Author's note: the following article is used by permission from the book, Sacred Treasures; Broken Clay. Grace in the Extreme by this author. A few comments.
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He attempted to pull it out — but could not. He cried aloud, he shrieked, he prayed — but all in vain — no one heard him! So the tide came rolling in, and rose up higher and higher until it rolled over him and drowned his last gurgling cry in its remorseless waters. In the same ruthless way — sin clutches men! Even one sin, one secret sin, one evil habit — may hold the soul that indulges it — until the floods of judgment come and roll over it, engulfing it in eternal damnation! What is it for you to be a Christian?
We ought to seek to gather in this world — treasure that we can carry with us through death's gates, and into the eternal world. We should strive to build into our lives — qualities that shall endure. Men slave and work to get a little money , or to obtain honor , or power , or to win an earthly crown — but when they pass into the great vast forever , they take nothing of all this with them!
Yet there are things — virtues, fruits of character, graces — which men do carry with them out of this world. What a man IS — he carries with him into the eternal world. Money and rank and pleasures and earthly gains — he leaves behind him; but his character, he takes with him into eternity! This suggests at once, the importance of character and character-building. Character is not what a man professes to be — but what he really IS, as God sees him. A man may not be as good as his reputation.
A good reputation may hide an evil heart and life. Reputation is not character. Reputation is what a man's neighbors and friends think of him; character is what the man IS. Christ's character is the model, the ideal, for every Christian life. We are to be altogether like Him; therefore all of life's aiming and striving should be towards Christ's blessed beauty. His image we find in the Gospels. We can look at it every day. We can study it in its details, as we follow our Lord in His life among men, in all the variations of experience through which He passed. A little Christian girl was asked the question, " What is it for you to be a Christian?
And there is scarcely any experience of life — for which we cannot find something in Christ's life to instruct us.
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We can find the traits and qualities of His life, as they shine out in His contact. The next thing, when we have the vision of Christ before us, is to get it implanted into our own life. We cannot merely dream ourselves into godly manhood or womanhood; we must forge for ourselves, with sweat and anguish, the beautiful visions of Christ-likeness which we find on the Gospel pages!
It will cost us self-discipline, oftentimes anguish, as we must deny ourselves, and cut off the things we love. SELF must be crucified. It is not easy to become a godly man, a Christlike man. We do not have to be crucified on pieces of wood! We are taught to present our bodies, as a living sacrifice unto God.
Ancient offerings were brought to the altar, and presented dead. But the Christian sacrifice, instead of being poured out in a bloody oblation, is to be a living sacrifice of service, of love, of devotion. The great sacrifice of Christ is both the model for all Christian life, and also its inspiration. We look at His six hours on the cross — as if that were its only act and expression.
But the cross was not endured by Christ merely during those six hours on Calvary; it was in all His life, in every day and hour of it. Everything He did was in love, and love is always a living sacrifice. He was always sacrificing Himself. On Calvary, He only wrote the word out in capitals! The cross stands not merely for the sufferings of Christ endured in redeeming sinners — but also for the law of love and of sacrifice in every department of Christian living.
It is not enough to have the cross on our churches, as a symbol of redemption; or to wear it as an ornament around our neck; the cross must be in the heart — and manifested in the life! We talk a great deal about the love of Christ — but we must strive to illustrate it and reproduce in our own lives, in our own measure — the sweetness, the charity, the kindness and the helpfulness of Jesus Christ. The cross is everywhere.
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The more of the 'sacrificial' quality we get into our life — the diviner and the lovelier our life will be. We do not have to be crucified on pieces of wood — to bear a cross, and make a living sacrifice. The cross must be in the lives of those who follow Christ; not branded on their bodies — but wrought into their character, their disposition, their conduct, their spirit! We cannot live a Christian life for a day, without coming to points of sacrifice.
The cross of Christ does not take our own cross from us — Christ does not bear our cross for us. His cross becomes the law of our life, and makes it all sacrificial. Every sacrificial thing we do, reveals the cross. The Beatitudes are all sacrificial. No one can live the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians, and not crucify self continually.
All sacrifice at length, blossoms into Christlike beauty, sweetness and joy. I lay all my plans at Your feet. Whatever work You have for me to do — give it into my hands. If there are those You would have me help in any way — send them to me, or send me to them. Take my time — and use it just as You will. Just so, we do not know how much we are indebted to our sufferings and sorrows. Our richest lessons — are the fruit of pain, of weakness, of sorrow. There is not one of us who has not his own thorn.
