Forgiveness and Absolution

We have all heard the biblical accounts of Judas and his betrayal of Jesus. Some have argued that Judas was fulfilling God’s will, since Jesus had to be sacrificed to atone for our sins. No Judas, no salvation. Although that argument has validity, the same argument could be made for Pharaoh in the time of Moses. No hard heart, no dramatic exodus. Even if we accept the actions of both as necessary for God’s purpose, it does not redeem either from their choices.

I consider this in my own life, insofar as those who have played a role and who have in my perception done me wrong. I may chide myself for having been simple, or having been naïve, or even prideful in not believing that anyone could so knowingly harm me; but in the end I am grateful. Much as Paul noted the harm done to him by Alexander the Coppersmith1, so am I furthered on my path of discovery and revelation by those who did work me ill.

My first instinct has been to forgive them. The Lord commands such. However, I have come to realize that forgiveness should be a measure and an action within the inner chambers of my own heart; not an action that should ignore the trespass and injury I have suffered. For the latter, there must be some measure of repentance. Though I might argue justification for striking someone based on their actions, I am by no means justified unless it is in keeping with God’s direction. In certain circumstances, especially in the Old Testament, we might be commanded and justified to hack someone to death before the Lord2, today we are commended to learn from the experience. President Kennedy was famously quoted as saying “Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.” The moral of this precept is that your heart should change, but don’t assume any change in the heart of those who have wronged you.

What, though, if the person who has wronged you repents? Let God judge their heart, and if the Holy Spirit so leads you, then accept their repentance. However, don’t let your desire for their repentance blind you to what may be merely their own self-interest. Similarly, the leading of the Holy Spirit should not be mistaken for the desire of your own heart. I have been tempted to imagine myself deserving of betrayal as a means to justify the actions of the person who betrayed me, and thereby to absolve them of any need for repentance. Yet Jesus never gave Judas a pass by saying “I had it coming”, or “he only did what had to be done”. I have learned to be grateful for the outcome, but I must restrain myself from blessing the person(s) that brought me here.

Review the story in Exodus, and see if Moses ever expressed any gratitude to Pharaoh for his role in the saga.

1 2nd Timothy 4:4 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
2 1st Samuel 15:33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.