Salvation: The Cross

Why did Jesus come to die on a cross? Understanding our sin and God's holiness is essential to answering this question.

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The death of Jesus was the most remarkable event in all of history. Centuries before it occurred, it was predicted in amazing detail by various Old Testament prophets. The supernatural phenomena that accompanied the actual event dramatically set it apart from all other deaths before and after.

The Scriptures tell us that during the crucifixion, the bright midday sun was totally obscured from high noon until 3PM so that the whole land was plunged into darkness. At the precise moment of His death, the thick curtain in the Jewish temple, which set apart the Most Holy Place (the inner room where God symbolically dwelt), was ripped from top to bottom by an invisible hand. An earthquake split the rocks and broke open nearby tombs. Dead people were raised to life and came out of the tombs, later appearing to people in Jerusalem (Matthew 27:45,51-53).

Three days after His death, Jesus arose from the dead and appeared to His disciples on numerous occasions over a period of forty days. And at one time, he even appeared to five hundred at once. At the end of that time, the apostles saw Him taken up from their sight into a cloud from which He ascended into heaven.

Today, some two thousand years after Christ’s death and resurrection, the cross is the universally recognized symbol of the Christian faith. [...] At the time of Christ’s death, however, the cross was an instrument of incredible horror and shame. It was a most wretched and degrading punishment, inflicted only on slaves and the lowliest of people. If free men were at any time subjected to crucifixion for the great crimes such as treason or insurrection, the sentence could not be executed until they were put in the category of slaves by degradation and their freedom taken away by flogging.

What are we to make of all this? Why was Christ’s death such an amazing event in itself? And how could it be that the eternal Son of God, by whom and for whom all things were created (Colossians 1:15-16), would end up in His human nature dying one of the most cruel and humiliating deaths ever devised by mankind?

We must say God’s holiness demanded it as punishment for our sins, and God’s love provided it to save us from our sins. We cannot begin to understand the true significance of the cross unless we understand something of the holiness of God and the depth of our sin. And it is a continuing sense of the imperfection of our obedience, arising from the constant presence and remaining power of indwelling sin, that drives us more and more as believers to an absolute dependence on the grace of God given to us through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

We know that Jesus’ death on the cross did not take Him by surprise. He continually predicted it to His disciples. (See Luke 18:31-33 for one example.) And with His impending crucifixion before Him, Jesus Himself said, “What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour” (John 12:27). Jesus said He came to die.

But why? Why did Jesus come to die? The apostles Paul and Peter give us the answer in clear, concise terms. Paul wrote, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,” and Peter wrote, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 3:18).

Christ died for our sins. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, took upon Himself a human nature and died a horrible death on our behalf. That is the reason for the cross. He suffered what we should have suffered. He died in our place to pay the penalty for our sins.

Adam’s Sin

We will never understand the cross until we begin to understand something of the nature and depth of our sin. And to understand that, we must go all the way back to the Garden of Eden. When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, He imposed a simple prohibition on them. They were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Why did God not impose some restriction such as, “You shall not steal” or “You shall not murder”? The answer is that God had created Adam and Eve in His image (see Genesis 1:27), which includes, among other things, His moral image. In other words, Adam and Eve were created morally perfect. They were completely sinless and thus did not need moral restrictions placed on them.

God, however, purposed to test their obedience, so He imposed one restriction on them: They were not to eat of the forbidden tree. There was nothing inherently evil about that tree. God could have selected any tree of the garden. Nor was obedience difficult. Many kinds of trees in the garden were pleasing to the eye and good for food. An easier test of Adam and Eve is difficult to imagine. Abstention from the forbidden fruit involved no hardship, no inconvenience, just simple obedience.

Yet when the Serpent questioned God’s goodness and truthfulness, Eve capitulated and so did Adam. In that instant, they lost the moral image of God; they were no longer perfectly holy. They began to sin immediately—Adam blaming God (“The woman you put here with me...”) as well as Eve, and Eve blaming the Serpent. In theological terms, their disobedience and consequent loss of God’s moral image is known as “the Fall.”

The fall of Adam and the loss of God’s moral image resulted not only in guilt, but also in moral depravity or corruption. Now his will, which had been totally responsive to God’s will, was biased toward evil. Theologians refer to this persistent bent to evil as original sin, an internal drive rooted in the perversity of fallen human nature. Paul called it the sinful nature (or “flesh” in some Bible translations).

The consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin went far beyond their own banishment from the garden and the presence of God. God had appointed Adam as the federal head or legal representative of the entire human race. Consequently, his fall brought guilt and depravity on all his descendants. That is, all people (except Jesus) after Adam and Eve are born with a sinful nature. David spoke of this fact when he said in Psalm 51:5, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” David’s sinfulness while still in his mother’s womb was not in acts of sin committed. He was referring to his sinful nature acquired at conception.

The apostle Paul explained it like this: “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Note that Paul’s sentence appears to be broken off before he finished his thought. What did Paul mean in saying that “all sinned”? We could easily assume that he was speaking of the individual sins of each of us, but that is not what he had in mind. Rather he was speaking of the fact that Adam was the legal representative of all his descendants. In that sense, what he did, we did. Therefore the consequences of his sin, in terms of both guilt and original sin, fell on all of us.

In Romans 5:18-19, Paul wrote that “the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men” and that “through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners.” It is clear in Paul’s theology that Adam was appointed by God to act on behalf of all his posterity. That is why you and I, like David, were born with original sin, and why we were by nature objects of God’s wrath.

Our Sin

The story goes downhill from Adam. Since we all have a corrupt sinful nature, we aggravate our condition by our own individual sins. Every day we sin, both consciously and unconsciously, both willfully and unintentionally. We evangelical believers generally abstain from the grosser sins of society; in fact, we tend to sit wrongly in judgment of those who practice such things. But beneath the surface of our own lives we tolerate all kinds of “refined” sins such as selfishness, covetousness, pride, resentment, envy, jealousy, self-righteousness, and a critical spirit toward others.

Beyond that, we seldom think about the words of Jesus that the greatest commandment is to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’... And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37,39). Have you ever thought about what it means to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind? [...]

To probe even deeper, we must realize that our fallen sinful nature affects and pollutes everything we do. Our very best deeds are stained with sin. Because of this, our acts of obedience fall so far short of perfection, defiled as they are by remaining sin, that they are but as “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) when compared with the righteousness God’s Law requires.

If we limit our attention to singular sins, to the neglect of our sinful nature, we will never discover how deeply infected with sin we really are. When David prayed that memorable prayer of Psalm 51, after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered, he traced his heinous actions back to their original cause—his sinful nature acquired in his mother’s womb.

You might be thinking by this time, “Why devote so much attention to sin? It just makes me feel guilty. I thought you were going to tell us about the unsearchable riches of Christ.” My reason is to cause us all to realize we have no place to hide. In our relationship with God, we cannot plead our Christian duties, as helpful as they may be, or our external morality, as exemplary as it may be. Instead, we must confess with Ezra that “our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens” (Ezra 9:6).

Furthermore, even a deep, penetrating sense of our sinfulness does not do justice to the reality of our predicament. Our need is not to be measured by our own sense of need, but by what God had to do to meet that need. Our situation was so desperate that only the death of His own Son on a cruel and shameful cross was sufficient to resolve the problem.

Many people erroneously think that God can just forgive our sins because He is a loving God. Nothing could be further from the truth. The cross speaks to us not only about our sin but also about God’s holiness.

God’s Holiness

When we think of God’s holiness we usually think of His infinite moral purity. That is correct, but there is more to it than that. The basic meaning of the word holy is “separate,” and when used of God it means, among other things, that He is eternally separate from any degree of sin. He does not sin Himself and He cannot abide or condone sin in His moral creatures. He is not like the proverbial indulgent grandfather who winks at or ignores the mischievous disobedience of his grandson.

Instead the Scriptures teach us that God’s holiness responds to sin with immutable and eternal hatred. To put it plainly, God hates sin. The psalmist said, “The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong,” and “God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day” (Psalm 5:5; 7:11). Thus we see that God always hates sin and inevitably expresses His wrath against it.

The cross, then, is an expression of God’s wrath toward sin as well as His love to us. It expresses His holiness in His determination to punish sin, even at the cost of His Son. And it expresses His love in sending His Son to bear the punishment we so justly deserved.

