The Pastoral Theology of Forgiveness

Learning Forgiveness in a Forgiving Community

Forgiveness is a major theme of Biblical teaching. The study of Forgiveness has in recent decades become a hot topic for research among social scientists. According to the studies, the act of forgiving benefits the ones who forgive as it reduces anxiety, depression, and anger while at the same time they gain in self-understanding and positive affect towards others. Some of these studies indicate that forgiveness may improve not only a person’s psychological well-being but also the person’s physical health as it positively affects blood pressure and the heart beat.

It is apparent from research in social studies that forgiveness is correlated closely with psychological and physical well-being. Yet these studies neither address the relationship between forgiveness and spirituality nor answer the question, “How do people learn to forgive?” We learn to forgive when there is “the forgiving community.” The course to take for generating social dynamics is to enable individuals to understand the concept of forgiveness and to encourage these individuals to internalize forgiveness so that it becomes a habit.

A church should be a forgiving community that cultivates the culture and expectation of forgiveness in the believers. A Seminary should also become a forgiving community that cultivates the culture and expectation of forgiveness in our teachers and students. So, how does a church learn forgiveness? How does a Seminary learn forgiveness?

Genuine Pastoral Care Confronts Sins

Some scriptural passages like Matthew 18:12-35 can enlighten us how to forgive. According to this Gospel, an offended individual is to show the offender as a brother in Christ his fault so as to resolve the problem between the two of them. It would be like finding a lost sheep if the brother in Christ is willing to repent. When private confrontation fails, the offended individual will take one or two others along as witnesses to the testimony established by him with the offender. When the offender does not listen, the church will be told of the testimony. If he still refuses to listen to the church, the church will “treat him as a pagan or a tax collector.”

“Treating as a pagan or a tax collector” or “disfellowshipping” is called for as a consequence to a serious offense committed by the member of the community. In other words, it is to regard the individual who refuses to repent as an unbeliever and to cease fellowship with him. The experience of such intimate fellowship like the Lord’s Communion in a community of disciples can only be shared among genuine spiritual family members. Another implication of treating a brother as a pagan or a tax collector is to reclaim this lost member by sharing the Gospel of salvation with him again.

Jesus’ way of handling the personnel issues may be conceived by the modern generation as politically incorrect or even unsympathetic. The “political correctness” of personnel management is to minimize the dilemma of an issue whereas being “sympathetic” is to apply empathy for reducing the sense of misfortune in those who seek counseling. Yet, Jesus’ way demonstrates genuine pastoral care. Genuine pastoral care confronts and deals with sins. Sins take life out of people. Confrontation will turn to love when its ultimate purpose is to find the lost sheep.

Genuine Love Is Forgiveness of Seventy- Seven Times

This confrontation in love can be seen throughout the 18th chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew. Matthew places the passage concerning the Confrontation between the Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. His intent is to show to the readers that God desires to save and not to curse sinners. Confrontation is love in action when the intent is to seek repentance and redemption by revealing sin. So, what is genuine “love” when confrontation is made with love?

Matthew’s passage tells us that genuine love is forgiveness of seventy-seven times. Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “…not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus means: There is no limit to forgiveness. Forgiveness of seventy-seven times is forgiveness without limit or reservation.

Jesus uses the Parable of Kingdom of Heaven to open our eyes to the theology of forgiveness without limit. He says, “…the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.” A servant owed the king ten thousand talents and the king ordered that he and his wife and his children be sold to repay the debt. When the servant begged the king for forgiveness, the king forgave him and canceled the debt that could never have been able to be settled by the servant.

But when the servant found a fellow servant who owed him a hundred denarii, he refused to let go. A hundred denarii was undoubtedly a minute sum in comparison with the ten thousand talents and this amount could be repaid in due time. The debtor pleaded as earnestly as the forgiven servant with the king. However, the forgiven servant was unwilling to forgive others. He cared for his own rights and decided to appeal to the law that put the debtor in prison.

When the other servants saw what he had done, they were greatly distressed and went and told the king everything that had happened. When the king learned about it, he called the servant in and said to him, “You wicked servant…” “Wicked” in the original language poneros means “evil” or “immoral.” The word is also used to describe small eyes conveying the notion of a mind of smallness, jealousy, narrowness, bitterness, and misery. The wicked servant is a person with a narrow mind filled with bitterness.

This story shows not only the smallness of the wicked servant, it also reveals the generosity of the king. The generosity of the king is the theological theme of the entire story. The generosity of the king is seen in his forgiveness of seventy-seven times, indicating that the forgiveness is unconditional and without limit. The king expects his people to be equally generous (Matthew 5:45), to forgive seventy-seven times, and to learn to forgive unconditionally and without limit. As the generous people of God, we will ask God to help us refrain from taking revenge against those who have hurt us.

Repentance is Change of Heart and Behavior

The general theme of the 18th chapter of Matthew concerns the generosity of forgiveness of seventy-seven times. This generosity does not come from emotions. Verses 15 to 20 do show that some form of isolation may seem necessary for those who refuse persistently to repent after times of rightful confrontation. People who truly repent confess their sins and demonstrate change in their behavior. Repentance in the Bible means change of mind and behavior. Simply put, man should not just apologize for his wrong doing no matter how sincere his apologies may be. He must show changes in his behavior or at least demonstrate some intention to make real changes. We will continue to forgive those who sin against us and others, such as those who habitually hurt others with words need time and practice for the change of behavior to develop. We will forgive seventy-seven times those who are trying their best to change and to improve.

Our casual response to insincere remorse as if nothing had ever happened, would bring about more damages and evil doings. The only act of love that endures is to insist on genuine repentance and change. This love directs us to confront with gentleness and to counsel in the grace of God. Knowing that we are ourselves forgiven sinners, we acknowledge the sins of others and forgive them.

Prioritization of Forgiveness and Justice

We must also know that forgiveness does not necessarily follow confrontation. Forgiveness may indeed come before the change of heart in those who sin against us. The generosity of forgiveness precedes the gradual change of the offenders. Jesus sets the prime example for us as he had become the friend of pagans and tax collectors before they responded to his call. He had accepted Judas to be one of the twelve disciples despite the foreknowledge of Judas’ betrayal. Love relationships must often occur before repentance.

The Nobel Peace Prize recipient in 1984, retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu dedicated his life to the abolition of apartheid in South Africa since the beginning of 1980’s. Before and after Nelson Mandela became the President, Tutu put his conviction that there is no future without forgiveness for South Africa as a nation as she cannot be liberated from the atrocities of the past in order to set out on the path of construction. Yet, many held the adverse slogan: No forgiveness without justice. Forgiveness without justice is weak forgiveness. They often chant, “No forgiveness without repentance; No reconciliation without justice.”

Some criticized Tutu’s proposition of “forgiving first” as forgiveness without justice. Tutu responded: The slogan “No forgiveness without repentance; No reconciliation without justice” in its extremity denies the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation. Justice in this corrupt and fallen world will never meet our demand for equality and fairness. As Martin Luther taught, every man is simultaneously saint and sinner. Every one of us is sinner. Tutu believes that we must place forgiveness before our fight for justice. When forgiveness and justice do not happen at the same time, we must learn to forgive first. Only forgiveness will bring true justice and genuine relational changes with change of hearts and community of peace. On the other hand, the law enforcement does not necessarily change the heart and mind of individuals. A clenched fist may present the image of justice but it also symbolizes exclusion. In conflicting and adversary circumstances, men not only desire justice but they also need to be embraced. Open arms reveal the intent for joyful embracement whereas clenched fists stand for injustice and hatred. Open arms help us see “possibilities” and thus opportunities for establishing justice.

The Ultimate Result of Forgiveness Is Life

Learning forgiveness of seventy-seven times is a long process of practice and experience. True believers learn forgiveness in the community of faith that leads to reconciliation. A church learning forgiveness can start with the leaders: From pastoral leaders to deacons, from deacons to church council, from church council to fellowship and Sunday school; from parents to children; from elderly to youth, and from youth to children. The Seminary learning forgiveness begins with our teachers: From teachers to students, from students to staff, from staff to students; and from the Seminary to individuals and different communities in the society. Only through the process of constant practice and experience can the culture of forgiveness of seventy-seven times be formed. This process will lead to the change in individual lives and cultivate the culture of forgiveness in the churches and the Seminary.

Let us see and believe that the ultimate result of forgiveness is life itself. Where there is forgiveness, there is life. Learning forgiveness of seventy-seven times requires conscientious practice; conscientious practice comes from persistent determination; persistent determination comes from the conscious reminder and judgment of the value of life. Therefore, the educational goal of a community of forgiveness is the engagement in conscientious practice to forgive. This morality of forgiveness, through conscientious exercise and reminder of the worth of life, will lead to unceasing acts of forgiveness and will foster the development of the characteristics of forgiveness. The challenge posed to our churches is how to incorporate the education of forgiveness into the church curriculum. The challenge posed to the Seminary is how to incorporate the education of forgiveness into our chapel programs and the curricula.

A Pastoral Theology— “From Hospitality to Forgiveness”

The pastoral theology of forgiveness of seventy-seven times is what HKBTS will research and practice for the new academic year. This theology “From Hospitality to Forgiveness” is the extension of our research and practice of Hospitality over the past four years. We desire to learn the shepherding love of Christ in strengthening the Seminary’s education in Pastoral Ministry. Healing by forgiveness is a Christological issue and is a vital part of the studies of Pastoral Ministry. There is so much more for us as a community of forgiveness to explore and to learn. What I have shared above concerning the integration and prioritization of Forgiveness and Justice is the central theme among the many themes HKBTS teachers and students will be studying and learning in this new academic year.

Dec 2013