To be sure, it was something of a political resurrection for Sanford whose career imploded in 2009 when an extra-marital affair with a woman in Argentina was uncovered.

Ross Douthat rightly questions Sanford’s theological analysis. Douthat writes:

Part of [my concerns with Sanford], I admit, stems from the combination of my personal preoccupations and the experience of reading quotes like these, from Sanford’s victory lap:

“Some guy came up to me the other day and said you look a lot like Lazarus,” Sanford told the crowd Tuesday night, referring to the man who, according to the Bible, Christ raised from the dead. “I’ve talked a lot about grace during the course of this campaign,” he said. “Until you experience human grace as a reflection of God’s grace, I don’t think you really get it. And I didn’t get it before.”

…

“I want to acknowledge a God not just of second chances,” Sanford said in his victory speech in Charleston, referring to his first TV ad in which he asked voters to support him despite his past problems. “But a God of third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth chances because that is the reality of our shared humanity.”

Because of course when Jesus told his disciples to forgive sinners seven times seven times, what he really meant was that they should affirm people in whatever they’ve done and want to do and then return them to high office as swiftly as possible. And when he raised Lazarus from the dead, it was likewise a sign that no political ambition need ever be set aside or abandoned, no matter how the politician in question has failed the public trust. For that matter, who can forget the famous gospel passage where John the Baptist officiated at King Herod’s second marriage, and then encouraged the Roman government to give Herod a few new titles and honors? I’m surprised Sanford didn’t reference that one!

Douthat is right to question Sanford’s theology. Below is an excerpt from Unpacking Forgiveness:

Forgiveness does not mean the elimination of all consequences.

If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you are saved (Acts 16:31). So far as east is from the west, so far does God remove the transgressions of his children from them (Psalm 103:11-12). There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). Nevertheless, these truths do not teach that those forgiven by God face no consequences for sin. On the contrary! This side of heaven, we will continue to work through the consequences of our rebellion against God. One of the most famous examples of this are the consequences David faced for his adultery with Bathsheba and his subsequent attempts to cover up the sin through deceit and murder.

When God used the prophet Nathan to confront David, he realized the magnitude of his sin and was truly repentant (2 Samuel 12:7). Nathan told David that God would forgive him for his sin (2 Samuel 12:13). However, there were still consequences, and severe ones at that. Nathan told David that there would be violence amongst his family (2 Samuel 12:10) and that the baby Bathsheba and he had conceived would die (2 Samuel 12:13). Even after the death of the baby, David faced those horrible consequences of ongoing violence in his family. One son, Amnon, raped David’s daughter Tamar (2 Samuel 13:1-22). Another son, Absalom, then killed Amnon (2 Samuel 13:23-33). Later, Absalom attempted to take over David’s kingdom (Samuel 15-19).

The reality of consequences raises a question: If God truly forgives, if he no longer holds the sin against the forgiven, then why are there are consequences? The answer is that God disciplines His own, not for the purpose of punishing them but for his glory and their joy in the future. These consequences are not punishment. Rather, they are how God trains and teaches.

The author of Hebrews stressed this point in Hebrews 12:5-12 when he wrote that God disciplines his children as a father the son he delights in. Two words are used to refer to the idea of disciplining. The first one means “to train.” This word was used in relation to raising children.Believers can expect to be “trained” by God. The second word we see is a harsher one. It means to scourge or punish. The ESV translates it “chastises.”This word appears seven times in the New Testament, and every other time it refers to literal “flogging.” Hebrews 12:6 says that we can expect discipline and direction from God, and at times it will be painful.

The reason God disciplines his children is given in Hebrews 12:10-11.

Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:10-11

God allows us to face the consequences of sin for our own ultimate good, that we may eventually share more fully in his holiness and reap an abundant harvest of righteousness and peace.

Once when our son Christopher was only two, he made an unauthorized trip to our neighbor’s house. He snuck out our front door and crossed the street before my wife Jamie even missed him. He trotted up to our neighbors’ front door, knocked, and asked if he could play with their sons. Now obviously, we could not allow a toddler to leave our home without permission and cross a street again. So, we did our best as parents to make that a painful memory for Christopher. We lovingly sought to associate pain with his memory of disobedience.

Why did we do that? It certainly wasn’t that we wanted to “get him back” for going out on the street. Jamie and I weren’t thinking, “Okay, buddy, now you’re gonna pay.” Rather, we were seeking to train and instruct him for the future.

If you choose to disobey, then expect consequences. God loves his children too much to allow you to “play in the road.” But don’t confuse discipline and penalty. Discipline is the loving correction of a parent. Penalty is the price required for the offense. If you are a believer, the purpose of God’s discipline is not to inflict upon you the punishment you deserve. If that were the case, then God would send you to hell. God disciplines his children so that they might understand the seriousness of sin and be increasingly conformed to the image of his Son.

The post Does Forgiving Mark Sanford Mean the Elimination of Consequences? appeared first on A Brick in the Valley.

Simon Doonan of Slate has written an article defending the healing power of holding a grudge. The article is well worth reading. Doonan’s critique of the cheap forgiveness so prevalent in our culture makes a valid point. Cheap and automatic forgiveness is no way to process grave injustice. It is unbiblical and it doesn’t work (See “A Soft View of Hell Makes Hard People.”). However, Doonan’s alternative to cheap forgiveness is to hold a grudge. Holding on to anger and resentment will not work either. The only way to truly process the evil of this world is to look to our Creator. We can be confident that vengeance belongs to Him and that he will rule justly.

