"Forgiving"

 

“Forgiving”

 

About four years ago Karen and I attended a ballet performance of “The Hiding Place”. It depicted the story of Corrie ten Boom, who with her family built a secret room in their house in Haarlem, Holland to shield six Jewish people from the Nazis during World War II. In early 1944 they were arrested and Corrie and her sister Betsie were eventually sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp, an imprisonment from which only Corrie survived. (Those hidden were never discovered.) In December of 1944 Corrie was released due to a “clerical error” (I’d prefer to call it the hand of God). After the war ended she traveled to many parts of the world and wrote several books describing her experiences and how her faith brought her through. Her impact is still being felt long after her Homegoing in 1983.

The highlight of the drama showed Corrie’s attending a peace conference in 1967 at which she came face-to-face with “The Snake”, a vicious female guard who was largely responsible for Betsie’s death. What would Corrie do? In the Holy Spirit’s strength (not her own) she reached out and embraced her former enemy. Corrie’s forgiveness led to “The Snake’s” finding forgiveness and salvation through faith in Christ, My question: What would I have done in this situation?

The Greek word translated “forgive” is a compound one literally meaning “send away from”. Interestingly the noun form appears 17 times but the verb occurs 145 times, suggesting it’s primarily an action, not an academic concept by which we intentionally release another from an offense against us. From the cross Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34). As Stephen, the first known Christian martyr was dying he prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:60). Our Lord told His disciples, “If (another believer) sins against you, rebuke (him or her); and if (he or she) repents, forgive….” (Luke 17:3, NKJV) and “Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37). The Apostle Paul states the reason for our acts of forgiveness: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13) and “Be ready to forgive others as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32, Phillips). (Emphasis added in each case.)

The only part of our Lord’s “Model Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13) upon which He expands is “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Verse 12). In Verses 14-15 He warns, “For if you forgive (people) when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive (people) their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Emphasis added). Ouch! In other words, to be forgiven I must be forgiving. May this be my daily prayer and heart attitude towards others.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan