Forgiveness

Some brilliant thoughts from Tim Keller. Secular culture increasingly rejects the virtue of forgiveness. Why? Because culture (rightly) cares about justice and sees forgiveness as an enemy of justice. And, yes, forgiveness can be abused - especially when we pressure victims to forgive without justice. But, Keller says, forgiveness actually ENABLES justice. Because without forgiveness, we want vengeance instead of justice. Vengeance is the perversion of justice that demands consequences far more severe than the crime. Forgiveness says, "I don't want your sin against me to continually consume." Vengeance spirals into a back-and-forth cycle of harm. Jesus's revolutionary teaching on forgiveness actually creates a far more just society than unforgiving secular justice. And knowing that God has forgiven me through Jesus empowers us to forgive others.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." - Ephesians 4:32