All Sin is Against God

Jesus calls us each of us to forgive others from our heart or risk eternal torment. Many however find it difficult to forgive others because we feel the pain of the sin. In Psalm 50 we pray, “Against You only have I sinned and done that which is evil in your sight.” If our sin is only against God, then all sin is only against God. Maybe when we come to terms with the truth, then we can more easily forgive.

 

In God’s Space

God makes it clear that the only way to enter heaven is for us to forgive others. Before we can forgive others, we must first allow ourselves to get into common space with them. Only then can we truly forgive others, and only then will we find ourselves in God’s space. Great Lent is an excellent opportunity for us to get into each others’ space and forgive. Our salvation depends upon it.

Finding Common Ground

In the Gospel reading for the Sunday of Forgiveness, the day before the beginning of Great and Holy Lent, the Church places a strong emphasis on the need for forgiveness as a prerequisite for our entrance into heaven. “But if you do no forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6.15) For us to best understand the concept of forgiveness, we must take a moment and study the words used in the Holy Scriptures.

In the original Greek text of the Gospel, the word which gets translated as forgive is “αφήσει”which literally means to “let go of something” as in “let go of the ball”. When you let something go, you leave it behind and walk away. With that understanding, to genuinely forgive someone, we must let go of their actions and leave it behind us. The Lord says, if we are able to do this for those who have sinned against us, then, and only then, He will do the same for us.

Consider the modern Greek word used in this passage as forgiveness, “συγχωρήσει” which has a different understanding than “αφήσει” since its literal understand is to “find common ground or put yourself in the same place” with someone. In the modern Greek sense the passage sounds like this. “But if you do not find common ground with men for their trespasses, neither will your Father find common ground with you for your trespasses.” In this sense the Lord says, if we are able to find common ground or put ourselves in the same place as others who might sin against us, then, and only then, will He do the same for us who have sinned against Him.

Orthodox Christianity is about understand that God joins us to Himself. In our baptism and chrismation, we are forever joined to God and become one with Him. God has found common ground with us, and has placed Himself in the same place as us, which we call “living in communion with God.” Our salvation is found only in our desire to live in communion with God. In the context then of this Gospel lesson, unless we are willing to live in communion with each other, we cannot live in communion with God.

Forgiveness then is not a legal justification of actions, but a willingness to join together. This requires love. God has already joined each person to Himself when He was born, and we join ourselves to Him in our baptism and chrismation. If I am joined to God, and my enemy is joined to God, then we are joined to each other. My condemnation, in the context of this Gospel lesson, is my refusal to be there joined alongside my fellow human being in the common ground of heaven with our Lord.

Thankfully we have Great Lent as a gift from God and His Church to help us find common ground with each other in heaven, but we must first learn to find common ground here on earth. Let’s start by entering the Church together during the period of Great Lent. Let’s pray together, fast together, help others together, worship together, and eventually learn to love together. Then, as God has promised, He will do the same for us.

When was the last time you denied knowing Christ?

Please trust me when I tell you it is not be accident that the Church this week before the Great Fast calls our attention to the events of Holy Week. Great Lent is an ancient journey and sacred tradition for members and catechumens of the Church to focus attention on the really important things in life. These things have nothing to do with stock markets and international trade deals, but everything to do with the eternal comfort of our souls. As the Great Fast approaches, the Church invites us to take a moment and consider the question of denial. When was the last time you denied knowing Christ? Take a moment to read today’s Gospel reading for the Tuesday before the Great Fast...

Gospel Reading: Luke 22:39-42, 45-71; 23:1 (RSV) - At that time, when Jesus came out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him.  And when he came to the place he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."  And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done."  And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, "Why do you sleep?  Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation." While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them.  He drew near to Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, "Judas, would you betray the Son of man with a kiss?"  And when those who were about him saw what would follow, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"  And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.  But Jesus said, "No more of this!"  And he touched his ear and healed him.  Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?  When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me.  But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house.  Peter followed at a distance; and when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.  Then a maid, seeing him as he sat in the light and gazing at him, said, "This man also was with him."  But he denied it, saying "Woman, I do not know him."  And a little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them."  But Peter said, "Man, I am not."  And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, "Certainly this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean."  But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying."  And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed.  And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times."  And he went out and wept bitterly. Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and asked him, "Prophesy!  Who is it that struck you?"  And they spoke many other words against him, reviling him. When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to their council, and they said, "If you are the Christ, tell us."  But he said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I ask you, you will not answer.  But from now on the Son of man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God."  And they all said, "Are you the Son of God, then?"  And he said to them, "You say that I am."  And they said, "What further testimony do we need?  We have heard it ourselves from his own lips." Then the whole company of them arose, and brought him before Pilate.

