Receivers, Not Achievers

While watching the news the other day, I saw the coverage of a paparazzi photograph of one of America’s recent Olympic heros smoking marijuana through a pipe. The story on the news show was followed by a panel discussion around the expected issue of the disappointment that will be experienced by many Americans, especially young people, over the public failure of a highly visible role model.

As the conversation among the talking heads went on, the young man’s statement of apology was flashed on the screen and quoted by the host. Though such things are subjective, to me the words of repentance released by the young athlete had an unusual ring of sincerity to them.

After hearing the public apology, a member of the panel made the statement, “I don’t know that [the young man] can be forgiven for this...He will have to do something spectacular to put this behind him.”

Forgiveness.

In all of the hustle and bustle of the life of the modern Church, and in all of the seminars, methodologies, meetings, long-range-planning events, and mission statements, the work we should be about...the work we MUST be about...is plain and simple forgiveness.

Can the young man be forgiven for using drugs while serving as a role model? The answer from our God is YES. What will he have to do to “put this matter behind him?” The answer from our God is NOTHING. All that is required to be cleansed from any sin, no matter how grievous, no matter how persistent, is to surrender in repentance to the arms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Not only is the sin forgiven, but full usefulness is restored.

Some of the most useful servants described in the Biblical narrative were among the most vile of sinners. King David sent a man into battle and certain death that he might claim the soldier’s wife for himself. Paul was one of the worst persecutors of Christians before he was knocked off his horse and placed in the service of Christ. The apostles themselves were a motley collection of swindlers. According to the witness of the Gospels, Jesus Himself was quickly and fully forgiving of the sins of the flesh. In each and every case the restored sinner was immediately entrusted with the work of God’s kingdom.

Of course, this doesn’t make any sense to me. I doubt it makes any sense to you. Shouldn’t these people have gone through some sort of “restoration” process under the guidance of the Church? Shouldn’t there be a 12-step program to help them come to grips with their sin? Shouldn’t there be some sort of periodic evaluation by church leaders to insure that the repentance and forgiveness was complete? Shouldn’t there be some means of documenting the sinful actions so that the record might be cross-referenced in the event of a recurrence?

The answer from the world is yes. The answer from God is no.

When God forgives us in Jesus Christ, the sin is gone as if it were never there. No process is required because no sin is present. Psalm 103:12 tells us, “As far as the east is from the west, so has He removed our transgressions from us.”

This is bad news for all of the hucksters selling books, videos, and study guides in “Christian” bookstores. There is really not much need for all of that junk. There is not much need for committees of long-faced modern Pharisees meeting in Sunday School rooms to determine some ridiculous “process.” God has finished the work by saying the Word and healing His servant.

You see, we are receivers of grace. We are achievers of nothing.

When we are in Christ, our feeble, sinful self is exchanged for the perfect love of Jesus. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave His life for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

The forgiveness of God, like the love of God, is a radical and preposterous thing. The idea that love could be unmerited and unconditional, and the idea that forgiveness could also be complete and unconditional just doesn’t make sense to the human mind.

But, thankfully, in the mind and heart of God, it is His gift to us in Jesus Christ. Our job in the Church is to proclaim that gift and bring others to a saving knowledge of it.

Plain and simple. Radical and preposterous.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Bill