It seems that images of forgiveness are very limited in our culture.

Some people think of Jesus on the cross, saying "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Some people think of Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son. Other people are at a loss to come up with any image for forgiveness.
Suppose you were at the beach and asked, just using your finger to draw a picture of forgiveness, what would you draw?
Suppose you were given a container of crayons and asked to draw a picture of forgiveness.
What would you draw? What colors would you use? Would anyone else really recognize that your drawing was specifically about forgiveness?
If we had more images for forgiveness in our culture which people could readily identify as such, would there be more forgiveness itself?

Draw an image of forgiveness!RETURN TO TOP
Stop right now and draw one at your desk. Use that imagination.

John 8:2 NIV At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group4 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"6 They were using this question as him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."RETURN TO TOP
This story is a picture of forgiveness.

v8 - Jesus wrote in the sand.
You ever?
Katagrapho - here only in the NT. Only time there is any mention of Jesus writing anything down. And it could mean that He drew a picture.
I wonder if He drew a picture of forgiveness. I wonder if those men knew what it meant. They didn't know what it meant when they saw picture of God's forgiveness at the cross.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FORGIVE? RETURN TO TOP

I think the meaning of forgiveness is just as fuzzy as our modern images of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is a judicial term.
Although I hold a note against someone - I make a decision to tear it up instead of declaring it due and payable.

Tetelastia: it is finished - like at the cross

It's what God does.


Do people really owe us? Yes. They have sinned against us by dominating us and by living against us, without us, under us, off of us, for us, or in spite of us.


All have sinned and fallen short.

Most people have neither the means nor the will to pay us back - that leaves it up to us to remove the debt from the books.


Psa 103:12 He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.RETURN TO TOP

There is an Asian legend about two monks who vowed to abstain from all earthly temptation. They understood this would mean they would never have any contact with females.
One day as they walked back to the monastery, it began to rain and the streets were transformed into muddy canals. As the monks came to the corner, a young girl in a beautiful kimono stood helpless, unable to cross the road. One of the monks impulsively picked her up and carried her across.
The other monk was furious. They walked in silence to the gate of the monastery. Finally the angry monk let it out - reminding his brother monk of his promise. How he blatantly broken his vow and demanded and explanation.
The monk who had done the deed replied, "I put her down way back there. You're the one who seems to still be carrying her!"


Norm Wright; "Forgiveness involves letting go."


Remember playing tug of war? ( Acted out)
As long as the parties keep tugging there is war. But when one lets go, the war is over.
When you forgive... you are letting go of your end of the rope. No matter how hard he may tug on the other end, if you have released your end, the war is over for you.

So forgiveness is letting go - no longer holding a note - declaring it no longer due and payable.


WHAT FORGIVENESS IS NOT
RETURN TO TOP

IT IS NOT FORGETTING, IGNORING, DENYING, OR PRETENDING.

God says be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matt 10:16 RETURN TO TOP
That means we need to learn who is trustworthy and who is not.

Forgiving is not forgetting.

"The stupid neither forgive nor forget, the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive, but they do not forget."


19th century German philosopher Schopenhauer who put it this way, "To forgive and forget means to throw away dearly bought experience."


If I forgot how could I ever help you when you hurt the same way?


2 Cor 1:3-4 LB What a wonderful God we have--he is and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. RETURN TO TOP



It is not acquittal.


Acquittal says the person didn't do anything wrong.

- it requires lying about the pain, requires denial, and acting as if the hurt never happened.


Jesus never calls to mind what you did wrong, but He still has the scars from the nails.


Zec 12:10 that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him,RETURN TO TOP

John 20:27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing." RETURN TO TOP


Forgiveness IS offering the other person a pardon. The governor calls ....


Garrison Kellior's observation in Lake Wobegon about the townspeople: "although you recited the Lord's Prayer every Sunday you did remember your debtors and managed not to speak to certain people..."


Forgiveness is offering a pardon.

Love ... keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Cor 13:5 NIV RETURN TO TOP


It is not necessarily reconciliation.


Genuine forgiveness always has reconciliation as its GOAL, but it is not always attained.

God settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other....God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you. The Message; Read 2Cor 5:12-21


• Forgiveness is personal - on the inside.
• Reconciliation is different - it includes the other person. It requires them to be involved in the process. What the other person does is beyond your control.
  
  

God wants everyone to be saved... Jesus gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.
1 Tim 2:4,6 NLT RETURN TO TOP


That can be painful, but that is part of love.

Love does not demand its own way. 1 Cor 13:5 NLT


Love and forgiveness - allows for a letting go, even if it hurts. That is what God does.

Forgiveness is NOT instantaneous.


On the back of you're the paper you drew the picture, think of

• a big hurt
• a small hurt
• an in between size hurt
  
  

It is a process, that begins with a decision.
It is a decision to free ourselves from the chains of bitterness and revenge - even though we may not feel like it.


Forgiveness means we chose to walk toward grace, freedom and peace of mind.
I still have to walk through the emotional consequences of the wrong done to me - pain, resentment and confusion. BUT - and here is the good part - forgiveness has a miraculous effect: not only are you freed when I offer you pardon, but I am set free also.
After a period of time the hurt will no longer affect my relationship with you.
I will remember it, and have to deal with the consequences - but it will not longer own me.


I will have "put it down," as the monk said.



Let us pray:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

 
 Recommended Source Material for this Series:  The Power of Love by David and Janet Congo, Moody Press
 
  RETURN TO TOP

NEXT IN SERIES