Retaining Sin

I do not take the responsibility that comes along with this ministry lightly. I write about how the Bible teaches us to forgive others even as they sin. I know sometimes it’s easy to see those who write such words as ignorant. We only see things in a theoretical way, and if we really knew how people really had to live we would never write such things. If we really knew the pain you feel because of the betrayal of another there is no way we would think it was possible to do that.

Do me a favor. Don’t use that garbage on me. I am human. All ministers are human. I live on the same earth as you, and am surrounded by the same humanity you are. I have been betrayed. I have been hurt by others in ways that impacted my life for years. Some of those hurts still impact me. So when I ask you to forgive others for what they do you can know that I have had to make sure I did the same. Jesus never asks us to do something He was not required to do. I try to follow His example, and I will never ask others to do something I haven’t had to deal with.

I say this because there are good biblical reasons to forgive. John 20:23 states:

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

I almost didn’t use this verse because it’s potentially dangerous. It tells us we have the power to make sure others are never forgiven for their sins. That is not a power any forgiven person should ever want to use. I instead use it to show why we have to forgive others as they sin against us, or forgive those we have withheld forgiveness from for years.

Consider Stephen. He forgave those stoning him as they stoned him. We should be very grateful for that, for one of those participating in the stoning was a man named Saul. Stephen never knew that this man would soon have an encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Gethsemane. Stephen had no idea Christ would turn him from a great persecutor of Christians into one of the greatest ministers this world has ever known. Stephen did not know Saul would become Paul. He only ever knew him as a man who wanted him dead.

What if Stephen had not forgiven Saul? Would have that prevented Christ from appearing to Him? Would have Jesus chosen another man to do what Paul did? If Stephen had cursed Saul, and retained the sin the story of Saul may have been quite different. Paul may never have been. The gospel may not have been spread to Rome. There would be no book of Romans, Philippians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, letters to Timothy, or much else. Those churches may not have been there for Paul to write the letters to. All of that could have been undone if one man had chosen to condemn and not forgive with his dying breath.

Consider all those you choose not to forgive. You have no idea what God has planned for them. You know nothing of their futures, or who they may become. Is it likely they’ll have the same impact on the faith as Paul? Are all things possible with Christ? If Stephen can forgive Saul for killing him you can forgive your coworker for taking your pencil off your desk. You can forgive that person who didn’t believe in you when you needed them to. You can forgive that person who lied to you. It is always better to forgive, for there’s no way to know who that person can become with your forgiveness.