So in answer to the question, “Why the cross?” we must say God’s holiness demanded it as punishment for our sins, and God’s love provided it to save us from our sins. We cannot begin to understand the true significance of the cross unless we understand something of the holiness of God and the depth of our sin. And it is a continuing sense of the imperfection of our obedience, arising from the constant presence and remaining power of indwelling sin, that drives us more and more as believers to an absolute dependence on the grace of God given to us through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Next Step

If you haven’t met Him yet but would like to, God’s free gift of salvation is available to everyone! Take a few moments right now by yourself or with a friend who could pray with you. Read the Relevant Scriptures provided, confess your sins, and acknowledge that you believe Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Congratulations! You have now stepped into the kingdom and family of God! From here, we encourage you to 1) tell a friend who also knows Jesus, 2) get connected with a local community of believers—check us out at xaatuva.com, 3) find a Bible and begin getting to know this Jesus better by reading the Gospel of John, and 4) pray often!

Relevant Scriptures

John 3:16

Romans 3:23

Romans 5:8

Romans 6:23

Romans 10:9-10

Questions for Discussion

  • Has there been a time when you really had to come to terms with your sin?
  • How does this article change the way you view your life in relation to sin?
  • Bridges says, “We cannot begin to understand the true significance of the cross unless we understand something of the holiness of God and the depth of our sin.” Would you benefit from understanding more of the holiness of God or the depth of your sin?
  • How did the cross bridge a way between our brokenness and God’s standard? What does this sacrifice mean to you personally?
  • Would you say that you personally know Jesus, who died for you and brings us into right relationship with God?

Hospitality

By Chi Alpha • 01 Nov, 2023
Download Hospitality “So we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” -1 Thessalonians 2:8 What is Radically Ordinary Hospitality? “Those who live out radically ordinary hospitality see their homes not as theirs at all but as God’s gift to use for the furtherance of his kingdom. They open doors; they seek out the underprivileged. They know that the gospel comes with a house key” (Butterfield, 11). The practice of radically ordinary hospitality is an opportunity for us to invite those around us into our messy, everyday lives and reveal what true Christian faith really looks like. We don’t have to make an extravagant meal or know all the answers to Biblical questions to practice radically ordinary hospitality . We can do it by being ourselves and letting others see what it looks like to follow Christ in the mundane and extraordinary of our lives, including all the highs and lows. Our invitation has the power to disrupt preconceived notions that our friends may have about Christianity based on social media and the news. This is not a modern concept; we have a Biblical basis for it. Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors (Luke 5:29-32). He interrupted the status quo and made outsiders feel like insiders. We, too, have experienced the personal invitation of Jesus! In the same way that Jesus welcomes us, our hospitality provides a place for those proximate to us to encounter Jesus through us. This can bring about a radical change in their lives. This vision of hospitality should empower us to examine our surroundings and ask, “who is on the outside and how can I invite them in?” How do we practice hospitality? We must start where we are, whether that’s a dorm room, family living room, or apartment. We all have resources that we can use for the sake of others. Hospitality is about being open: open to others and open to what God is doing. Here are some practical elements to think about when considering next steps in hospitality: Invitation : Think about who is in your class, your major, or your program that you can invest in and invite. Preparation : Plan where you will meet and what you will do. Prepare your location, food, and activities accordingly. It doesn’t have to be too fancy, just accessible to the people you invite. Execution : The most important thing is to do something—do not get stuck in all the planning that you forget to actually practice hospitality. Some Ideas Host a dinner at your house Super Bowl Party at the Hub Ice cream float night Game night where everyone brings a favorite game Video game tournaments (Smash bros, Mario kart, etc.) Gather a group to go to a friend’s dance, band, comedy show, etc. performance Your idea: __________________________________________________________________ Remember, sometimes what is most hospitable is entering into other people’s spaces before they ever come to your space. Take your time and listen to God. Know that this journey is often slow, but God is present through it all. Take a step of faith and invite someone into your life. God can transform lives, yours included! Relevant Scriptures 1 Peter 4:8-10 Romans 12:13-20 Questions for Discussion What are the biggest things keeping you from having the emotional space to recognize the needs of those around you? How can you limit/remove them? What strengths & interests do you have that you can use for hospitality? Where can you start? What are the particulars about your life that you can utilize to bless others? Recommended Reading: The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield

