The ultimate goal of Biblical teaching is to restore man’s relationship to God. Today, we want to talk about two doctrines that developed because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Paul discusses them in the passage from Ephesians that we are considering this week. You may want to re-read Ephesians 1:7-10 before you continue with this devotion.
Understanding these two concepts is vital for our spiritual growth, but I have become increasingly convinced that we misunderstand and misapply truths about these doctrines. Let’s discuss the doctrines of redemption and forgiveness.
A Pharisaical Attitude
But first, let’s talk about why we misunderstand the truths of these doctrines. We certainly are familiar with the terms. We have heard about forgiveness in sermons and Sunday School lessons since we were very little. Jesus asks that we forgive others just as God has forgiven us. How could we mess that up?
While we probably are not as familiar with redemption, we have heard the term and stories about how slaves or prisoners were redeemed by someone paying the debt they owed. We apply the truth that Jesus redeemed us – paid the debt we owed because of our sin – and bought our freedom. We have a working knowledge of these doctrines.
In Jesus’ day, no one knew more about the Scriptures than the Pharisees and Sadducees. Yet no one misunderstood the Scripture more than these religious leaders. Jesus often condemned their attitude and their application of biblical truths. The Pharisees and Sadducees could not agree on the interpretation of many Scriptures.
If Jesus came to earth today, many of us would be the Pharisees and Sadducees of our day. We know the Scripture better than many. But are we doing a better job of applying its truth than our ancestors? Sadly, I may find myself as guilty as the most learned Pharisee of two thousand years ago.
Forgive and Restore
Take the concept of forgiveness. It is easy for me to forgive someone. My personality rarely holds grudges. When I read about Jesus telling Peter to forgive someone, not seven times but “seventy times seven,” I smile and nod, “I can do that.” I even understand that Jesus isn’t being literal; He is urging us to forgive someone as many times as it takes.
I cannot tell you the number of times that after I forgive someone, I add on the thought, “But it will be difficult for me to ever trust them again.” I immediately think of the old saying, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” For me not to be “hurt again,” I often avoid working closely with the individual again.
Let’s also think about the word redemption. The word comes from the Latin term “redemption” meaning to buy back or restore. In the Bible, it symbolized the act of God freeing humanity from the bondage of sin and death through the sacrifice of Jesus. Please grasp the importance of the symbol. God is freeing us from sin so that we can have a relationship with Him.
God does not forgive our sins or buy our freedom and then turn and walk away. He paid an insurmountable sum so that He can have a relationship with us. He faced eternal death so that we would not have to.
Hosea: A Story of Restoration
One more example helps us understand the depth of how we are to forgive. More than any other prophet in the Old Testament, Hosea threaded his message closely with his personal life. By marrying a woman he knew would eventually be unfaithful and by giving his children names that represented messages of judgment upon Israel, Hosea’s words and his life were connected deeply. Even after her unfaithfulness, Hosea is told to buy her back out of slavery and take her again as his wife. There was no guarantee that she would be faithful. There was only a demonstration of Godly love, forgiveness, and restoration.
How do we apply this truth? Chuck Swindoll writes, “as a redeemed child of God, have you offered “redemption” or forgiveness to those in your life who were once under your judgment? Not only does the book of Hosea provide an example of God’s love to a people who have left God behind, but it also shows us what forgiveness and restoration look like in a close relationship. The book of Hosea illustrates that no one is beyond the offer of our forgiveness because no one sits outside God’s offer of forgiveness. Certainly, God brings judgment on those who turn from Him, but Hosea’s powerful act of restoration within his own marriage set the bar high for those of us seeking godliness in our lives.”
Maybe its time I start trying to forgive and forget and restore.