The state of forgiveness

AKMA continues his excellent series on forgiveness, and for me really gets to something in the last two paragraphs:

David's right to note a divergence here between "Jewish" and "Christian" sensibilities, but it goes deeper than that too. Many Christians feel a strong attraction to an ethic that emphasizes putting beliefs into action, walking the walk, whereas another large body of Christians recoil in horror from what they regard as works-righteousness, the notion that you can earn God's favor by doing the right stuff[...]

I'd suggest that presumption [of restitution] poisons the possibility of forgiveness[...] In an odd way, presumption constitutes an antithesis of forgiveness...

AKMA really illumines the argument there. The differences are regarding inner attitude. "Am I earning God's favor?" and "Am I earning your forgiveness?" are questions conveying certain states or attitudes. While they may be important, these questions and attitudes are outside of the ongoing transaction we call forgiveness.

May 29, 2002 09:51 AM