Engaging Culture

By Chi Alpha • 22 Feb, 2023
Download Engaging Culture “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” - Romans 12:2 Christian Living Have you ever wondered what the Bible has to say about social media? Or how Jesus would have responded to any of the other hot topics in our culture? Frankly, the Bible has a lot more to say about farming than it does about social media. Yet, we know that God’s Word was given to show us how to live not just in the age of Jesus, but in every age following. Romans 12:2 reminds us that we are not to look like the world, but rather to have our minds renewed that we might learn the will of God. Indeed, John 17:16 quotes Jesus as saying, “they are not of the world, even as I am not of it,” about his followers. So we know that while we live in this world, we are “not of the world” and are not to conform to it either. But how does this play out in our daily lives? What We’re Up Against The average American college student faces many challenges in answering the call of being in the world but not of it. We find ourselves in conflict with the culture on everything from our sexual ethic, to how we handle alcohol, and even where we find our identity. Our college culture, and indeed the culture of our world, is always trying to form us in more ways than we can fathom. Some of these ways are obvious, like violent and sexually graphic television or music that glorifies a sinful lifestyle. But what about gossip or influencers who always tell us to have the latest brand name clothes or resources? Or how about the way we spend hours scrolling through social media, or how we confront someone over text messages rather than waiting to speak face-to-face? Our modern world is filled with intricate social structures and phenomena that aren’t specifically mentioned in Scripture, but are all deeply formative in how we follow Jesus. If you feel the argument of: “wait a minute, not everything has to be bad all the time” argument welling up inside you, please pause for just a minute. I’m not trying to say that taking a selfie is a sin, or that you need to delete your Netflix. As Christians we are not called to live totally separate from the world, yet it is important to be cognizant of the ways we are being formed by the culture. If we simply avoid the culture, it holds us back from the goal of reaching those who do not yet know the Lord! Instead, we need to think critically about how to engage with culture without compromising our witness. We are also not called to be antagonistic towards culture. It is too easy to point out problems from the outside without stepping into the world to offer solutions and care in the midst of brokenness. We are called to look different because we are citizens of a different Kingdom! Even still, we must point out perhaps the most common danger for our generation of Christians: falling into the alluring trap of relevance. We all feel social pressure to connect with people and no one wants to be considered strange or elitist or judgmental or lame. Relevance draws us in with thoughts of, ‘everyone else watches it’ or ‘they won’t listen to me if we can’t relate over anything!’ However these arguments are just a rationalization for indulging our own desires. Walking this line of thinking and questioning, ‘how harmful can it be?’ minimizes God’s call to holiness. All of a sudden, Christians who are called to be the prophetic voice in the brokenness of a culture are participating in it along with the very people they’re trying to welcome into the Kingdom of God. What Then Are We To Do? So, we are not called to live separate from culture, but neither are we called to love it. But what then are we called to? We know that Jesus lived a radically pure and self-sacrificial life, yet he also entered into some of the most rejected and sinful subgroups of society. Somehow, he formed those places rather than being formed by them. Jesus was neither separate from, nor part of those cultures - he was countercultural . Gabe Lyons, in his book The Next Christians, points out that those who live counter-culturally like Jesus: “...see themselves as salt, preserving agents actively working for restoration in the middle of a decaying culture. ... They understand that by being restorers they fight against the cultural norms and often flow counter to the cultural tide. But they feel that, as Christians, they’ve been called to partner with God in restoring and renewing everything they see falling apart.” We are the salt of the earth, and our call is to be restorers and renewers. We must learn to discern what is good, what is not, and to pursue holiness. Sin Is Sin How do we enter into culture with the hope of redeeming it, yet not be swayed by it? The first and obvious point is to know and avoid sin. Not just the “large” sins, like murder/theft/adultery, but also the sins we consider not as dangerous. We may find ourselves indulging in things like watching or reading