2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Last week I mentioned how
well the words of the Ash Wednesday liturgy capture the meaning of Lent. But there are some words in that
liturgy that often give me pause.
We all say the sweeping and profound Litany of Penitence, naming the
many ways we sinfully fall short of God’s hope for us. The litany is followed by the
absolution where we affirm that God “pardons and absolves all those who truly
repent, and with sincere hearts believe his holy Gospel.”
Those who “truly” repent and
those whose faith is “sincere.”
Those words make God’s pardon sound conditional. Not only must we repent, we must “truly”
repent and we must have sincere faith, as well. We have to meet those conditions before God forgives or
absolves. And how true must our
repentance be? How do we measure
the sincerity of our faith? How do
we know if we’ve met God’s conditions?
The idea that God’s forgiveness is conditional on some standard we must
meet troubles me.
Today’s epistle and Gospel readings
suggest God’s forgiveness is unconditional.
Unconditional forgiveness. What do you think about unconditional
forgiveness?
The Ash Wednesday absolution
always makes anxious, worrying about what criteria are necessary to qualify for
God’s forgiveness. But I am also
uncomfortable in the world of unconditional forgiveness. Unconditional. Forgiveness given by God without any requirements,
conditions, or expectations for that forgiveness.
Looking first at the
epistle. Paul’s relationship with
the church in Corinth is troubled.
It’s become personal. They
have challenged his ministry and his authority; he has written back expressing
hurt and defending his ministry.
Everybody feels hurt and wronged.
Some of the really puffed up disciples in Corinth commend Paul’s
chastisement (of others) but rebuke his gentleness at the same time. He can’t win.
In the midst of this very
messy situation, Paul writes this meditation on forgiveness and grace that we
heard this morning. It’s a
meditation on God’s grace and forgiveness. Remember this line in particular, “in Christ God was
reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them.” Not counting their trespass against
them.
What follows is my
second-hand interpretation of a summary of a theologian’s reflection on God’s
forgiveness (David E. Frederickson summarizing John D. Caputo HERE). Paul talks about no
longer looking at the world from a human point of view. There are two ways to think about
forgiveness: the human way and the
divine way that Paul is describing in this passage.
The human view of
forgiveness depends on reasons, excuses, or confession; it is conditional. These conditions in a sense “buy” back
the debt incurred through the injury. The wrong doer confesses, explains, compensates and then
forgiveness is granted. It’s a
transaction that depends upon the sinner meeting the required conditions. God’s forgiveness, however, seeks to
exist apart from any economic consideration. It seeks to be pure and absolute.
Its logic, against the logic of common sense, demands that only the
unforgivable can be forgiven, only that which is not forgotten, blotted out,
cleansed, or purified, can be given back to the wrong doer as a gift with no
strings attached. If one is moved to forgive based on the repentance of the
offender or some proclivity of the sinner which excuses the wrong then it
ceases to be forgiveness. Likewise, forgiveness offered because it heals the
one who forgives (which may indeed happen) is no longer forgiveness in the
strict sense. Forgiveness requires there be no reason for it. It must be a pure
gift.
The human way of looking at
forgiveness is as a transaction, conditional. For God, it is pure gift. Forgiveness is given by God purely out of God’s love and
mercy. There are no
conditions. You don’t have to earn
it or qualify for it. You don’t
even have to want it. God gives
forgiveness unconditionally. Which
is to say God forgives murderers, even if they don’t seek forgiveness. It can be an uncomfortable idea, this
unconditional forgiveness.
But we live in this new
creation, Paul says. Christ
brought a new creation where God’s grace and forgiveness are truly given
unconditionally. And furthermore,
Paul says, we are not just recipients of this grace and forgiveness, but
participants in this new creation, participants in offering God’s unconditional
grace and forgiveness to others.
So what do you think about
unconditional forgiveness? What do
you think of God squandering forgiveness on people who don’t deserve it, who
may not even want it? What do you
think of God wasting forgiveness, apparently without a thought? What do you think of a God who gives
forgiveness away like a prodigal?
To waste or squander without
thought of value. That’s what
prodigal means. God forgives
prodigally.
The Gospel reading today is
the familiar parable of the prodigal son.
But note the context. Jesus
is eating with sinners and tax collectors. And the religious authorities are grumbling. “This fellow
welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
And the Scriptures don’t
say that the sinners needed to confess first, or be purified, or meet any other
conditions. Jesus ate with sinners
and tax collectors.
The parable is told as a
response to the discomfort of the religious authorities to Jesus’
unconditionally sharing a meal with people who were not worthy.
And, technically, it’s not
clear that the prodigal son ever actually repented. His return could be just another scheme to get money and
food out of his father. I’ll tell
him this, the son says… maybe that
will work. Or maybe his was truly
penitent. We can’t know. But in the parable the father runs out
to greet him, embraces him and welcomes him before the son has said a word. Unconditional forgiveness.
So what do you think about
unconditional forgiveness?
It’s very comforting and reassuring
to think that it’s offered to me. God
loves and forgives me unconditionally.
There isn’t some standard I have to achieve before God will forgive or
bestow grace.
It’s harder, of course, to
think of God offering unconditional forgiveness to everyone, to think of God
prodigally squandering forgiveness on anyone and everyone. No matter whether they deserve it or
even want it.
So for me, the bottom line
is that whenever we want to come him, the door is open. Whenever you or I want to come home,
the door is open wide. There’s no
password, no conditions, nothing we have to prove. Nothing. The
table is set. The fatted calf is
prepared. We are welcome.
And, for me, trying to hang
on to the belief that the same unconditional grace and forgiveness are offered
to others brings me closer to God.
Remembering God’s unconditional mercy for others brings me closer to God
and enables me to at least begin to live, as Paul encourages us, as an active
participant in God’s new creation.
