Outrageous Forgiveness.

 

The Americans have a strange tradition that an outgoing President can forgive anyone he chooses as he leaves office (they have always been “he”s – so far). Donald Trump appears likely to issue a lot of pardons in his last hours. There is even talk of him pardoning himself, although that must be difficult for a person whose attitude is that he is always right.

I remain amazed that many of his followers appear to identify as Christians, but perhaps there is one respect in which I can see a lesson for us all. God pardons, God forgives. The Gospel which we believe is that we are forgiven. That is an issue which outrages Jesus’ critics. When he heals a paralysed person who, in desperation, is lowered through the roof for healing Jesus’s first words are forgiveness – without even asking what the sins are. When the prodigal son returns after wasting the family’s money on a massive bender, his brother is shocked that their father welcomes him back.

Our faith tells us clearly that we are loved, accepted, forgiven. When we turn to God and repent we are welcomed into glorious fellowship with the divine. It is the Amazing Grace of which the great hymn speaks, where John Newton comes to repent of trading human lives in slavery. Grace is about underserved forgiveness, not about justice. It is outrageous – forgiveness is so available: do we value that? Are we even conscious of needing forgiveness?

As life changes across the pond, I hope and pray that the undermining of truth, incitement of hatred and violence, and nationalistic posturing will end. And that people of faith may concentrate on the love and forgiveness of God, seen supremely in Jesus’ life and teaching and sacrificial death. For our own lives, may we forgive others as we also need forgiveness, and be more aware at what cost we are restored to connectedness to God.

Another hymn which comes to mind is To God Be The Glory, which speaks of the coming of Jesus and the revelation of his glory, especially in accepting death on the cross. Some of the words feel pertinent now: “The vilest offender that truly believes that moment from Jesus a pardon receives”. It’s very tempting to think of someone else as the vilest, especially when they really do seem – er – pretty vile – but St Paul in the Bible points the finger at himself and at a time of presidential pardons we should all remember that we need outrageous forgiveness.