With one it may be a bodily infirmity or weakness. With another it is some disfigurement which cannot be removed. It may be some difficulty in circumstances, something which makes it hard to live beautifully. The Master told Paul that his thorn was necessary to him — to save him from becoming proud.
We may think of our thorn , too — as something we need. Instead of allowing it to irritate us or to spoil our life — its mission is to make us sweet, patient, loving. Many people beseech the Lord to take away their thorn. Yet it may be, that the prayer is not answered, will not be answered, should not be answered. It may be, that the thorn is necessary to keep them humble at God's feet. God sends some of our best blessings to us in our thorns , and it will be a sad thing if we thrust them away and miss them. Yet, after all, that is the test which every life must endure.
It is not enough to have human commendation. The question is — how do we stand before God? How does our life appear — to Him? It does not matter how men praise and commend us — if God sees that we are living wrong. The Pharisees were righteous before men; but if you would see how they stood in God's eye, read the twenty-third chapter of Matthew. We are in reality — just what we are before God — nothing less, nothing more.
The question we should always ask ourselves is, "What does God think of me? We should live just as purely and beautifully in secret — as in the glare of the world's gaze. There really is no such thing as secrecy in this world. We imagine that no eye is looking — when we are not in the presence of men. But really, we always have a spectator ; we are living all our life in the presence of God Himself! We should train ourselves, therefore, to work for the Divine eye in all that we do, that our work may stand the Divine inspection, and that we may have the approval and commendation of God Himself.
The purpose of the Bible "All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness — so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. The Bible alone is the Word of God. Holy men wrote it as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
There are other good books in the world — but none like the Word of God. We ought to read the Bible reverently — since God speaks to us in its pages. We ought to believe it — for His Word must be absolutely true. We should obey it — since what God commands must be right. We may yield our whole life to its influence — to be guided and fashioned by it. Scripture is profitable for teaching — that is, for instruction in all matters that concern life. It is profitable for rebuking — it shows us our sins, our follies, our mistakes. It is profitable for correcting — to bring us back from wrong ways to right ways.
It is profitable for training in righteousness — it gives us instruction for all true and beautiful living. If we follow it in everything — it will show us the right way, it will reveal to us the perfect ideal of Christian character, it will inspire us to holy living. Am I like Jesus — or not? Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.
Serving is not an easy lesson to learn. But it is a lesson which we must learn — if ever we would become like our Master. Jesus did not come to be served — but to serve. He served to the uttermost, just as He loved to the uttermost. Any service that needed to be done for another — He did as naturally and as simply as He breathed! He loved people, and was interested in them and was ready always to be helpful to them. It never mattered what the service was, whether it was the saving of a soul, the curing of a grievous sickness, or washing feet — He did the least service — as graciously and as divinely as the greatest!
The washing of feet was the lowliest service any man could do for another. It was the work of the lowliest slave. Yet Jesus without hesitation, did this service for His own disciples. Thus He taught them that nothing anyone may ever need to have done by another — is unfit for the holiest hands. We begin to be like Christ — only when we begin to love others enough to serve them, regardless of the lowliness of the particular service. One day a stranger entered an artist's studio in Milan. The artist was working on a painting of the head of Christ and appeared to take no notice of the stranger.
At last he broke the silence, looked at the man and asked, "Sir, does it look like Jesus — or not? There is no surer test of the genuineness of Christian life — than in this matter of serving others. In serving others, we should inquire, " Am I like Jesus — or not? When we see the Son of God washing His disciples' feet — we should be ashamed ever to ask whether anything another may need to have done — is too menial for us to do.
A king may do the lowliest kindness to the poorest peasant in his realm — and his honor will only be enhanced by it. For I have given you an example that you also should do, just as I have done for you. Many of our purposes are thwarted. We desire to do good and beautiful things, and we try — but our actual achievements fall far below our desires. Our clumsy hands cannot fashion the loveliness which our hearts dream of. Our faltering weakness cannot do the brave things our souls aspire to do. No artist ever paints on his canvas — all the beauty of his ideal.
No singer ever expresses — all the music which burns within him as he sings. No eloquent orator ever utters — all that he feels as he pleads for truth or for justice. So in all our life — we do only a little of what we strive to do. We set out in the morning with purposes of usefulness, of true living, of gentle-heartedness, of patience, of victoriousness; but in the evening we find only little fragments of these good intentions actually wrought out!