Saint Peter whom we know as the leader of the Apostles fell to the temptation of self preservation and denied even knowing Christ. In Peter’s case it wasn’t just once but three times before he realized his sin. Fortunately for Saint Peter, Christ forgave him and offered Peter the chance to repent after the resurrection when He asked, “Simon Bar Jonah, do you love Me?” (John 21.15) Three times Peter denied knowing Christ, so three times he was able to confess his love for Christ.

I’m sure there have been days, weeks or month even, in your life when you have denied knowing Christ either in words or actions. We each fall to the temptation of self preservation at one time or another. That is one of the great benefits of the Great Fast. We have a chance to repent and confess, in actions and words, our love for Christ. The Sunday before the Great Fast is known as Forgiveness Sunday in the Church. Take a few minutes this week and consider how you may have denied knowing Christ in your life. Then come to Church Sunday and confess your love for Him by being with Him in Church and offer your voice in praise of His glory. Call you priest and make an appointment for Holy Confession during the Great Fast. It worked for Peter; it can work for you.

Sin is Sin

I can’t believe what HE did!

Did you hear what SHE did?

OH MY! I wonder what THEY did!

In the world there are sinners and there are sinners. That’s right, we are all sinners. The problem is that we go around thinking “they” are worse sinners than “we” are, but consider today’s Gospel Reading:

Luke 13:1-9 (RSV) - At that time, there were some present who told Jesus of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, 'Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, 'Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

There is no doubt that Jesus equates all sin as causing death. He also affirms that certain sins are no more sinful than others. They may actually be more dangerous and more difficult when it comes to repentance, but they are no worse. So if you are spending your time thinking that someone else’s sin is worse than yours, and therefore you are somehow better, think again....sin is sin.

That is why Christ gave the Church authority to forgive sin through the mystery of Holy Confession. Jesus said, “"If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20.23) He gave this authority to the Holy Apostles who gave it to their successors, our Bishops. Sin may be sin, but forgiveness defeats them both! Call your spiritual father and schedule a confession so he can forgive your sins and you can get a fresh start before Christmas!

He Forgives Us

It doesn’t matter how you hear it, the Gospel is Good News. God has promised that our sins would be forgiven if only we ask. It doesn’t matter how much we owe God, the truth is that we could never possibly pay off what we owe no matter how we try, and still God is willing to forgive us. That’s Good News, right? It’s always Good News. It’s the way we listen that effects the way we hear the Good News. In the Gospel of Matthew (18.23-35) we find a man who owed more than he could ever pay. His debt was forgiven, but he was unwilling to forgive even the smallest debt a fellow servant owed to him. In return for his selfishness the master threw him in prison and he spent all eternity being tortured. But God still is willing to forgive us, and that will always be Good News.

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The News is always Good even when it sounds bad

Everyone knows the Gospel is the Good News about Jesus Christ, but not everyone who hears the Gospel hears the news as Good News. On the surface the Gospel may even seem like a dual-personality story. There is forgiveness and there is judgment. There is feeding and there is hunger. There is good and there is evil. And many times both exist in the same story. So why is the Gospel called the Good News if there is so much bad sandwiched between the good?

Take today’s Gospel lesson for example. We see a man who owes a huge amount to the king. He owes so much money that he could never possibly even dream about paying his debt to the king, and the king threatens to throw him in debtors’ prison until the debt is paid. In reality this was a life sentence since he owed more than his life would ever pay, so the man begs for a little more time to pay off the debt. Instead the king forgives every cent he owes and lets the man go free. That same man, just seconds later as he was leaving the king as a free man, bumped into one of his fellows who owed him a small amount. The fellow begged for a little more time to pay off the debt, but the man wouldn’t budge. He threw his fellow in debtor’s prison along with his family until the debt could be paid, about three months. The story concludes with the man being called back by the king who had heard about the situation. The king threw him in prison for the rest of his life.

This Gospel story is about forgiveness. Jesus warns us about not being willing to forgive. He says, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” (Matthew 18.35 NKJV) The story doesn’t sound so much like Good News when you come to end and find the man sitting in prison being tortured. The story is a glimpse of heaven and hell. For the moment the man experienced forgiveness he was in heaven. For the moment he refused to forgive his fellow he was in hell. Same man, same story, same Good News, even if sounds bad.

The point of the Gospel is that God is waiting to forgive us. It doesn’t matter how much we owe him. Even if we can’t pay him back, He is willing to forgive us when we ask. And THAT is Good News. It will always be Good News. But if we don’t return the favor and refuse to forgive ANYONE else, the Good News starts to sound bad. If we cannot see the beauty of God’s forgiveness, then we cannot see the reason to forgive others. Keep in mind, the ONLY reason is sounds bad is because WE are not willing to forgive. The News is STILL Good. Let’s look at it another way.

