You Are Forgiven
It's a core belief of the church. But it's the hardest to believe.
Celebrities - on Twitter, or pulled over for erratic driving, or caught on video saying stupid, ugly, racist things - run to their publicists and arrange for humble apologies as quickly as possible. And then the public judges: Was the apology really... sincere? It's not the apology that's judged; it's the sincerity. Did s/he appear sincere enough?
We preach forgiveness in church. We say it's freely given by Jesus. But is it freely received? There's this undercurrent that says, "Sure, Jesus forgives you, but you can't really have it unless you're really, really sincere." So, it's not free after all. Sincerity is the price.
It's circular logic. You're forgiven, but only if you receive it sincerely, so you have to go down in the basement and print some sincerity so you can buy what's free, and then you're worried if your sincerity is sincere or counterfeit, so the free forgiveness isn't real, either, so you ask for more forgiveness. And on, and on, and on you go, chasing your tail, wearing out.
And we wonder why people give up on church.
You are forgiven. Period. Accept it and move on. Turn your mistakes into lessons and thank God you've got the freedom to learn. Forgiveness has no price. We kill it the moment we judge our sincerity, or the sincerity of others. That's either the hardest thing in the world to accept, or the greatest.
Today, watch yourself for signs of judgment. Twinges of regret and resentment are two big clues. Then, when you feel yourself putting a price on forgiveness, smile. Laugh at yourself. Tell yourself, "You are forgiven." And so is that other person. Move on.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
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