Forgiven
“My little children, these things I write
to you, so that you may not sin. But if [1] anyone sins, we
have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” —1 John 2:2
Carolyn reminded me this morning of a
mutual friend who used to come home from work, walk through the front door and
shout, “You’re forgiven!”
It wasn’t that family members had wronged
him and needed his forgiveness. He was reminding them that though they
had doubtless sinned throughout the day, they were, by God’s grace, fully
forgiven.
Psalm 119 comes to mind, a poem in which
the psalmist insists that he loves God and loves His word. Then I read the very
last verse of the psalm, a text reminiscent of
Jesus’ parable about a lost sheep:
I have gone
astray like a lost sheep;
Seek Your
servant... (119:176)
A man of God who has gone astray?
Then I thought of the tax collector in
the temple who also characterized himself as a “lost sheep” and cried out for
mercy, in contrast to the Pharisee who had it all together. Jesus said this
man (the tax collector, not the self—righteous Pharisee) went home justified (Luke
18:9-14).
John supplies this grace note: ”If we
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus his Son continually cleanses us from all sin. If we say
we have no sin (no inclination to sin), we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7-9).
"Walking in the light" is a
metaphor for our efforts to follow Jesus in the path of obedience. Obedience, John insists, is the sign that we have joined with
the Apostles in the fellowship of faith. We are authentic Christians.
But, he continues, let’s not kid
ourselves: We will go astray. Nevertheless, grace is given in full
measure: We can take what forgiveness we need.
Not perfect; just forgiven! That’s my
mantra for today.
David Roper
11/30/15
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