pornography, swearing, gossiping, or underage drinking. You may think underage drinking is no big deal, but when God tells you to obey laws, your underage drinking is not just casual – it is sin. Patrick Lencioni reminds us of the truth behind our worldly ranking of sins: “...which brings me to a powerful truth that I easily and often forget: every sin is a sin. None of it is good, and all of it, in every form, can corrupt us. I love the saying “whether a bird is tethered by a chain or a piece of twine, it still can’t fly.” We must face the fact that the secular world – the one that is the theater of the prince of darkness – will be happy to see us tied down by twine. It/he hopes that we will be falsely comforted by the idea that ‘it is only twine.’” This can be a hard truth to live out. The smaller sins seem so innocuous but we have to face the truth, even if every sin isn’t necessarily equal in earthly consequence, they all hold us back from the freedom that God desires for us. They lead to death, and we are called to repent of and cease them all . We can’t have our secret sins in the Kingdom of God. Living in the Kingdom of God means that we submit our lives, in every small decision, under the rule and reign of God. In other words, we don’t have the right to decide something is okay when God has said it isn’t. It’s as simple as that. But What If It’s Not Sin? There’s more than sin to confront in the question of how to consume culture, right? What about the gray areas? Hebrews 12:1 says to, “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Even if something is not a sin, it can hinder our accomplishment of the life Christ has called us to. Philippians 4:8-9 has the same encouragement with a positive spin: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Is the culture you are consuming helping you to think about true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable things? Or is it hindering you from running the race God has set before you? Maybe this needs to be more specific. Consider how these things may be forming you: Is that movie going to help you think of pure things? Is cursing helping your witness? Are hours alone playing video games or binge-watching shows drawing you into deeper community? Is the time you are spending on Instagram or TikTok forming you to look more like Jesus? These little things that we consider to be so inconsequential can actually begin to corrode our sense of God’s purpose and desire for our life. What if these small things, even more than the sins we can name, are holding us back from making an impact in our relationships and our community? Why It’s Worth It Reevaluating how we engage with our culture can have a positive impact on different aspects of our lives. In our relationship with God, it can help us to recognize and eliminate sin, ultimately leading to a greater sense of freedom and intimacy with the Lord. In our relationship with others, confronting our engagement with culture can help us to let go of behaviors that hinder our ability to form genuine connections and to love others as we are called to do. Finally, the way we engage with culture can also have a significant impact on our witness to the lost. When we choose to look different and live by God's standards, we demonstrate to the world that a life in Him is worth far more than a life in the world. This, in turn, can offer hope to others that there is something better than what they currently know. This is Jesus’ invitation to all of us, to live in the world but not to be formed by it. Jesus is inviting us to look beautifully different from the culture and in doing so, to live in a way that showcases the radiance of Christ to a world in desperate need of His eternal hope. Relevant Scriptures Psalm 141:4 ...Don’t let my heart be drawn to what is evil 1 Corinthians 3:19 ... For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight Colossians 2:8 ... See to it that no one takes you captive by empty deceit. Jeremiah 10:2 ... Do not learn the way of the nations. Questions For Discussion Where do you find yourself most tempted to look like the culture? What might be things that aren’t sin but fall under the “hindrance” category? What do you think it means to “take up your cross” on an average day? Have you ever been inspired by someone who lived differently from the rest of your friends/community? What was it about them that inspired you? Application: It is important to turn our understanding into actions. This week, fast from something you engage with regularly (TV, secular music, Instagram, TikTok) that you think may be hindering you from the race God has set before you. Fill that time with praying or reading His Word. When we refocus our brains on truth, these cultural lies or hindrances become more apparent and we can begin to submit our desires to the Holy Spirit’s transforming power! Recommended Reading: Beautiful Resistance by Jon Tyson Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons

