“As obedient children, do not conform yourselves to the things you formerly did in your ignorance and lust, but according to your holy call.  You should be holy in all your ways, for it is written, ‘you shall be holy, since I am holy.’”  (1 Peter 1:14-16)

            So many times, when people come to us for forgiveness, we simply respond by saying, “that’s ok, don’t worry about it.”  But the reality is that if someone has done something that requires repentance, it is not “ok” and they should be concerned about it.  The reality is that they have done something to hurt you and for you not to take that seriously is to be dishonest with yourself and with the person who offended.  Our response should rather sound something like, “You have hurt me and I have been deeply offended, yet God willingly forgave me my sins toward him, and because of that, I can forgive you of your sins toward me.”  When honesty like this is expressed between two people, then the beginnings of reconciliation can take place.

            One reason that I think we take sin so casually in our culture is that we take forgiveness casually.  We do not realize how harmful our sins are before God because we are not allowed to realize how harmful our sins are before our fellow man.  Until we begin to take sin seriously, we will never take the forgiveness that God offers seriously, and we will not take seriously the unimaginable cost that Jesus had to pay on account of our sins. 

            Friends, forgiveness is not easy, and when you make it easy, you might as well be condoning the sin, because the silent message that is sent is that whatever was done was not such a bad thing to do after all.  Take sin seriously and take the repentance of others seriously.  Do not condone it, but recognize the sin for what it is—ugly in the eyes of God.  At the same time remember that your sins cost God a terrible price, and because God is willing to forgive you, you should be willing to forgive others.

He left his father’s throne above

So free, so infinite his grace!

Humbled himself—so great his love!

And bled for all his chosen race.

Tis mercy all, immense and free;

For O my God, it found out me.

Amazing love!  How can it be

That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

(Charles Wesley)