“IS THERE EVER A TIME WHEN FORGIVENESS IS OUT OF THE QUESTION?”

By Bishop Elijah H. Hankerson III, BA, MA, DD

(Unless otherwise stated, all Scriptural quotations are from the New American Standard Bible)

I.                 LESSON PURPOSE.

A.             THE VERDICT. This week was the pronouncement of a verdict regarding a former Dallas, TX policewoman who shot and killed an unarmed black man while he was eating ice cream in his own residence. Her story was that she thought a person had entered her own residence and her life was in danger.

B.             BLACK AND WHITE. The policewoman was white; the victim was black. There is evidence of racial remarks that have been made by the former policewoman. She received 10 years for this crime.

C.             INJUSTICES. While there are differences of opinion on how long or short the sentence should be, at least this was a glimmer of hope in a long series of injustices that have occurred to Black Americans through the years.

D.             INNOCENT VICTIMS. Most law abiding Black Americans do not endorse criminal behavior. That is not the issue. The issue is when the innocent are killed; whoever it is by the hands of.

E.             DIVISION OF THE HOUSE. What has caused MAJOR DIVISION among Christians is when the brother of the victim offered forgiveness and a hope in Jesus Christ to the former policewoman; and also the (black) Judge offered her a Bible. So the question before us today is, “IS THERE EVER A TIME WHERE FORGIVENESS IS OUT OF THE QUESTION?”

1.               TWO DIFFERENT STORYLINES. The reason for the confusion and strife is that you have two different story lines being told at the same time. 

a.               THE STORYLINE OF JUSTICE. People are furious over this (forgiving the perpetrator); because it is like for years we have been seeking justice. This case is not processed in a vacuum. It represents a multi centuries long struggle. It finally looks like the system is going to work (at least in this one case). Then the perpetrator gets off with what many view as a light sentence. And, then those victimized offer forgiveness and love; while most people know that the system would never give to them that same forgiveness (if the “shoe was on the other foot”). 

b.               THE STORYLINE OF FORGIVENESS. The other issue is that the Savior emphatically taught that we were to forgive. But, is that in every case? Let’s look at a few Scriptures and grapple with this dilemma. 

Matthew 18:21-22 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²¹ Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” ²² Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Matthew 6:12-15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹² ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ¹³ ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’],¹⁴ For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Mark 11:25-26 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²⁵ Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. ²⁶ [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]

F.              ON A MORE PERSONAL NOTE. I was raised by my grandparents, who were intricately involved in the Civil Rights Movement. They ensured that I was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People from a child. 

1.               RACISM IN THE DEEP SOUTH. My grandfather received an opportunity through the “Army Airforce” and also the field of education. Thus, they left the Deep South (Florida) because of the harsh racism they experienced in that part of the country. I yet have many of their newspaper clippings; including one where an older black lady was arrested for attempting to attend a white Baptist church in Florida. 

2.               HOW WOULD MY GRANDPARENTS REACT? To be honest, they saw so much of the wicked side of humanity; that I am sure that they would be appalled at the very thought of forgiving a white person that had shot an innocent black man in his home.

3.               JESUS IS TO BE OUR PERFECT EXAMPLE. However, as much as I love and appreciate their memory, my grandparents are not the Person I have pledged my life to; the Lord Jesus Christ is.

II.            LESSON INTRODUCTION.

A.             WHILE WE SAY ALL SIN IS SIN; GOD SEES IT DIFFERENTLY.

1.               YES THE BIBLE SAYS THAT ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS SIN.

1 John 5:17 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

2.               HOWEVER, GOD WILL RESERVE GREATER JUDGMENT FOR SOME SINS.

Matthew 11:20-24 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²⁰ Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. ²³ And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. ²⁴ Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”

3.               SOME SINS ARE SO EGREGIOUS THAT GOD RESERVES SPECIAL PUNISHMENT FOR THESE TRANSGRESSIONS. 

2 Peter 2:4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁴ For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;

B.             GOD IS TOTALLY AGAINST THE SIN OF OPPRESION. This sin is to be judged.

1.               JEWS WERE OPPRESSED. During the time Christ walked the Earth, the Jews were under the oppression of the Roman Empire. Even then, you had two main different schools of thought (among many others):  First, those who believed in the overthrow of the Roman Empire (referred to as Zealots) and, second, those who focused more on establishing a spiritual Kingdom (of course this second group was led by Christ Jesus Himself).

