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How to Be Forgiven
Presenter: Larry Kirkpatrick
Location: Mentone Seventh-day Adventist Church, CA, USA
Delivery: 2008-08-02 22:42Z
Publication: GreatControversy.org 2008-08-02 22:42Z
Type: Sermon
URL: http://www.greatcontroversy.org/gco/ser/kirl-htbforgiven.php
Forgiveness is one of the most basic ideas in Christianity. So much so, that some might think they understand it in detail. Therein lies the risk. Forgiveness of sin has cost Heaven a high, high price. Do we take it for granted, or even misunderstand it? Now keep in mind that this is not a message about every aspect of forgiveness, or a deep study of repentance. We today start at the place where there is already conviction of sin and already desire to be right with God and man.
The word “forgiveness” is first found in Scripture at Genesis 50:17. Joseph’s brothers had done him great wrong, faking his death and selling him into slavery many years previously. As is always the case, their sin had been uncovered (Numbers 32:23). There had been an apparent reconciliation between all parties. But now, their father had died, and the perpetrators were nervous. Without their father’s restraining influence, they thought that at long last, Joseph would exact revenge. The story illustrates several crucial elements in forgiveness.
Joseph’s Forgiveness
First, we have Joseph’s forgiveness. Although treated unjustly, separated from the affection and guidance of his parents, sold into slavery, although many of the most productive years of his life were spent in a strange land and even prison, still, Joseph forgave. True, in the end he tested his brothers. But when he had finished, he freely forgave. He announced to them who he was (Genesis 45:1-4). Although troubled by this revelation, he asked them to come close. He made clear his forgiveness of them in three immediate ways.
He urged them “be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves” (Genesis 45:5). He had put aside grief and anger; he wished them to do the same. He had a concern for how they would feel about themselves because of their deed. He told them not to feel self-condemning at this point. He knew they had been guilty, they knew they had been guilty. But he verbalized his refusal to harbor anger for their deed.
Also, Joseph was not shy about visible, physical demonstration of his forgiveness. “Come close,” he asked. There was weeping, hugging, kissing. God gave the sense of touch. If we use it in a godly manner it can help heal relationships. Some of us were not raised in families with much touching or show of emotion. While we should not be ruled by emotion, it is part of being human to feel it and to display it.
Again, Joseph sees and describes God’s providence in what had come to pass. The brothers had acted on their own motives and done great injustice and evil. But God had turned it to good. Joseph describes the way that God has turned their crime to bring about the preservation of life. He explained step by step how God had by providence brought good.
Here then are three aspects of forgiveness for us. When forgiving others, we should express our forgiveness clearly. When we forgive others, we should not be afraid of showing it by touching or weeping. If we can see how God turned the deed to good, then this should be outlined for the other party and will be a great blessing to him.
There are of course two kinds of forgiveness: (a) interpersonal when you have trespassed against another person, and (b) divine forgiveness, extended by God to men for salvation. All of our sins are first sins against God and only secondarily are trespasses against each other. But we should not forget that when we sin against a brother or a sister, as Jesus says, if we have done it to the least of Jesus’ brethren, that is, to any believer, we have done it also to Him (Matthew 25:40). In this sense then, all interpersonal sin is a sin “also” against Jesus.
It is of interest to compare Joseph’s forgiveness behavior with Christ’s. Does Jesus say clearly that we are forgiven? “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted His raiment, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34). He even said that words spoken against Him, even blasphemies, would be forgiven. But He also warned that our own forgiveness is conditional on our forgiveness of others.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses (Mark 11:25, 26).
An attitude of true forgiveness is crucial. This is clear from Matthew’s inclusion of the phrase about forgiving others their trespasses against you “from your hearts” (Matthew 18:35). Our forgiveness for others should be as deep as Christ’s forgiveness is for us. It should be from the heart.
Not only was Jesus’ forgiveness clear, it was also physically expressed. He did not withdraw His hands and wrists as He was nailed to the cross. He did not kick as His legs were nailed to the cross. While on the cross He did not loose Himself and come down from His great work. He withstood.
He resisted the craving to preserve Himself which surely arose within His bosom. All humans have it. It is not wrong to want to breath. But He resisted, even to the shedding of His own blood. Perhaps here is a clue to the meaning of Hebrews 12:4 when Paul writes that we have not yet resisted unto blood. Jesus resisted unto blood. He was as willing to forgive as He was to die. He resisted every craving for self-preservation that pulled upon Him as He hung, apparently hated and forsaken by the crowd. There they stood gathered, a stinking, sweating, demon-influenced mass of foul-breathed humanity jeering Him as He hung on the cross for them.
What of providence? Jesus told it to Nicodemus. John writes, “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14, 15). Here is an explanation of the death that Jesus would die and its providential result. And so, we have the same three aspects found in the forgiveness of Joseph: (a) clearly spoken, (b) physical demonstration, and (c) God’s providence outlined.
The Residuals of Guilt
But as we noted at the beginning, Joseph’s forgiveness in Genesis 45 was not the end of the matter. Joseph’s brothers felt their guilt keenly. It bent their receptivity; it made it very difficult to receive his forgiveness.
