Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday May 13, 2009

A letter in response to an earlier program on the subject of forgiveness focused on the concept of "having enough remorse to deserve forgiveness." This idea of deserving forgiveness is one major error among God's people.

In a study of the concept and practice of giving forgiveness it is near impossible to fail to notice several levels of forgiveness on the part of the forgiver. Tragically most Christians never rise above a basic level, and therefore never enter the joy of the highest level, the exemplary level demonstrated for instance by Jesus Christ and of all people, among others, Esau. You are aware that the primary reason for Christian forgiveness is to be carried out by the offended, the victim, not on any merit of the offender, but on the basis of Christ having paid for the sins of others against us through His sacrifice on Calvary.

Paul clearly lays the outline of giving forgiveness when he states in Ephesians 4:32:

"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Luke records the utterance of Christ on the cross, Luke 23:34:

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

It is common for victims to say, "Oh, yes, but that was Jesus and He is God in flesh. I can't be expected to forgive on that level." How much do you want to bet? Paul already gave the answer in Eph. 4:32: "As God for Christ's sake…"

We know from the Old and New Testament that Esau lived and died a reprobate concerning the faith. He was a bitter womanizer and never repented, though he often wept bitter tears over his chosen lifestyle. Yet he did something that shames modern Christians.

What did Jacob ever do to give Esau any reason to forgive him for taking advantage of his weakness? The only thing I can find that Jacob ever did concerning his cheating Esau was to live in fear of the consequences of his actions. Yet in the meeting between Esau and Jacob some thirty years after the instant offense, Esau comes out as the paragon of giving forgiveness. Why do we who claim such holiness permit a bitter whoremonger to outdo us in one of the most Christlike actions possible for a human to emulate? When you set someone free through Christ forgiveness, the one set free is in reality you.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2009 Use with credit

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