Matthew 10:4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

John 18:36 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”

2.               BLACKS HAVE BEEN OPPRESSED. Blacks may not be under the oppression of an actual empire. But, the “residue” of racism, poverty and injustice exist until this day. Much like the segregation and prejudice between Jews and Samaritans exist to this day (two thousand years after this passage was written).

John 4:9 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁹ Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

C.             NOWHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES IT SAY TO FORGIVE “AN OPPRESIVE SYSTEM.” While individuals may be forgiven of their transgressions; an oppressive system (e.g., ideologies, legal systems, government, economic systems, etc.) is never to be forgiven. It is to be repented of; or the perpetrators face the wrath of Almighty God. Prophets in the Bible (Old and New Testament) often preached against the oppression of the poor and down trodden:

Psalm 72:4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁴ May he vindicate the afflicted of the people,
Save the children of the needy
And crush the oppressor.

Proverbs 22:22-23 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²² Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Or crush the afflicted at the gate;
²³ For the Lord will plead their case
And take the life of those who rob them.

Isaiah 1:17 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁷ Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow

Jeremiah 7:5-7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁵ For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, ⁶ if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin, ⁷ then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.

Zechariah 7:9-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁹ “Thus has the Lord of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; ¹⁰ and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’

Luke 16:25 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.

James 5:1-6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

5 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. ² Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! ⁴ Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. ⁵ You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.

III.        POINTS TO PONDER. Here are some important points to remember:

A.             THE BIBLE IS NOT CONTRADICTORY. It is complimentary. It all fits together. While there is only one plan of salvation (the Gospel) and only One Savior (the Lord Jesus Christ); when it comes to everyday life, God knows that every circumstance is different. So God give us different scenarios in the Bible that will help us in every situation. 

1.               He told the Israelites to destroy the Amalekites for what they had done. This was an ungodly nation. Their atrocities were not to be forgiven. They were to be executed.

Deuteronomy 25:17-19 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁷ “Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, ¹⁸ how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God. ¹⁹ Therefore it shall come about when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget.

2.               He told David to go and take back everything that was stolen from him by the Amalekites. These are the exact same people that God had pronounced judgment on in Deuteronomy.

1 Samuel 30:1-8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

30 Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; ² and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way. ³ When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. ⁴ Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. ⁵ Now David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. ⁶ Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

⁷ Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. ⁸ David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all.”

3.               Paul, by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, was led to put a man out the church for his immoral lifestyle. He was to be put out. But, he was later forgiven ONCE HE REPENTED.

1 Corinthians 5:1-5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

5 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. ² You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.

³ For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. ⁴ In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

2 Corinthians 2:6-7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁶ Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, ⁷ so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

a.               COULD IT BE THAT REPENTANCE IS NECESSARY FOR FORGIVENESS? Take note of the word, “if.”

2 Chronicles 7:13-14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹³ If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, ¹⁴ and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

1 John 1:9 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

B.             WHAT FORGIVNESS IS NOT.

1.               FORGIVENESS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ESCAPE CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUR ACTIONS. Forgiveness does not mean that you do not suffer consequences. For example, say the speed limit is 60 mph; however, I drive at 85 mph. Then the police stop me and give me a ticket. If I ask God for forgiveness; I am completely forgiven by God. But, that does NOT let me off of the hook for paying the consequences. The ticket does not disappear because I am forgiven. I am forgiven; but I yet have to take responsibility for my actions.

a.               KING DAVID’S HOUSE WAS CURSED BECAUE OF HIS SIN THAT HE REPENTED OF. An example is King David. He confessed his sin of adultery and murder. God forgave Him. But, that did not erase the consequences. David’s family was cursed as a result of his actions: death, rape and murder, reigned in his family for many years.