What if the same man was called by the king and told, “You owe me so much money that even if I put you in prison, you will never be able to pay it off. I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I understand there is a fellow of yours who owes you a small amount. If you forgive his small debt to you, then I will forgive you large debt.” I suppose the man would have said, “Absolutely! I’ll go tell him right now!” It starts to sound like Good News again doesn’t it? It is just a matter of perspective. So long as the man knew in advance that he could be forgiven his huge debt if he forgave his fellow’s small debt, he would be more willing to forgive.

The truth is, we HAVE been given the Good News in advance. Jesus HAS told us, “Go ahead and forgive your fellow and I will forgive you.” There is no reason to hear the Gospel story as bad news. It is always Good News. We just have to change the way we hear it.

Forgiveness is Central

Tomorrow is Forgiveness Sunday in the Orthodox Church. It is the last day before the Great Fast, a period of intense prayer and fasting in preparation for the Passion of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ. On Forgiveness Sunday, the Church commemorates the expulsion from paradise of Adam and Eve. You may wonder why the Church focuses our attention on Adam and Eve when the Gospel lesson for the day teaches about prayer and fasting.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 6:14-21 - The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men.  Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

For us to properly understand the importance of forgiveness in our Great Lenten journey, consider what actually took place when Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise.

Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever" -- therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. (Genesis 3.22-23)

If only Adam and Eve had asked God for forgiveness, things may have ended up differently. Being expelled from Paradise allowed Adam and Eve to be saved by God. If they had remained in the Garden in their fallen state, and then had eaten from the Tree of Life, they (WE) would have been eternally condemned. So God SAVED us from ourselves when He expelled Adam and Eve from Paradise. Without forgiveness we remain outside the Gates of Paradise as Adam and Eve.

One basic core of Forgiveness Sunday is to ask forgiveness from everyone as you prepare to begin Great Lent. In many Churches, a special Forgiveness Vespers is celebrated giving ever member of the Community the opportunity to ask others for forgiveness, all to remind us of the alternative which is expulsion from Paradise. Something to consider as we prepare for our Great Lenten journey. 

Do You Love Your Friends Enough?

On the Second Sunday of Great Lent we hear of a paralytic who had four friends who loved him enough to not give up trying to get him into the presence of the Grace of God. When Jesus saw THEIR faith, the Gospel says He turned to the paralytic and said, “Your sins are forgiven.” How much do you love your friends? Do you love them enough to never give up trying to bring them to encounter the Grace of God in His Church? Do you love them enough to bring them to Christ in His Church so they can hear the words, “Your sins are forgiven?” The Uncreated Energy of God is present in His Grace in the Holy Sacraments of the Church. If we truly loved our friends enough, our Churches would be filled to capacity with those seeking a real encounter with the Grace of God. Our friends would hear the words, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Forgiveness isn’t an Action; Forgiveness is an Experience

The Gospel lesson for the final Sunday of the Triodion, known as Forgiveness Sunday, begins with the words, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6.14-15) With these words, the Church crosses the threshold of Great Lent urging us to experience the freedom that is forgiveness.

When we normally think of forgiveness, we think of an action that WE do for others. We normally think of forgiveness as a “one-way” street from one mind to another. But a “one-way” street leaves no chance for returning to our heart for the healing that is only possible with genuine forgiveness. It isn’t accidental that the Greek word which has been translated as forgiveness, “συγχωρώ” means, “to come in together into our heart,” and requires a relationship between two people. By necessity it is an experience made possible when two people agree to enter into a common place of the heart.

In the moment we decide to allow others to join us in our heart, is the moment that we truly live as Christ, Who welcomes us not only into His heart, but into His Divine eternal embrace. When God chose to forgive us, He invited us “to come in to His Being” and experience the most intimate reality of His love, because forgiveness isn’t an action. Forgiveness is an experience.

You Can’t Get There by Yourself

We live in a society that prides itself on independence. The very fabric of our great Nation is woven by the threads of self-government and self-accomplishments. Awards are given for “Man of the Year”, not “Group of the Year.” But we all know there are just some times we need help. There are just some things we can’t do by ourselves.

In the Gospel of Luke we hear, “There was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.” (Luke 13.11)) It wasn’t until Jesus reached out His hand, touched her, and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity,” (Luke 13.12) that she was able to stand straight and praise God.