But God's plans and intentions are all carried out! No power can withstand Him — or frustrate His will. It was in this thought, that Job found peace in his long, sore trial: Our God is infinitely strong. In all earthly confusions, strifes, and troubles — His hand moves, bringing good out of evil for those who trust in Him. He executes all His purposes of good.
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He is never hindered in blessing His children. God's threshing "You will have tribulation in this world. It comes from a root which means 'a flail'. The thresher uses the flail to beat the wheat sheaves, that he may separate the golden wheat from the chaff and straw. Tribulation is God's threshing — not to destroy us, but to get what is good, heavenly, and spiritual in us — separated from what is wrong, earthly, and fleshly. Nothing less than blows of pain will do this. The golden wheat of goodness in us, is so closely wrapped up in the strong chaff of sin — that only the heavy flail of suffering can produce the separation!
Many of us would never enter the gates of pearl — were it not for this unwelcome messenger, pain! It is not easy to be a man! Christ is more than a teacher. A teacher shows us lofty qualities and attainments — and then leaves us in hopeless weakness in the dust. He shows us what true manliness is — and then comes into our life and inspires us to strive after the things which He commends; and then breathes His life into us to help us to be what He teaches us to be. It is not easy to be a man — a true, noble, Christlike man. It means continual struggle, for enemies of manliness meet us at every step!
Every inch of the way must be won in battle. It means constant restraint and repression of sin — for the 'old man' in us must be subdued and kept under control. It means constant, painful discipline — for the powers of nature are evil and unruly, and hard to tame and control. It means unending toil and self-denial — for we must climb ever upward , and the way is steep and rugged, and SELF must be trampled to death under our feet as we rise to higher life!
It is hard to be a true man — for all the odds seem against us. You say you want to be like Christ "The Son of Man did not come to be served — but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many! Just so, the whole life of Christ is photographed in one little phrase , "not to be served — but to serve. He came not to be served; if this had been His aim — He would never have left heaven's glory, where He lacked nothing, where angels praised Him and ministered unto Him. He came to serve. He went about doing good. He altogether forgot Himself.
He served all He met — who would receive His service. At last He gave His life in uttermost service — giving it as a sin-atoning sacrifice for others. He came not to be served — but to serve. You say you want to be like Christ. You ask Him to print His own image on your heart. Here, then is the image! It is no vague dream of perfection that we are to think of — when we ask to be made like Christ. The Catholic monks thought that they were becoming like Christ — when they went into the wilderness, away from men, to live in cold cells. But that is not the what this picture suggests.
Instead of fleeing away from the world — we are to live among men, to serve them, to seek to bless them, to do them good, to give our life for them! A needed book "I have put my hope in Your Word. It is full of inspiration, light, help and strength for earth's weary ones.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy — making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right — giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant — giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure — enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more desirable than gold — even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey — even honey dripping from the comb. By them is Your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. The grace of gentleness "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me — for I am gentle and humble in heart. There is nothing that this sad, sorrowing, sinning world needs — more than gentleness; like that of Him of whom it is written, that He would not break a bruised reed. We need to pray for the grace of gentleness that we may walk softly among men, never hurting another life by harsh word or ungentle act.
Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. It is a shameful list which Paul names. It makes us ashamed to think that such qualities may belong to us — or may nest in our heart! Who would have thought that any these vile things could exist in anyone who wears the human form! Yet many of these ugly things are found in each of us! Our hearts are naturally cages of unclean birds!
What does Paul tell us we should do with these unholy things? He says we are to put them to death. When we find any evil thing in ourselves, we must kill it, for it is not right for it to live. An uncompromising war should be waged against all evil. He who cherishes any impurity in himself — is nursing a viper which will sting him to death by and by!
The way to obtain the help of God "I have had God's help to this very day , and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. They had been years of toilsome life, amid enemies and dangers; but the heroic old apostle had never given up, never faltered, never turned aside. It was a great record — but he takes no praise to himself. The help came from God — for all these years of faithful witnessing. Many Christians fear that they will not be able to stand faithful and true to the end.
