The
apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” Luke 17:5
We
all love to see justice done. It's satisfying to see in movies the
unjust receiving their fitting recompense. It is inherent within us
to want to see due process dispensed. But we hate it when grace
enters the picture. It's dirt cheap. It isn't right. It isn't fair.
Jesus
spoke many times about forgiving. He told His disciples if someone
sins against you seven times in the day and comes back seven times in
the day and says “I repent”, you must
forgive
him (Luke 17:4). He didn't say “It's OK to feel offended and nurse
bitterness until our offender meets our requirement for justice. You
must forgive every time.
The
disciples were stunned at this saying. Their first response was
“Lord, increase our faith!” and rightly so, for only through the help of His Holy Spirt can we do it. Some might think
Jesus didn't specifically say it was a command so we can skate
this one. How can any direction Jesus Christ gives not be considered
a command? When He told of His coming death on the cross, Peter took
Him aside and rebuked Him saying “Not so, Lord!” (Matthew 16:22
KJV). How could he say “Not so Lord” if He is Lord? When the King
speaks, His subjects obey. There are no 'buts' in forgiveness.
There
is no biblical prohibition that it's OK to “feel that way”, but
there is no verse anywhere in the Bible that tells us to do that. We
can, and should, work through our hurts and offenses. Our heavenly
Father wants us to. However, the greatest risk in 'feeling that way' is laying bitterness
right next to that throbbing wound, pushing any hope of grace and
forgiveness out of the picture. Forgiveness salves any wounds. How serious is it to forgive? Jesus
said if we do not forgive the sins of others God will not forgive us ours (Matthew
6:14-15).
If
someone sins against you seven times in a day and comes to you seven
times in that day and says “I repent”, will you hesitate to
forgive? Or will you say “Lord Jesus, increase my faith!”? The
answer leaves no wiggle room. As much as we love laying blame and the penalty
on those who have hurt us, Jesus says to forgive. In this He left us
only one answer and one way, and it is grace and forgiveness. When it
comes to forgiving another, grace trumps Justice every time.
Ken
