Which came first: Repentence or Forgiveness?

[Arik Johnson]

The recent dalliances with infidelity by and among certain political figures on both sides of the aisle and their subsequent mea culpae it hit me in the shower the other day: do we need to repent before we can be forgiven or are we already forgiven and accept it when we repent? Does it matter?

I'm not sure where to turn Biblically for this but thought I'd pose the question here to see what people think.

[Rev.Dr.Robert W. Hotes]

It does matter, but really because we need to understand the importance of repentance for forgiveness. My best reading, without getting into polemics, is that forgiveness and repentance happen in God's time, not ours. We don't earn forgiveness by repentance. Repentance and forgiveness happen simultaneously, since man is always "simul justus et pecator" -- justified by grace, but a sinner none the less. IMHO.

Good going on this, Arik!

[the Rev. Richard W. Horn]

It really depends on whether we are talking theologically or societally. Before we were born (nearly 2000 years before!) God has forgiven us in Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, as St. Paul reminds us, this is no excuse for us to sin; rather it is the impetus for us to repent when we do sin and fall short of the glory of God (the literal meaning of "sin"), and an encouragement to do what is right. We are condemned by the Law daily, and we are forgiven and sent out to "sin no more." The responsibility of the Church is to hold all of us accountable, “that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed” in the name of Jesus Christ. (Luke 24:47)

But in society, forgiveness generally expects and even requires repentance. "I made a mistake" doesn't cut it when society's norms are broken and families betrayed. Excuses are no substitute for an honest "coming clean" about one's failures. Along with sins "known and unknown" there are also sins still hidden and unacknowledged.

But even here, and especially for us as Christians, Lutheran Christians at that, forgiveness can precede the acknowledgement of sin and the repentance of it. All of us have sinned, and I dare say that all of us have received forgiveness from others even before we repented or even came to the realization that we had sinned against God and one other.

The warning in all of this is the hypocrisy of condemnation, too often to deflect attention away from one’s own similar faults and sins (Matthew 7:5 and Luke 6:42). St. Paul is again helpful when he says “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:2-5) [ESV].

Law and Gospel are intertwined: accusing, condemning, yet also forgiving, guiding, but still warning and calling us to lives of holiness.

[Arik Johnson]

Wow, superb responses guys - thanks so much!

[MKS Tullis]

Christ places much importance on forgiving someone who has done us wrong. Peter asks Christ "how many times should I forgive my brother--seven times." And the response is not seven times, but seventy times seven." So as Christians we should forgive remembering that there's probably some sin that we ourselves commit that also needs forgiveness. We must forgive repeatedly because if we do not do so, we may obsess over the wrong doing, bottle up our anger, and never move on from the situation. Forgiving others allows us to move on and live our life freely. But reading this passage, you get the sense that Peter might have been asked repeatedly by the same person to be forgiven.

So what do you do if someone betrays you or sins against God's law and you're the unhappy victim of this but the person never asks for forgiveness or acts in a way that indicates he or she will continue to commit this sin? What if in your society, a group, a government, or a city persecutes you for your faith or for living the Christian life? Again, Christ says that if we are persecuted, we should leave that place, presumably to some place that's less hostile. We're not asked to stay in harm's way and invite further abuse. I believe we're asked to do this not only to prevent further harm to ourselves but also to prevent our brother from incurring more damage to his/her soul from the repeated offense because---in one parable a man locks up a debtor after a greater debt is forgiven him therefore this man's master "unforgives" his debt until every penny is paid back.

So what if you end up in a situation where you're repeatedly abused, the person has no intention of asking for forgiveness, but you have no escape? Here, we have to turn to Paul, who instructs that you endure this terrible situation working without malice to the best of our ability because "Christ will give you the means of escape."

The crucifixion of Christ has been much on my mind of late. My brother once said to me "no wonder Christ was crucified! He was so perfect, that it can only serve to show our imperfectedness and human nature wants to tear others down!" Thank God there have been enough enlightened humans in my life that truly forgive and shine with God's perfect love, who see us for what we are at heart and not for the work in progress that we are.

[AJ Striffler]

These are wonderful questions and responses! Thank you! I think the 'Wittenbery Way' to address this question, without downplaying either side of the coin, is to confront it as a Theologian of the Cross. Now I know that we all love to theologize and hear ourselves talk - as did our beloved Luther - but I do not think that we can forget what a key issue this very question played in the event of the Reformation itself. Luther struggled with the Church's system of repentence (inward) and penance (outward) as far as sin and righteousness applied to the sinner were concerned. Ultimately, if God's forgiveness was truly dependant upon man's/woman's repentence, how could/would they ever know if they had done enough? And, was it ok to trust a corrupt (human) Church to decide that for them?

Luther struggles for years with this. It is the reason he enters the monastery. It is the reason he abolishes the monastery. it is the very impetus for his Tower Experience. He reads Romans 1:16-17, the Gospel - the power of God for salvation - revealed by faith for faith, and begins his theological transformation and his conversion of an antiquated system of philosophical religion to a moment of life-saving grace. To be made 'right' - to be forgiven - is the work of the Gospel, not of man/woman.

The bondage of the human will to sin means that we cannot even understand our own need for forgiveness unless we first are confronted with the brutal fact of it! Humanity does not possess the ability to comprehend it's fallen nature, of it's own and by it's own reason. It is only by the Cross that we (can/do) know our need for forgiveness and have a desire for salvation. It is only in the shadow of the cross that we can look back and see why Jesus had to die - the role our guilt plays - and look forward to see how we are to live.

Luther writes in the Small Catechism, "I believe that I CANNOT BY MY OWN UNDERSTANDING OR EFFORT BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST MY LORD, OR COME TO HIM ..." We do not possess the power to cause or do anything, especially repent, and in essence affect forgiveness. Both repentence and forgiveness are gifts that come from God, through Christ.

And so our Lutheran modus operandi: we are justified by grace through faith. Most scholars of Paul would argue that Lutherans have this all wrong. I disagree. I do believe we are missing Paul's linguistic points altogether, but the 'spirit' of our understanding is still the same. Being pronounced 'just' by God - a state of complete and total forgiveness - and the application of (another's - Christ's) righteousness is something that is done to us, apart from us, by means that we do not and can never possess ... that is, until we are infused by God with a modicum of religious understanding, i.e. trust, hope, obedience, dependence, loyalty, or more simpy stated, faith.

This is Luther's Christology of Pastoral Care for the Church. I don't know about you, but all I can do is breathe a sigh of great relief, and say, 'Thank God!'.

[Arik Johnson]

Glad to see you here AJ - great answer!

I was thinking of this again a couple of Sundays ago when Pastor Erickson baptized our fourth baby - Alexander Christian ("Xander") born on December 29th: for God so loved the world that he sent Jesus more than 2000 years ago to suffer and die that all of Xander's as-yet-uncommitted sins might be forgiven... and those of his whole family and progeny, whether they choose to accept His Gift or not.

I explained this revelation verbatim to Xander's big brother Liam (who turns seven this July) during bedtime snuggles that evening and his wide-eyed response was appropriately awestruck after a long pause by a single word: "WHOA!"

Hope the Ministerium meeting went well and you're all making your way home safe and sound!

- Arik