What is the true meaning of forgiveness?
Text/ Matthew 6:14-15, 18:21-35
1. Introduction
Paul Tillich, in his book Courage to Be, said that people are ontologically 'uneasy'. He cited anxiety due to fate and death, anxiety due to guilt and guilt, and anxiety due to emptiness and meaninglessness as the ontological basis for anxiety.
Indeed, yes. No matter how successful I am, I can't get rid of these three anxieties. Unless this anxiety is overcome, a person cannot be free, he cannot be happy, he cannot be blessed. Man is a being who needs to be saved from this ontological anxiety.
2. What does Christianity say about this problem of ontological anxiety?
The Bible expresses this problem in various ways. We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ, we have eternal life, we have been born again, we have been reconciled to God, we have been justified, we have become children of God, we have put off our old self and become a new person, etc. It means that the problem of theoretical anxiety has been resolved, and that man has attained true freedom in God, and has been able to live a life of true happiness and true happiness.
Therefore, the psalmists called God my rock, refuge, shield, savior, helper, and shepherd, because God had solved this problem of anxiety.
3. The ontological meaning of forgiveness
The word <forgiveness> that appears in the text has the meaning of solving the problem of existential anxiety that people have. Forgiveness here means <acceptance>. The parable of the prodigal son illustrates this well.
Putting a ring on the returning prodigal son means that he forgives all his sins and acknowledges that he is a <son> even though he is literally a <prodigal>. And to the eldest son who is full of displeasure, do not all that I have belong to you? This means that he forgives the sins of the eldest son of the prodigal son who seems righteous and acknowledges him as a <son>.
What does it mean? Whether it's a dirty prodigal son or a righteous prodigal son, they are all bad guys, but he recognized them as <sons>. This is forgiveness.
4. The Dual Meaning of God's Forgiveness
first. Above all, it is to realize deeply that I have been recognized as the son of God. Who the hell am I? As Job said, even my clothes are dirty enough to call me dirty, and I am a vile, lewd, and profane person. He owes ten thousand talents. Forgiveness means realizing that God has renewed me through the merits of the blood of Jesus Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so he did not defile me and recognized me as my son. To be forgiven means to be saved ontologically.
second. Just as I was forgiven because I owed ten thousand talents, it is to realize that you are also recognized as the Son of God. In the text, the reason that the person who received the forgiveness of ten thousand talents did not forgive the person who owed him a hundred denarii is because you have forgotten that you are a person recognized as a son of God like me.
To be forgiven is a deep spiritual realization, absolute faith, and absolute feeling that you and I, who are struggling in existential anxiety with fate and death, sin and guilt, emptiness and meaninglessness, have become one with the living and supreme God. And forgiveness is completed by acknowledging that you are also recognized and forgiven as a child of God like me.
5. Then, what is the result of being forgiven?
first. This realization that God has forgiven you is expressed with indescribable joy. Not living well, not living badly, not having or not having, not good or bad. Being approved by God!. Ah, it manifests itself as such an ontological joy (Romans 5:11). A joy that combines the ecstasy, surprise and ecstasy of pure existence itself!.
second. God’s power, God’s love, and receiving, feeling, and experiencing God’s blessings are revealed as true freedom that overflows with emotion and emotion. Such abundance, abundance, such freedom, from which rivers of living water flow from that boat!
third. You can live with solid existential stability. The boldness and stability of not being afraid at all, even when the land changes, the mountains shake and fall into the middle of the sea, the seas roar and roar, and the mountains tremble with overflowing!
6. Closing story
fountain of words