Tracing Out The Crack In Faith's Wall
Grab your cup I’ve made a full pot this morning. We’re going to need it. Some years ago it dawned on me there were some things about the understanding of faith I grew up with that no longer seemed reasonable. I was in disagreement with Anselm, even though I didn’t know it was Anselm’s at the time.
Along with the growing crack in the wall of my faith came the question, “When exactly in the story of human history did God’s saving act take place?” If, as Anselm suggests, the death of Jesus was the key to balancing the scales of injustice, tilted because we dishonored God through our self-center disobedience, when exactly was the moment justice restored spiritual equilibrium? Was it at Jesus’ birth, the moment of his death, the dawning of his resurrection, at the point in which we ask forgiveness, or is there another time?
In searching for that answer I realized that the most important moment for me in the Jesus story is when he utters from the cross, “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.” Other sayings, sermons and parables are no less important but for me it is at this moment that all the teachings of Jesus regarding how we are loved, and how we should love others, is exemplified. Jesus’ forgiveness is directed at the very people who put him on the cross. They are at that very moment calling for his death. They are not asking for his forgiveness and if it is offered they would surely throw it back in his face. Yet, Jesus forgives them.
In that moment Jesus symbolizes the magnitude of God’s grace and it is that infinite capacity of God to forgive wherein we find that which saves us. Here is love that exceeds our human ability to love. It is this love which rescues us from all that would take away from life. We are saved in that we are put right with God solely by God’s forgiveness for no other reason than God chooses to do so.
You can’t go back in time and reverse neither the mistakes you’ve made nor the harm you have done. In love and regret we might try, and try we should, but we can’t erase the hurt, the damage, or the brokenness of our actions. Our only hope is forgiveness that can lift us out of our past and empower us to move into a new, promising future.
So when did that forgiveness begin? In Anselm’s theory it is at the cross, when Jesus dies the price is paid to re-balance our dishonoring God and the price paid is sufficient because of his innocence and therefore God can now forgive us.
But how can we say that God’s forgiveness doesn’t begin until the cross? What about the many utterances of forgiveness Jesus gives before the cross? In fact, all through Jesus’ life and ministry he is forgiving those who don’t ask for nor deserve forgiveness. Occasionally when someone asks for healing Jesus gives them forgiveness as well.
So when does God’s forgiveness begin? I offer my apology to the writer or preacher who planted this idea in my head for I have long since forgotten its source. But if we hold to the idea of God that Paul describes as, “the One in whom we live and move and have our being” then we must also see that this source of our being knows everything about us including what we have been and what we will be. If all of life is in God and there is in the capacity of God to know all things past, present and future, it is also reasonable to state that such a God is one who knew before creation that our human qualities would get in the way.
If that is reasonable, and I think it is, it remains that God continued with creation knowing where human freedom would lead. That being the case then I have to believe that God’s forgiveness begins before creation.
Okay, before you ask, let me: So why Jesus? Why the cross? What was the purpose if forgiveness was already given? That’ll take more coffee than I have this morning. Gotta run for now but finish your cup and I’ll get right back with that answer.
Along with the growing crack in the wall of my faith came the question, “When exactly in the story of human history did God’s saving act take place?” If, as Anselm suggests, the death of Jesus was the key to balancing the scales of injustice, tilted because we dishonored God through our self-center disobedience, when exactly was the moment justice restored spiritual equilibrium? Was it at Jesus’ birth, the moment of his death, the dawning of his resurrection, at the point in which we ask forgiveness, or is there another time?
In searching for that answer I realized that the most important moment for me in the Jesus story is when he utters from the cross, “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.” Other sayings, sermons and parables are no less important but for me it is at this moment that all the teachings of Jesus regarding how we are loved, and how we should love others, is exemplified. Jesus’ forgiveness is directed at the very people who put him on the cross. They are at that very moment calling for his death. They are not asking for his forgiveness and if it is offered they would surely throw it back in his face. Yet, Jesus forgives them.
In that moment Jesus symbolizes the magnitude of God’s grace and it is that infinite capacity of God to forgive wherein we find that which saves us. Here is love that exceeds our human ability to love. It is this love which rescues us from all that would take away from life. We are saved in that we are put right with God solely by God’s forgiveness for no other reason than God chooses to do so.
You can’t go back in time and reverse neither the mistakes you’ve made nor the harm you have done. In love and regret we might try, and try we should, but we can’t erase the hurt, the damage, or the brokenness of our actions. Our only hope is forgiveness that can lift us out of our past and empower us to move into a new, promising future.
So when did that forgiveness begin? In Anselm’s theory it is at the cross, when Jesus dies the price is paid to re-balance our dishonoring God and the price paid is sufficient because of his innocence and therefore God can now forgive us.
But how can we say that God’s forgiveness doesn’t begin until the cross? What about the many utterances of forgiveness Jesus gives before the cross? In fact, all through Jesus’ life and ministry he is forgiving those who don’t ask for nor deserve forgiveness. Occasionally when someone asks for healing Jesus gives them forgiveness as well.
So when does God’s forgiveness begin? I offer my apology to the writer or preacher who planted this idea in my head for I have long since forgotten its source. But if we hold to the idea of God that Paul describes as, “the One in whom we live and move and have our being” then we must also see that this source of our being knows everything about us including what we have been and what we will be. If all of life is in God and there is in the capacity of God to know all things past, present and future, it is also reasonable to state that such a God is one who knew before creation that our human qualities would get in the way.
If that is reasonable, and I think it is, it remains that God continued with creation knowing where human freedom would lead. That being the case then I have to believe that God’s forgiveness begins before creation.
Okay, before you ask, let me: So why Jesus? Why the cross? What was the purpose if forgiveness was already given? That’ll take more coffee than I have this morning. Gotta run for now but finish your cup and I’ll get right back with that answer.
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