Christian Well-Being

Psalm 25:11-13

For your name's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Who is the man who fears the Lord?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.

...............

I work for a well-being company. This company is more widely known simply as a health insurance company. But we have also been re-branding ourselves as fundamentally working towards the physical, emotional, and (yes) even the spiritual well-being of our members. We have begun to offer incentive programs that add extra benefits to members who eat healthier, exercise more, and otherwise make good lifestyle choices.

I applaud these efforts, but I have had to also ask myself what true "well-being" is all about. Is it all about minimizing pain and maximizing happiness? Four servings of vegetables + 40 minutes of cardiovascular exercise + 20 minutes of silent meditation + a solid 401k account = a lifetime of peace? Is it that simple? Then why does true joy seem so rare today? The recipe for the peace of the human soul must be more than this.

I think the missing ingredient is much deeper than these things and hardens back to what mankind lost at the beginning of history: peace with our Maker.

Psalm 26 speaks to this reality when it defines true well-being as rooted in our relationship to God. But this relationship cannot be manufactured by some 5-step program or regimen of good deeds. The psalm elaborates by saying this relationship must involve our forgiveness, our humility, and our obedience.

The absolute necessity of having our guilt removed is spoken of in countless places in the Bible. Romans 5:1-2 is especially relevant here as it connects our justification with our restored peace with God:

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

The demand for our humility is illustrated in another passage with absolute clarity as well:

"But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'" (James 4:6)

And the idea that our well-being is contingent on our obedience to God is alluded to in the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20:

"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"

So, how can I achieve a deep sense of well-being and peace that I can then carry with me through the ups and downs of every day life? It must start with a longing to restore our relationship with the One who made us for Himself. This will take forgiveness, humility, and a new life of obedience to our wise and holy Teacher. The psalmist knew this. If we want to ask God for this kind of well-being, why not start right here by making these words the cry of our own hearts:

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
(Psalm 25:4-7)

Forgiven for His Glory

Psalm 25:7, 11

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!...

For your name's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.

...............

There are many verses in this passage that could be dwelt upon and savored. The psalmist is speaking of his loneliness and affliction in the face of very real and fearful enemies. The psalm presents a heartfelt prayer that balances the depth of human need with passionate cries to the only One who is both strong and merciful enough to save him.

I picked out the verses above because at first they seemed counterintuitive. Pray for forgiveness for the sake of God's name and goodness? That's backwards, right? I tend to pray for forgiveness because of ME - my guilty feelings, my need to avoid God's judgment, my desire for cleansing and peace of mind. What does this mean to plead for forgiveness for the sake of God's reputation?

A friend explained this idea to me once, and I can't think of a better metaphor at the moment. Imagine you have fallen into a deep dark pit. You are helpless, alone, and afraid. The darkness wears on after hours of calling for help. You despair and wonder if anyone will ever find you in time. Then, suddenly, you see a rope thrown down and the voice of someone above saying they are here to save you. You wonder how he can manage to pull you up from so great a distance. Your wonder turns into gratitude as you grab hold and find yourself being pulled to safety in a feat of effortless strength. There are others present as well, a crowd who is equally amazed to see their friend who was feared dead suddenly emerge into the light of day, all thanks to the strong and steady arms of this rescuer.

So, who gets the glory in this illustration? The fallen victim? The watching crowd? Or the one whose arms look strongest when all other hope is lost?

This is a little bit like how we should pray when we feel the sting of sin and guilt within us - "God, help me for the sake of your name! Please show mercy to me and show the world how good and merciful you are by covering my sin, removing my sin, and making me new again!"

The psalmist says this another way:

Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
(Psalm 25:8 ESV)

There is something fundamental to God's goodness that involves forgiving sinners and teaching them to walk in his ways - restoring the image and likeness of God in them. In restoring that image, we find that forgiveness is really all about God's glory and reputation being more clearly and wondrously displayed in the simple miracle of repentance and faith. When weak and weary sinners turn to their good and powerful Savior, he gets all the glory - and there can be no greater joy for the Christian than seeing this good Savior magnified and shown for who he is. May our hearts be compelled by this kind of prayer, even in our moments of greatest need.

Forgiveness vs. Tolerance

Matthew 18:15

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

...............

This chapter is one of many in Matthew that is clearly based on a central theme. Whether Jesus taught these lessons together, or whether Matthew organized them in this way, there is clearly a theme of forgiveness in this chapter. When we realize that this is the theme, it forces us to reconsider our common conception of what forgiveness is all about and to come to terms with a more biblical definition.

Forgiveness is not really a feeling, and it is not merely a spoken word to another. Forgiveness appears to be more of a multi-step process as described in the entire chapter. First, there is recognition of sin. Second, there may be a confrontation over the sin. Third, there is a turning from sin. And fourth, there is a reconciliation between the parties involved. As we go through each of these, we will also see how the common practice of mere tolerance falls short of biblical forgiveness and is actually counterproductive to the end goal of reconciliation and peace.

(1) Recognition of Sin. For a sin to be forgiven, someone has to recognize it. The sinner involved may be that person, or it may have to come through the confrontation of another (#2 below). Matthew 18 begins this discussion of forgiveness where many of us forget to begin: with God. God is the one who first recognizes sin in His children and is the first to do something about it. Jesus warns the disciples that those who cause His "little ones" to stumble will have to answer to Him (18:6-9). But, He also reminds us that when a little sheep strays from the flock, it is truly God Himself, our Great Shepherd, who leaves the 99 in the field and goes after the wandering lamb (18:10-14). What a merciful God, who recognizes our sin before we do ourselves, yet pursues us with zeal to bring us back to Himself. God does not merely tolerate sin, which would be harmful to His children; He punishes the tempters, and rescues the tempted!

(2) Confrontation of Sin. A believer may be sensitive enough to confront himself or herself over a particular sin, or he/she may need the gentle rebuke of a trusted friend. Matt. 18:15-20 is a clear challenge to the church to take sin seriously, but with an eye toward reconciliation. Steps 1, 2, and 3 are clearly designed so that you may "gain your brother." But, step 4 is where God draws the line. If someone clings to their sinful desire more than they trust the gentle rebuke of the assembled church, than that person has chosen to be treated like an outsider. Just as God does not merely tolerate sin, likewise the church is called to model the balance of purity and pursuit, of justice and mercy.

(3) Turning from Sin. Forgiveness necessitates a turning from sin. We see this in the section on church discipline, but we also see it in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (18:21-35). Here, Jesus describes the story of a servant who appears repentant, but in the end, did not turn from his sin. While there is no one who is "unforgiveable" per se, there is criteria for true forgiveness to occur, and one of these is a genuine turning from sin. The unforgiving servant showed that he had not truly changed, and the way he fell short is telling: he would not forgive others of faults that were also his own. Our culture's tolerance does not demand the abandoning of sin. People think that we should forgive those who make no effort to change. But God does not tolerate hyporcrisy; He forgives the repentant.

(4) Reconciliation. The Parable ends with an ominous tone, of which we should take note and shudder. God takes sin seriously and he will not ultimately accept someone who clings to their idolatrous lusts in preference to Him. But, there is a positive implication here: if we do repent, He will welcome us back to himself, and we will find peace with those we sinned against as well.

We must forgive others, because God has forgiven us. This is fundamental to the Christian life. I pray that we continue to view personal sin and relational conflict in light of God's forgiveness - a forgiveness that is not mere tolerance, but demands the abandonment of sin for the sake of genuine reconcilation, without hypocrisy.