How shall we describe this? Guilt is so warping that it makes it very difficult to receive forgiveness. Joseph’s brothers knew they were guilty and they doubted that Joseph had truly forgiven them. Listen closely to what they did after Israel died.
And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants (Genesis 50:15-18).
Hear the distrust and suspicion. Although forgiven by him, what do they think is in his heart? Hatred. He has been waiting for the death of his own father in order that he might exact revenge—so they think. They are sure that he will pay back for the evil they have done. So you do see what is up here, don’t you? They have not believed in Joseph’s forgiveness and they have not accepted it. They do not think that it is real. And so, their solution? A lie sent to their brother in the name of their own father.
See, if you read the text closely you will understand that it was not Israel that had sent this message. Look again. The text does not talk about the feelings or concerns of their father. No. It is the concern of the brothers. So they send a messenger to Joseph. Hear the lying claim: “Thy father did command before he died, saying...” They make as if Israel, the father, doubts Joseph’s forgiveness of them. This whole part about the father urging Joseph to forgive rings hollow. It is a lie. But they do want forgiveness. “Now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father.” Their urgent desire to be forgiven is real. But they have lied in their fathers’ name. They are still not clear in their “servants of the God of thy father” part.
After the messenger is sent and delivers the message, they show up and plead for forgiveness. And here we have Joseph’s reaction: “And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.” Why did he cry? Joseph had been dealing with men of every sort for years. He was a close observer and we must expect that most of the time he could tell when he was being told the truth and when he was being lied to. And in this moment, he realizes that he is being lied to. Not that they don’t really want to be forgiven—they do. But that they have not believed that he has forgiven them. That is why Joseph wept: for their hardness of heart. His forgiveness, so full, so ready, so freely given from the heart, was doubted. And all these years since their return Joseph realizes that still they do not believe, still they feel the weight of their guilt, still their relationship with him is clouded by suspicion, distrust, and the heavy burden of sin years before addressed and forgiven.
Now I am sure that it is true for you and for me that we have reacted to God’s forgiveness as they have reacted to Joseph’s. We have doubted it. When we were forgiven before, we actually never let go of the guilt. And now, look at Joseph’s brothers, already forgiven, but here they go, groveling on the floor, hoping to survive as his servants.
This should remind you of Jesus’ parable of the two sons (Luke 15:11-32). Surely Jesus developed that from this very story. Here, then, is the returning brother, saying “I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son” (Luke 15:21). Joseph’s brothers hope that they might at least eke out the last of their lives as the servants of Joseph. No longer worthy to be in the family relation, they bow before him, not sure what to anticipate.
What does Joseph do?
His reply is very much as before (Genesis 50:19-21). The addition is his plea that they stop fearing him (Genesis 50:19, 21). He promises to nourish them, and he speaks to them gently and kindly. And gives what he had already offered them: his forgiveness.
Guilt makes it hard to receive forgiveness. You feel that the offended party, God or man, will not forget and will not forgive, and will, eventually, drop down upon you the crushing weight of retribution for your sin.
Here is where we forget. The crushing weight of retribution has been poured out already. Jesus felt it. In the garden of Gethsemane He felt it. On the cross He felt it. He tasted death for every man there (Hebrews 2:9). That means He tasted death for you. Put your name there. Jesus tasted death for me, personally. And He also thought of me when He urged His Father, “forgive them!”
Think of the years that you have lost, keeping your guilt. Jesus paid for that guilt already. When He offered to forgive you, He meant that you should receive a complete forgiveness and that you should surrender to Him all the guilt. I wonder if you have done that. Have not you and I both struggled with this? Something in us, some impulse to self-salvation, says that no matter the sacrifice of Christ, still you and I must pay some part. Forgiveness cannot be had without us still paying for some portion of our sins.
It is not true! God gives His forgiveness to us freely. We cannot add to it, we need not, cannot perfect it, by adding our own works. There is no merit in our carrying a burden of guilt year after year. Will we let Him forgive us? Will we stop getting in the way of His love for us? Will we stop hating ourselves and take hold of Jesus’ outstretched hand? Will we believe His mercy?
Conclusion
How to Be Forgiven: First, we must be forgiving. We must exercise a forgiving spirit, forgiving from our heart those who have wronged Jesus and us. We must accept God’s offer to forgive us. He really wants to. He is really ready to. And the great pitfall—we must truly let Him take away our guilt. If we keep the guilt, it will poison our lives with suspicion, distrust, and fear.
How sad and how telling that the first use of the word “forgive” in the Bible (Genesis 50:17) is in a lie told because forgiveness already given had not been received. How instructive. God has offered you the real article. But it could be that you have doubted Him, you have kept back from a gift too good for you. Yes, it is a gift too good or you. That is beside the point. Your heavenly Father stands ready to forgive you. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (2 Corinthians 5:19). If He no longer considers that your trespasses are there, who are you to insist that they are? Let Christ have His work. He asked, “Father, Forgive them.” So accept this mighty gift. Be changed in your heart. Learn to be like Jesus. “Freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).
This is how to be forgiven. GCO
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