Here is an encouraging word for all such: They shall obtain help from God for every duty, for every hour of danger, for every struggle. They need only to be faithful day by day, doing the day's duty quietly, and trusting God. This help will come from Him, silently, secretly, just as it is needed, always sufficient grace — so that they shall be able to stand faithful year after year. God never puts a burden on us — without giving us the strength we need to carry it. The way to obtain the help of God — is to go faithfully and promptly forward in the way of duty, asking for the help, and sure of getting it.
It will not come if we wait to get it before we set out to do His will. It is supposed that the name was given them in mockery or contempt by the heathen people of Antioch. But the name stuck, and is now used universally to describe those who follow Christ. It may not be the very best of names. Perhaps disciples is better — disciples means learners, followers. We should all be disciples of Christ and should ever be learning of Him, growing in grace and likeness of Him as we follow Him.
Perhaps believers is a better name. It carries in itself the thought that we are saved by believing on Christ. It is faith which works the victories in this world. Perhaps followers would be better. To follow Christ is to receive Him as Master and to cling to Him in obedience and devotion wherever we may go. But the word "Christian," given at Antioch as a sneer — is now used everywhere. It is full of meaning. Those who are Christians should be like Christ — "little Christs". They should represent Christ in the world. Those who see them — should see the image of Christ in them!
Matthew Henry says, "Hitherto the followers of Christ were called disciples, that is, learners, scholars; but from that time they were called Christians. The proper meaning of this name is, a follower of Christ; it denotes one who, from serious thought, embraces the religion of Christ, believes His promises, and makes it his chief care to shape his life by Christ's precepts and example.
Hence it is plain that multitudes take the name of Christian — to whom it does not rightly belong! But the name without the reality — will only add to our guilt. While the bare profession will bestow neither profit nor delight, the possession of it will give both the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. In the midst of all the wild scene — Stephen fell asleep!
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. He knew it was not death — but life , which was before him. His body was being mangled and broken — but his spirit, his real self, could not be harmed. Beyond the strange mystery of death — Jesus waits to receive the departing spirit. Death is only a gateway through which the soul passes — and then life and glory burst upon the vision of the emancipated spirit!
Very beautiful is the picture of death which is given here: What a picture of peace the word suggests, right here in the heart and fury of the mob! We think of a tired child creeping into the mother's bosom and falling asleep. Sleep is not a terrible experience; it is nothing to be dreaded. We sleep when we are weary — and we awake refreshed.
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Sleep is not the cessation of life. We expect to awake, after we have slept. As we part for the night, we do not say, "Farewell," but "Goodnight," for we expect to meet again in the morning. This beautiful Scriptural designation of death tells us, therefore, of life beyond, of resurrection, of immortality. We shall awake from this sleep of death — and our life shall go on again.
We shall awake refreshed, lying down weary — and rising strong; lying down sick, or old, or deformed, or worn-out — and rising well, young and radiant in heavenly beauty! After you are dead? Did you ever sit down quietly and seriously consider where you will be, and what you will be — after you are dead?
Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world! Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels! The lawyer could not help answering, "The one who showed mercy to him. When we have heard and seen — we must go out and DO the good things which are so beautiful, which our judgment commends.
It is not enough for the artist to have lovely visions in his mind — he must get his visions on the canvas , where they will be blessings to the world. It is a precious privilege to look at noble lives and to read heavenly counsels. But we must reproduce in disposition, in act, in character, in our own lives — the excellent things we read. Now we have read and understand the story of the Good Samaritan. Is that all we need to do? We must, "Go — and DO likewise! You say that you want to be like Christ The art of photography is now so advanced, that a whole page of a newspaper can be taken in miniature so small — as to be carried on a little button, and yet every letter and point be perfect.
Just so, the whole life of Christ is photographed in this one little phrase, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve , and to give His life as a ransom for many. He served all He met, who would receive His service. At last He gave His life in serving — He gave it to save others, to redeem lost souls. You say that you want to be like Christ. Here then, is the image: The old monks thought that they were becoming like Christ — when they went into the wilderness, away from men, to live in cold cells.
But surely, such a dream of uselessness is not the thought which this picture suggests. Instead of fleeing away from people — we are to live with others, to serve them, to live for them, to seek to bless them, to do them good, to give our lives for them — that is the meaning of the prayer for Christ-likeness. We begin at the lowest grade " Learn from Me — for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
We are only beginners when we first become Christians, and enter Christ's school. We begin at the lowest grade. We do not have to wait until we know a great deal before we begin to attend school. School is not for finished scholars — but for the most ignorant. We may come to Christ when we know almost nothing. He is the teacher — and all believers are learners. It will probably take us a good long while to learn this lesson — but we must learn it because it is in Christ's curriculum for all His students.
Contentment is another lesson which we must learn. When he was well along in life, Paul said, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. Patience is a lesson that has to be learned. An impatient person is not a complete Christian. Thoughtfulness is a necessary lesson. There are a great many thoughtless Christians. They are always blundering in their interactions with others. They say the wrong word, they do the wrong thing. They are always hurting other people's feelings, giving pain to gentle hearts. Yet it is all from thoughtlessness.
I didn't mean to be unkind. I just never thought! We have to learn to trust. Worry is a sin. It is probably as great a sin as dishonesty or profanity or bad temper. Yet a good many Christian people worry — and one of the most important lessons in Christ's school, is to learn not to worry. Kindness is a lesson we must learn. It takes many years to learn the one little lesson of kindness. Joy is a lesson to be learned. Humility is another necessary lesson.
Praise is a great lesson. All of life is a school , and it is in learning these lessons — that Jesus says we shall find rest for your souls. Christ Himself is our teacher, and with Him we should never fail to learn, though it be only slowly. Then as we learn our lessons , our lives will grow continually more and more into quietness, peace and Christlikeness. Their religion was all a pious farce!
Go to Gilgal and sin yet more! Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three years. Burn leavened bread as a thank offering and brag about your freewill offerings — boast about them, you Israelites, for this is what you love to do! Bethel was their place of worship — but every time they came there, they sinned because their worship was sin. Instead of bowing before the true God and adoring Him, they bowed before idols and gave them the honor which belonged to God alone. The more devout they were, therefore, the more they dishonored the Lord.
Their great zeal, as shown in their sacrifices and tithes and free-will offerings, only multiplied their sin and heaped up sorer judgment against them! Their religion was all a pious farce , and the more there was of it — the more of an abomination it was unto God. God cannot be pleased with mere forms of worship and with ceremonials. The more we multiply these, the more do we grieve Him — if our heart is not in them. We may say that we have no idols now in our churches; but are we sure of this? Do we truly worship God in our church services?
When we sing the hymns — are our hearts fixed upon God? When we pray — are we really talking to God? When we confess sins — is the confession sincere? When we sit in God's house — are we truly in God's presence, breathing out our heart's love and worship to Him? If not, what or whom are we adoring, praising, worshiping? Empty religious forms — must have some idol at the heart of them! The prophet told them very plainly what was in their hearts.
You love to make a great display in your religion. This display of piety — is just to your taste. You like to cover up your sins — with forms of worship, appearing as saints before the world, though in secret cherishing and practicing all manner of wickedness! This is God's own picture of these ancient 'worshipers'. We need to look honestly at it — to see if it is OUR picture. God looks at the heart! No external appearances are of any value — unless they are genuine expressions of what is in the heart! Pirate ships carry reputable flags — to cover their dishonorable character.
Religious hypocrisy often puts at its masthead, the colors of devout saintliness. But God cannot be deceived. The object in putting these verses in the Bible. When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals — is that not wrong? The Jewish law required that every sacrifice offered unto God, must be without blemish. No lame, blind, or diseased animal would be accepted. It was an insult to God to bring to His altar anything that was maimed, blemished or worthless. Zoo Zoom Gourmet Chef Challenge: House of Deadlock Gravely Silent: Pandemic Pandemonium Grave Mania: Lost in Mountains Great Adventures: Da Vinci Great Secrets: Nostradamus Great Wall of Words Greed: Old Enemies Returning Greed: Fun on the Farm Griddlers: A Deadly Dowry Grim Facade: A Wealth of Betrayal Grim Facade: Hidden Sins Grim Facade: Monster in Disguise Grim Facade: Mystery of Venice Grim Facade: Sinister Obsession Grim Facade: The Artist and the Pretender Grim Facade: The Cost of Jealousy Grim Facade: The Message Grim Facade: The Red Cat Grim Facade: The Forsaken Bride Grim Legends: Song of the Dark Swan Grim Legends 2: The Dark City Grim Legends 3: Bloody Mary Grim Tales: Color of Fright Grim Tales: Crimson Hollow Grim Tales: Graywitch Collector's Edition Grim Tales: The Bride Grim Tales: The Final Suspect Grim Tales: The Heir Grim Tales: The Legacy Grim Tales: The Stone Queen Grim Tales: The Time Traveler Grim Tales: The Vengeance Grim Tales: The White Lady Grim Tales: The Wishes Grim Tales: Threads of Destiny Grim Tales: Threads of Destiny Collector's Edition Grimville: The Gift of Darkness Guardians of Beyond: Witchville Guardians of Beyond: Witchville Collector's Edition Guardians of Magic: Amanda's Awakening Gummy Drop!
