{"id":23437,"date":"2020-06-18T10:31:38","date_gmt":"2020-06-18T15:31:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=23437"},"modified":"2020-06-18T12:52:45","modified_gmt":"2020-06-18T17:52:45","slug":"forgiveness-and-consequence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/forgiveness-and-consequence\/","title":{"rendered":"Forgiveness and Consequence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

by Doy Moyer<\/p>\n

One of the fallouts of what is being called \u201ccancel culture\u201d is a marked lack of mercy and forgiveness. If you\u2019ve ever said or done something that culture considers anathema, then you are done. Canceled. From this point on, you will have zero credibility with little to zero chance of redeeming yourself. Some offenses are seen as virtually unforgivable, no matter what you say or do subsequently. You will never be able to say or do enough to appease the anger. Repentance has little effect and often seen as conveniently suspicious.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be clear. There are things that people have said and done that are egregiously offensive and evil, and for which repentance is necessary. There is no defense for these things. What people say, particularly in public, has consequences, and Christians, of all people, should know this (cf. Matthew 12:33-37). I bear guilt, too.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, it seems to be the human tendency to twist the knife hard and make someone pay dearly for their offenses. Mercy is seen as a weakness, an excuse, a way of justifying the evil that has been done. We cannot forgive lest others think that we are excusing the evil. Sadly, this view of forgiveness and mercy will leave us reeling, caught in the despair of knowing we are all guilty of sin with little hope of restoration.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n

God shows a much different and needed perspective. While human beings are often merciless toward each other, God provides mercy and forgiveness. That forgiveness is offered to any and all, no matter the offense, no matter the depth of evil said or done, no matter the past. God will forgive. The depth of His love and the extent of His offer of grace is on full display in the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. To think that there are some sins God cannot by means of this sacrifice forgive is to minimize the bloodshed along with the power and will of the God who offered Himself up. This is not redemption through silver and gold, but with something eternally valuable.<\/p>\n

One of the misunderstandings I believe to be prevalent is the notion that forgiveness necessarily entails the removal of all consequences for sin. This is simply not the case, and if there is any doubt about that, just note that when God forgave David of his horrific sin involving Bathsheba, there were still consequences David had to face: \u201cDavid said to Nathan, \u2018I have sinned against the Lord.\u2019 And Nathan said to David, \u2018The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die\u2019<\/em>\u201d (II Samuel 12:13-14).<\/p>\n

Forgiveness does not automatically cancel out all temporal consequences, but it does remove the consequence of eternal separation from God. Granted, some sins result in more severe earthly consequences, and forgiveness will not always change that (e.g., a murderer can be forgiven by those most affected but still be required to face temporal justice). Keep in mind, though, that some of these consequences come as a direct result of the sins involved. We need not manufacture additional consequences or penance requirements out of some sense of vengeance or because we want to see someone suffer. This is not the Spirit of Christ.<\/p>\n

We are not God, and only He has an eternal perspective. When we seek to break another human being over something said or done, we ought to be careful that we aren\u2019t sawing off the limb on which we sit. If I am merciless, I should expect no mercy (cf. James 2:13). If I am going to give no room for forgiveness and compassion, I should expect none for myself. \u201cBlessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy<\/em>\u201d (Matthew 5:7). I need to know that the measure by which I am measuring others will also be used on me (Matthew 7:2), which is one reason this section of Jesus\u2019 teaching includes, \u201cSo whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them\u2026<\/em>\u201d (Matthew 7:12).<\/p>\n

We ought especially to be concerned with both justice and mercy. We want to see justice done, but we also want to be people who can be merciful, knowing that we all are (I am) in the position of needing mercy. To be sure, problems will come from the cascading consequences of our evil, stupidity, and lack of wisdom. Yet the one thing we don\u2019t ever want to become are people who offer no hope of redemption, no mercy or pardon, or no sense of restoration. To become this is to lose sight of our humanity and, more importantly, to lose sight of the God in whom is found hope, mercy, and restoration\u2014the God in whose image we are made and who serves as our pattern: \u201cBe merciful, even as your Father is merciful<\/em>\u201d (Luke 6:36).<\/p>\n

Let us, then, be careful that we do not become a blood-thirsty people who know little of mercy. Instead, seek repentance and reconciliation. Above all, seek restoration with God first, knowing well that \u201call have sinned and fall short of the glory of God<\/em>\u201d (Romans 3:23).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Doy Moyer One of the fallouts of what is being called \u201ccancel culture\u201d is a marked lack of mercy and forgiveness. If you\u2019ve ever said or done something that culture considers anathema, then you are done. Canceled. From this point on, you will have zero credibility with little to zero chance of redeeming yourself.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[424,1571],"class_list":["post-23437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-consequences","tag-forgiveness"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":56286,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/forgiveness-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":23437,"position":0},"title":"Forgiveness (North)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 26, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Phillip North via\u00a0Biblical Insights, Vol. 8, No. 8, Aug. 2008. Much has been preached and written on how mankind, especially Christians, should and must practice forgiveness. No doubt it is a command, not a mere option. Jesus said, \"But if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31913,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/automatic-forgiveness\/","url_meta":{"origin":23437,"position":1},"title":"Automatic Forgiveness","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Robert M Hartian Sentry Magazine, June 2002 Schoolmates hung a sign on a high school in West Paducah, Kentucky that read \"we forgive you Mike!\" Mike Carmeal, 14, the day before, had killed three of his classmates. Dennis Prager, a Jew, covered this story in the Wall Street Journal\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":85162,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-repentance-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":23437,"position":2},"title":"What Is Repentance? (Trefethen)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Vance E. Trefethen via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 2, June 30, 1989 Most people who have studied the Bible, even a little, know that repentance is an important part of God's plan for the redemption of the souls of men. Jesus and the apostles connected it with baptism\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":94933,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-we-not-forgive-the-unrepentant\/","url_meta":{"origin":23437,"position":3},"title":"Do we not forgive the unrepentant?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Does Luke 17:3 imply that we are not to forgive a brother or sister until they have repented? I know God will not forgive until we have repented and asked him for forgiveness. Answer: \"Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22926,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-godly-sorrow-and-how-can-a-wheelchair-bound-person-be-baptized\/","url_meta":{"origin":23437,"position":4},"title":"What is godly sorrow and how can a wheelchair-bound person be baptized?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 6, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I plan to be baptized as soon as I feel that I have properly obeyed the prerequisite commands to baptism: Hear the gospel, believe the gospel, repent of past sins, confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of\u00a0 God, and after being baptized remaining faithful until death. Which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22145,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/must-i-ask-forgiveness-from-the-person-i-wronged-before-i-can-repent\/","url_meta":{"origin":23437,"position":5},"title":"Must I ask forgiveness from the person I wronged before I can repent?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 11, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Must I ask for forgiveness from one who suffered the consequence of my sin before I can repent? This only seems logical to me. A person should first seek to heal a fellow human who has been hurt by them. Please\u00a0email\u00a0me\u00a0something\u00a0brief\u00a0about\u00a0this as I\u00a0am\u00a0in anguish. 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