Virtual Repentance

The saying was popular a few years ago: "Love means never having to say you're sorry." This is one of those ideas that "sounds good" but isn't Biblical. It leads to something that looks like repentance but is only "virtual repentance."

Taking this a step further it becomes, "Repentance means you don't have to give back what you stole." Again, this sounds good but it isn't Biblical. Repentance includes restitution (when possible).

Remember Zaccheus? A lot of people know about his desire to meet Jesus, how he was too short to see and had to climb a tree. But there is another great example from his life about true repentance:

Luke 19:8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

"If I have cheated...I will pay back." True repentance includes restitution.

• If you lied, repentance isn't JUST saying, "God, forgive me for lying." It also includes going to the person you lied to and saying, "I lied. Forgive me."
• If you broke your neighbor's lawn mower, don't give it back and say, "I'm sorry." Get it fixed.
• If you gossip about someone and slander their character, repentance isn't just saying, "I confessed that to God." It also includes going to that person and saying, "I was wrong. I hurt you. Will you forgive me?"

Anything less than that isn't true repentance. Anything less, will not lead to Biblical forgiveness and reconciliation. 

No, restitution isn't always possible. For example, you can't "pay it back" for a girlfriend's abortion which you demanded years ago. It's impossible to get the baby back, and restore your girlfriend's life to the way it was before the abortion. You can't "fully pay" for the broken heart your affair caused. You can't truly pay restitution for stealing a girl's virginity. (Although, the court may require you to do so by the law, it still can't fully PAY for something that is priceless! And yes, you should abide by the law as a Christian.) The point is that yes, some things are priceless and can't be re-compensated. In those instances, we ask for forgiveness and mercy. That's what we do with God. We can't repay our debt for our sins against God. 

But this doesn't apply to human relationships, to churches, friends and saints who have it within their power to "make things right" by admitting sin, asking for forgiveness, paying back what's stolen, fixing the situation when possible and seeking reconciliation. In these settings, forgiveness isn't only vertical. It also has a horizontal component. 

Matthew 5:25“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.^d

^{Anything less is virtual repentance.}  

^{(For some excellent content regarding this and teens, check out Mark Gregston's blog here: Vandalism and Forgiveness.)} 

 

UNITY IS A BEAUTIFUL THING

She said, "I want to tell you a story." She told me about a family she knew who unexpectedly acquired another member--a young man, suddenly displaced needed a home. This family welcomed him in but there were emergency needs: clothes, money, and more. When my friend heard this, she told her, "Let me see how can I help." She started texting and calling friends, her circle, many from previous small groups at Crosspoint. Within a few hours, there were clothes and gift cards. The family was bowled over with kindness! "The best part?"my friend said, "We didn't even have to call the church office for benevolence. God's people just stepped up and did it! I love my church!"

Watching the Olympics 2012, I'm reminded: unity is a beautiful thing. It's powerful. And it must be protected. Paul says, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit..." (Eph.4.3 NIV). In other words, if you don't tend to it, it won't be there when you need it. And we all know how ugly things get when unity is lost:

• the goal isn't acheived
• the friendship that's lost
• a church divided
• a home divided

No, we can't live in unity with everyone. It's not possible nor is it healthy. I can't be in unity with someone who's out to destroy what God loves: the authority of Scripture, the church, my marriage or my family. But that doesn't mean I have to be unkind to them.

Still, what is the greatest threat to our unity? Most of the time it's not the big stuff. Nor is it our differences. Differences can make for great unity when we appreciate them. No, the greatest threat to our unity is selfishness.

It takes effort to protect unity, to guard it and keep it. The biggest part of the effort comes back to me: How is my selfishness feeding the potential divisiveness? Unity is a treasure worth keeping. It's a beautiful thing.