Psalm 51:1-2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

51 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.

2 Samuel 12:10-14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁰ Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ ¹¹ Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. ¹² Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.’” ¹³ Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. ¹⁴ However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”

b.               BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT SUPPORTS THE DEATH PENALTY. According to the Scriptures; there were some crimes worthy of death.

Leviticus 24:17-22 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁷ ‘If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death. ¹⁸ The one who takes the life of an animal shall make it good, life for life. ¹⁹ If a man injures his neighbor, just as he has done, so it shall be done to him: ²⁰ fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a man, so it shall be inflicted on him. ²¹ Thus the one who kills an animal shall make it good, but the one who kills a man shall be put to death. ²² There shall be one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the Lord your God.’”

Romans 13:1-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

13 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. ² Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. ³ For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; ⁴ for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

2.               FORGIVENESS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU AND YOUR ENEMY BECOME FRIENDS. Forgiveness does not mean that you and the culprit become the best of friends. In many cases where people have come from abuse cases; it would be counterproductive to seek out to befriend your past abuser. Sometimes you must love from a distance.

a.               JESUS DID NOT SEEK TO BECOME FRIENDS WITH HIS ENEMIES. Looking at the following passage in context; Jesus is ASKING GOD to forgive the actual persons that were His executioners. However, you read nowhere in the Bible that after His resurrection He sought them out to befriend them. Note, the Bible records that it was only a few of His select followers that He showed Himself to. He did NOT show Himself to, not try to connect with His enemies. Basically, because I forgive you; it does NOT make us friends.  

Luke 23:32-34 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³² Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him.

³³ When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. ³⁴ But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ⁶ After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; ⁷ then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; ⁸ and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 

C.             WE ARE NOT GOD; AND IT’S NOT UP TO US TO DETERMINE IF A PERSON IS REALLY REMORSEFUL OR NOT. If they repent or ask forgiveness; it should be granted. Only God is the one that knows whether a person is really sincere or not.

1.               GOD WAS DISPLEASED WITH JONAH FOR NOT FORGIVING THE NINEVITES.

a.               THE ASSYRIANS. The Assyrians were one of the most wicked and vile empires ever. They thrived on conquering and deporting entire people groups. They loved to physically torture their captives to death. Imagine the horror to Jonah, when God called him to minister the Word to Nineveh (the capital city of the empire).

b.               JONAH’S PREACHING. When Jonah’s ministry was successful and the enemies of his nation repented (and God was no longer going to judge them – at least for that moment); Jonah was very displeased, to the point he wanted to die.

Jonah 3:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁰ When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

Jonah 4:1-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

4 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. ² He prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. ³ Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.” ⁴ The Lord said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?”

Jonah 4:10-11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁰ Then the Lord said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. ¹¹ Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”

2.               JESUS WAS DISPLEASED WITH THE RELIGIOUS RULERS FOR HOW THEY VIEWED REPENTANT SINNERS.

Luke 7:38 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³⁸ and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.

Luke 7:44-50 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁴⁴ Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. ⁴⁷ For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

IV.        CONCLUSION. Is there ever a time when forgiveness is out of the question? When it comes to ungodly systems that violate the poor and oppressed; we are to fight for justice. These systems are not to be forgiven; they are to be overhauled. When it comes to individuals who have transgressed, we should be the bigger person and be like Christ who offered forgiveness to us for our sins!

Psalm 103:3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³ Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;

Psalm 103:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

Romans 5:8-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 New American Standard Bible(NASB)

¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. ¹⁸ Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.