forgiveness #Sin #Love