So many times, we are weighed down by the burdens of life so much that it is all we can do to ‘get through the day’ let alone raise ourselves up and look upward toward Heaven. When we spend our time bent over staring at the ground, even the joy of birds singing can pass us by. We know we need help, but we either can’t admit it, or we don’t know how to get help. Thankfully for us, God STILL reaches His hand to us, through His Church, and touches us and looses us from our infirmity. Jesus Christ has given us His Church to help raise us up and praise God.

Turning to the Church Jesus said, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20.23) The Church has reached out her hand to us through the Mystery of Holy Confession so that we can hear the words, “Your sins are forgiven,” and we will be loosed from our infirmity and we can be raised up to praise God. But we can’t get there by ourselves; we need the Church.

The Forgiveness Challenge

With all the commotion making its way through the internet lately about the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” it planted an idea in my mind. What if we all took the “Forgiveness Challenge” instead? It requires no money. It requires no cold water. It requires no internet or social networking account. It requires only your desire to forgive everyone who sins against you EVEN IF they cannot repay you for what they have done.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear the ultimate “Forgiveness Challenge” explained. “’Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18.21-22) This is followed by the parable of forgiveness (Matthew `18.23-35) which includes a king (God), a servant (you) and another servant (someone else). The king has called all his servants to settle their accounts with him, but in the face of not being able to repay the king, the servant (that’s you) begs to be given more time. The king, moved by compassion, forgives the entire debt. However the servant (that’s you again) refuses to do the same for the other servant (that’s someone else) so he is thrown into debtors prison (that’s hell) until he repays the debt, which we already know he cannot do.

Jesus “called you out” for the ultimate “Forgiveness Challenge” when He says, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” (Matthew 18.35) You have 24 hours to complete this challenge or risk a lot worse than a bucket of ice water.

The Forgiveness of Sins

The foundation of our salvation in Jesus Christ is the forgiveness of sins. Jesus came to save us from our sins, and by becoming one of us, forever conquered the effect of sin. Sin no longer has dominion over us, unless of course, we allow it.

In the Gospel we hear Jesus forgiveness the sins of the paralytic man, BEFORE healing his illness. “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven” (Matthew 9.2) That means, before we can be healed of our physical wounds, we must first be forgiven of our sins. Our bodies will eventually die and return to dust, but our souls, which will forever bear our sins, will live forever with the burden that comes with sin. By forgiving the paralytic’s sins, Jesus was reminding Him of what was important, the soul.

In our contemporary days, we are preoccupied with our physical health. Our “health care system” is focused on making us live forever. Millions of dollars and thousands of hours are spent and agonized over in hospitals attempting to live forever. But what effort do we make to heal our soul? If we are willing to spend so much effort to heal our physical wounds, shouldn’t we be willing to put at least that much effort into our souls?

We can be forgiven. We only need to ask, and the Church has been given authority by Christ to forgive sins. Schedule a confession with your spiritual father today. Don’t miss the chance to hear the words, “Your sins are forgiven.” 

Holy Confession and Holy Communion

Last week, I mentioned that with each Priest, you may hear different perspectives on “how” to best live the Orthodox Christian Way of Life. When it comes to receiving Holy Communion, these different perspectives can be a source of confusion and frustration. How we receive Holy Communion isn’t just a personal experience, though, since we each live in communion also with each other. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, we express our unity in receiving Holy Communion with each other, as commanded by the Holy Apostles who taught,

“But every Lord's Day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.” (from the Didache)

Co clearly, confession of our sins and reconciliation with others has been at the core of our preparation for Holy Communion, but how and when should we confess? Is it enough to “confess directly to God” in my personal prayers? The answer is in the connection between reconciliation and confession. Each by itself is incomplete, and it is within the Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church, this becomes possible. In Holy Confession, in the Church, with our Father Confessor, the grace of God is present and prepares us to live in communion with God and each other. How often we confess with our Father Confessor is matter of need. Some need more than others, but we all need it if we desire true unity with God and each other. 

The Scriptures and the Sunday of Thomas

A special Bible study on the Scripture readings and themes for the Sunday after Pascha, the Sunday of Thomas, based upon the series "A Year of the Lord, Liturgical Bible Studies" by Father Theodore Stylianopoulos. Recorded live, April 30, 2014, at the Transfiguration of Our Savior Greek Orthodox Church in Florence, SC.

The Scriptures and Great Lent - Palm Sunday and Holy Week

A Bible study focused on the Themes and Scriptures readings assigned for Palm Sunday and Holy Week in the Orthodox Christian Church. Filmed LIVE Wednesday, April 9, 2014, in Florence, SC.

Forgiveness is Key

The key to salvation is the gift of forgiveness. Jesus says, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6.14-15) If we want to enter the gates of Heaven, we must use the key provides to us in forgiveness.