Why We Forgive

By Chi Alpha • 22 Feb, 2023
Download Why We Forgive "Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18  How do you define forgiveness? Forgiveness is what exists in the gap between the standard God holds us to and the reality of our sin. “ Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy” (Micah 7:18-20). Then, in our human experience, forgiveness is the gap between the pure motives and actions that we desire of others, and the reality of how they fail to meet them. “ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). We have an axiom in Chi Alpha that says it this way: what God does in you, He wants to do through you. Forgiveness is a blessing we receive from God so that we can pass it on to others. God’s forgiveness in our lives is meant to expand our capacity for forgiveness to those who have wronged us. But what is forgiveness? Forgiveness is acknowledging that the other person hurt you, and yet offering them your mercy. You are turning over the debt slip they owe you into the hands of God. Forgiveness is saying, “you have hurt me, but the debt you owe me is gone - I will pay the cost as Christ paid the cost for me, and I will acknowledge that justice is His alone.” Our Enormous Debt Read the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21-35 The first servant owed 10,000 talents. Did you know that one talent was the equivalent of 15 years wages? That means the servant would have to work non-stop for 150,000 years to pay that back! Your salvation through Jesus on the cross was not just a gift; it was payment of your impossible debt. This parable compares our offenses against God to debt in order to help us understand our actions as currency in the kingdom of heaven. Remember, the King not only has the power to call us to pay our debt of disobedience, but also the right and duty to do so. He is the King, and I'm sure many of us, myself included, are guilty of treason, theft, slander of the King and his policies, insurrection, aligning with the enemy, and even claiming to be King. Sin always has a cost. Our Debt is Forgiven This servant owed his King 150,000 years' worth of wages, and yet the King showed mercy. Look at the wording - the servant asked for patience, right? But the King went above and beyond by canceling the debt instead of giving more time to pay it. The King knew the servant couldn't pay, and so he absorbed the debt himself. Another one of our Chi Alpha axioms is: when forgiveness is extended, someone must absorb the wound. This means someone lets the demand for payment end with them, carrying the cost themselves. And in this case, we see that the King is willing to bear even the most exorbitant debt, the deepest grievances. That's our King! “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Every morning, God’s mercies are new. This means every morning, we can be that servant looking at the King saying: “I know I’ve sinned. And your law explicitly says that the wages of sin is death. But will you have patience?” and He says, “not only patience, but I will cancel your debt. I will pay it myself. I will absorb the cost.” And He did, on the cross. So, not surprisingly, when the King hears of the servant He had just pardoned abusing other servants for their debt, He is incredulous! He says, “shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” In the Kingdom of God, mercy begets mercy. Consider this: when we hold a grudge against our offender, we are essentially putting them in a prison where they are unable to repay the debt we feel they owe, just like the unmerciful servant did to his debtor. We have already sentenced them to the jail of judgment in your mind. When we talk badly about those who have hurt us to others, we are grabbing them by the throat and leaving bruises on their reputation. We are cutting off their ability to respond and instead replacing it with our own pronounced condemnation. Yet the Lord says, “Love keeps no record of wrongs”, and offers us a clean slate. What wrongs are you keeping a hidden record of while rejoicing that your slate is clean? Forgiveness Inspires a Reaction Now to be clear, Jesus is not implying causality in this parable. He is not trying to scare us into forgiving others for the sake of securing our own forgiveness. Jesus tells us that we must forgive “from the heart” (Matthew 18:35). Instead, Jesus is emphasizing a significant point: if you have received mercy, you will want to offer mercy. If you have been forgiven, you will want to learn to forgive. The unmerciful servant did not personally receive the Lord’s forgiveness. Look back at what he says when he first encounters the king, he says, “Be patient with me, and I will pay back everything.” We know that the King has canceled the debt, but the servant never seemed to understand. He is frantically scraping together pennies to repay an impossible sum, trying to justify himself. Doesn’t that sound hopeless? It is no wonder he is resentful and hostile to someone who is just like him - a sinner in need of mercy. Are you living in the forgiveness that God has offered you, or are you still living as someone with a large debt to pay? Perhaps the person you need to forgive right now isn't your neighbor; maybe it's yourself. Jesus has already offered forgiveness. Have you accepted it, or are you still punishing yourself? Are you still carrying the burden of your sin, trying to earn your way back into the graces of the King? Are you still justifying yourself based on the shortcomings and debts of others? Are you withholding forgiveness over a small offense, when you have been forgiven so much? Who are you struggling to forgive? Are you (whether physically or metaphorically) standing like a king above someone else and demanding they ask for your patience, and respect your power over them, instead of showing them mercy and pointing them to the King who pays all debts? The Question You Have Been Wanting to Ask Does this mean that forgiving is abandoning justice? Honestly, some of us won’t see vengeance on this side of heaven.Our worldly justice system is just a shadow of the heart of God. He looks at what someone did to His beloved child and He desires justice for it more than we can imagine! We all will appear before the King and will be called to pay our own account. On that day that person will have to face the punishment they justly deserve before the King who has the power and right to exact it, or they will be forgiven because of their faith in Jesus, just as you have been forgiven. Either way, justice will come. Whether it comes at the final judgment, or on the Cross, God’s justice is secure. This is why we can have true peace when we allow these debt slips to pass from our hands and into the hand of our just and merciful King. When you forgive as a Christian, you can rest knowing that justice ultimately will be served, no matter what. Relevant Scriptures 1 John 1:9. " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us...” Matthew 18:35 “ ... unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 6:14-15 " ...if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” Daniel 9:9 " The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled...” Questions for Discussion ● What do you think is the difference between acknowledging you’ve been hurt (as in the definition of forgiveness) and excusing it? ● What do you think it means to “absorb the wound”? ● What is the most difficult aspect of forgiveness for you? How does this parable address that difficulty? ● Why does forgiving not mean that you have to give up on justice? Recommended Resource If you feel like you need to forgive someone today, if you want the freedom of giving over the debt slip you’ve clenched in your hands and heart over to God, the resource Forgiveness on our website walks us through how to forgive. May the Lord give you peace and freedom from your hurts!
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