This week’s message focuses on the role of guilt/shame in understanding our need for forgiveness. Many today seek to avoid or dismiss the concept of guilt or shame, or even attempt to cover it through their own efforts. A Biblical worldview clearly names and describes the implications of the Fall—humankind’s rebellion against God and the unraveling of our world—and depicts how we are unable to rescue ourselves. As a result of this rupture, we are faced with shame and anxiety as we grapple with our own brokenness. However, the Gospel is truly good news, as it tells us Jesus doesn’t just make us righteous through His sacrifice, but is also working to bring restoration and shalom. Our forgiveness and reconciliation of one another can be seen as part of this restorative work. When we can humbly admit our need before God and receive His grace, we can more eagerly move toward each other in love.
Human forgiveness is dependent on divine forgiveness. There is a vertical aspect of forgiveness that starts with God’s forgiveness of us that translates into an internal aspect as we understand God’s forgiveness. That leads to the horizontal aspect which results in how we offer forgiveness and reconciliation others. Our society’s anxiety and confusion regarding forgiveness is real, but our world cannot live without forgiveness and that is why this series is so important.