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What this young man needs more than anything else, to truly cure the anger and hatred in his soul, is to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, This young man is spiritually dead and needs to be made spiritually alive. Look no further than young, religiously radical Saul who tried to destroy the early church. God saved that angry heart and remade it and Paul was born from above.
This young man on the run still has an eternal soul. It is easy for us to be enveloped by the same anger, even hatred that enveloped these two young men. The desire for justice for them is righteous and is part of the character of God for God is just. If, however, we descend into their hatred we err as the answer to their hatred is not more of the same from us.
We cannot forget that we are all sinners condemned to death in Hell. Christ is our redemption, the satisfaction of our sins; he bore on his body the rightful deserving of our sin and alienation from a holy God. We may not be terrorists or murders in action but the Sermon on the Mount made it clear that murder starts in our hearts. We need the same cure, the rebirth of our soul, the being born again or being born from above. The hope of the world is Jesus Christ; He is the final answer. The young terrorist that survives is in a prison of the soul far more secure and impenetrable than any man could build, a heart alienated from God and human beings.
Where is the line in the sand where one side signifies Grace and the other where Grace can never abide? Can I sin so much, perhaps lead so many astray, causing them to doubt faith that I am beyond the pale, beyond redemption? It would amaze most to know that there is evidence that before he was murdered Jeffrey Dahmer came to Christ. From a human standpoint it is easy for us to think God could not redeem this monster but these are the limitations we make. Grace has a way of making the most unexpected appearances.
God chooses to show his love and ability to rebuild and restore lives. What we see in the life of Paul the apostle, is the willingness of God to take the raw material of those who trample under feet His word and cause suffering and create grace-filled works of spiritual art. In spite of the suffering that Paul caused in the early Church God chose to metamorphosize Saul the persecutor and make him Paul the apostle. The glory of the latter life of Paul does not negate the true evil that he inflicted on believers in his pre-Christian days.
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We need either to, at some time, forgive others or desperately need others to forgive us. People are not able to transverse this life without giving or taking offense. Others scar us and we scar them and this is the constant human condition. We both crave close emotional and physical proximity, as a rule, but we are also often, conditioned by our personal history, to avoid it all together, or approach with extreme caution. As painful as the cost of forgiveness can be, we cannot be whole as people or society unless we stand willing to give it where it is needed.
Unforgiven offense does not necessarily poison the offender, but it will without fail, poison the heart and body of the offended. Un-forgiveness is a brutal and punishing task-master. Forgiveness on the human level is itself an intimate act most often granted, person to person. In the Anglican tradition after the Confession of Sin, a corporate recital of our sin guilt and responsibility, the priest grants a corporate forgiveness applied to individuals from the Father, a vertical transaction.
Corporate confession is important as was the corporate confession of racial responsibility for slavery by the Southern Baptist Convention. When my brother offends me specifically however, or I offend him, the transaction is horizontal, between my brother or sister and I and it is a private matter between us and God. So this transaction is truly both vertical and horizontal. The inevitable question comes: What if the offense is too great, the wound, too deep?
What if the crime takes the offended beyond the boundaries of forgiveness to where it is no longer possible? What if…the cost of forgiveness is too much? Never assume the inevitable question as we call it is rhetorical for in this broken world humans will receive horrific offense at the hands of others.
All too often the totally broken people of this world work to break those around them. Those emotional wounds dare not be ignored no more than the physical ones. How are those wounds tended to? You cannot put an emotional band-aide on an emotional cut that lays the skin open to the bone. In the realm of forgiveness, there is this which is impossible with man but, mercifully, is possible with God. We must receive the penitent prodigal; yet forgiveness is not predicated on penitence. Indeed the balm of forgiveness is applied in the most unnatural to we humans at least of situations and to the most unlikely of recipients.
Forgiveness does not equate to restoration of full fellowship.