That’s how some interpreted the actions of Brandt Jean, brother of Botham Jean.īrandt told a Dallas police officer that he forgave her after she was found guilty of murdering Botham in his apartment. And when they do choose to forgive, it’s often seen as the end of the story as in: Well, they forgave the killer, so everything is fine we can put that unpleasantness behind us. Black victims of racial hatred are so often pressured to forgive very quickly. Thinking about it as a starting point also helps me to envision how forgiveness connects with working for justice, especially racial justice. Forgiveness is a starting point, not an end point. We are called to forgive over and over, more times than we can count. Jesus’ response to Peter, and his extreme parable, takes forgiveness out of the “countable” category and places it into the realm of the incalculable. Seven does represent perfection in the Bible, but it’s also a measurable number. Maybe we could just take a forgiveness pill once a day for seven days and then be good to go. Peter suggests forgiving seven times and, as teacher Audrey West points out, that’s a number we can measure and count: seven days of the week, seven seas, seven colors of the rainbow. I think that’s what Jesus is talking about when he says we are to forgive seventy-seven times. Yet the forces that would keep us bound to the past are so strong that we need to begin with forgiveness over and over, again and again. It means leaning forward into a future that isn’t dictated by what has happened before – it is a starting point. ![]() Yet we can still forgive.įorgiveness releases us from being imprisoned and tortured by anger, bitterness and hatred.įorgiveness means letting go of the hope that the past can be changed. Maybe the other person won’t acknowledge the pain they’ve caused. Reconciliation requires both parties to work at the relationship and sometimes that can’t happen. But that isn’t always possible.įorgiveness does not always lead to reconciliation. Beginning with forgiveness, again and again, has brought healing to me and to the relationship. I need to do this not for her sake, but for my own well-being. I need to keep on letting the hurt and anger go. I need to keep on forgiving this person over and over again. Finally, I had some resolution – until I saw this person again, until I told the whole story to someone else again. I was even able to find what I’d been searching for. I prayed, “God, help me forgive.” I said, “I forgive you” inside my head. My anger was getting in the way of a thoughtful search. At the time, I was also desperately searching for something of great sentimental value – something that was missing, in large part, because of the actions of this person. This person, someone who’d harmed me often starting in my childhood, hadn’t apologized and wasn’t showing any sign of remorse. I remember a time when I became aware that I needed to forgive someone. ![]() Forgiveness isn’t a destination, a place we arrive in which finally everything is coming up roses and we can live happily ever after. Today I want to lift up that forgiveness is a starting point, not an end point. There is so much to say about forgiveness – so much more than can be said in one sermon. He has studied and spoken extensively on the topic of forgiveness.Click here to read scripture passages for the day.īeloved of God, grace to you and peace in the name of Jesus. He earned his MBA from Northern Iowa University, MDiv from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and DMin from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. ![]() This book goes beyond a feel-good doctrine of automatic forgiveness, balancing the beauty of God's grace and the necessity of forgiveness with the teaching that forgiveness must take place in a way that is consistent with justice.ĬHRIS BRAUNS is senior pastor at the Congregational Christian Church of Stillman Valley, Illinois. ![]() The wounds are too deep for us to find healing on our own, and the questions are too complex to be unraveled by anything but the wisdom of God. Unpacking Forgiveness combines sound theological thinking and honesty about the complicated questions many face to provide readers with a solid understanding of biblical forgiveness. The truth is, pastors and counselors disagree profoundly on this subject. This question is part of Chris Brauns's Forgiveness Quiz that draws readers into his book and gets them thinking about the subject of forgiveness. True or false: most Christian pastors and counselors agree on what forgiveness is and how it should take place. Helps readers move beyond the wounds and baggage of bitterness, disagreements, and broken relationships. A helpful resource for anyone who struggles to extend forgiveness. Examines God's Word to form a theology of forgiveness, helping readers move beyond the wounds of bitterness, disagreements, and broken relationships.
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