In his article, Doonan surveys what he calls the “now ubiquitous forgiveness movement:

Most recently, we have the Steubenville, Ohio, rape case. Last month, the mother of the victim shocked the courtroom when she told one of the rapists that she forgave him. Though I disagree wildly with her position, I can understand how she ended up there. Immersed in our culture of healing and kumbaya, and confronted with the sobbing, apologetic 16-year-old perp, she probably felt obliged to say something. But instead of offering to forgive him, how about a little helpful advice, for example: “Young man, terrible acts have terrible consequences. You must take your punishment like a man, and then, when you have paid your debt to society, you will be given a chance to rebuild your life.

Reflecting on the death of a friend, Doonan concludes that the alternative to automatic forgiveness is to hold a grudge.

When I run out of grudges I often go back to remembering my old pal. At first I think about how insanely fun and life-enhancing he was. Inevitably, after musing for a while, I start to get irate at the injustice of his death, and I can feel my body fill with anger. But I wear that clenched jaw and tension headache—sorry, Joan Lunden—as a badge of honor. Out of respect for the memory of my pal, I will carry that rage and indignation to my grave. No forgiveness necessary.

It is a good thing to be loyal to our friends. But it is not a good thing to go through life with a clenched jaw and tension headache. Bitterness is poisonous. Instead, as I pointed out in my book Unpacking Forgiveness one of the central ways that Scripture teaches us to avoid bitterness is to rest in the truth that God will see that justice is done.  Hence, Romans 12:17-21 says that we ought not to repay evil for evil, but rather we can rest in the truth that vengeance belongs to God and that he will repay.

For more, read the below posts.

Forgiveness and Virginia Tech is an article about I would say to a parent who lost a child at Virginia Tech.

A Soft View of Hell Makes Hard People explains why a neglect of biblical teaching on the doctrine of eternal punishment makes for hard and bitter people.

Al Mohler: A Dark Night in Denver: Groping for Answers is by the president of Southern Seminary and was written after the Aurora, CO murders.

5 Problems with Unconditional Forgiveness explains why a belief in automatic forgiveness has a negative theological trajectory.

Unpacking the Casey Anthony Case was written after the trial of Casey Anthony.

The Forgiveness Quiz tests your knowledge of what the Bible teaches about forgiveness and outlines the discussion in Unpacking Forgiveness.

An article about the murder of Kelsey Grammer’s sister was written regarding the parole hearings for someone convicted of the murder of the television star’s sister.

Exercises to stop thinking about how you have been wounded reflects on Psalm 73.

The post Which is worse: “cheap forgiveness” or “holding a grudge”? appeared first on A Brick in the Valley.

The tragedy that shook Newtown, Connecticut, and indeed the entire nation, defies analysis. What must have gone on in the mind of this young man for him to walk into a school of little children and wreak such devastating carnage numbs the soul. At the same time this was happening, I was under the surgeon’s blade for minor surgery. When I left the recovery room and returned home, among the first pieces of news on my phone was the news of this mass killing. Something within me hoped that I was still not clear-headed, but I knew deep inside that I was reading an unfolding story of horror and tragedy.  What does one say? What is even appropriate without violating somebody’s sacred space and their right to scream in protest?

I am a father and a grandfather. I simply cannot fathom the unbearable weight within a parent’s or grandparent’s heart at such a personal loss. It has often been said that the loss of a child is the heaviest loss to bear. I have no doubt that those parents and grandparents must wonder if this is real or simply a terrifying nightmare. . . .

Read the rest here.

The post Ravi Zacharias: Tragedy at Newtown appeared first on A Brick in the Valley.

Dennis Prager (who is not a Christian) once expressed frustration in a Wall Street Journal article regarding Christians who espouse cheap forgiveness in the wake of such violence:

The bodies of the three teen-age girls shot dead last December by a fellow student at Heath High School in West Paducah, Ky., were not yet cold before some of their schoolmates hung a sign announcing, “We forgive you, Mike!” They were referring to Michael Carneal, 14, the killer.

This immediate and automatic forgiveness is not surprising. Over the past generation, many Christians have adopted the idea that they should forgive everyone who commits evil against anyone, no matter how great and cruel and whether or not the evildoer repents.

The number of examples is almost as large as the number of heinous crimes. Last August, for instance, the preacher at a Martha’s Vineyard church service attended by the vacationing President Clinton announced that the duty of all Christians was to forgive Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber who murdered 168 Americans. “Can each of you look at a picture of Timothy McVeigh and forgive him?” the Rev. John Miller asked. “I have, and I invite you to do the same.”

Though I am a Jew, I believe that a vibrant Christianity is essential if America’s moral decline is to be reversed. And despite theological differences, Christianity and Judaism have served as the bedrock of American civilization. And I am appalled and frightened by this feel-good doctrine of automatic forgiveness.

The kinds of responses that Prager objects do nothing to point people to the justice of God and the Cross.

Unfortunately, in recent years there have been far too many opportunities to reflect on such senseless murders. I have written about this subject on a number of occasions. My views are summarized in Unpacking Forgiveness but the following links are available online:

Forgiveness and Virginia Tech is an article about I would say to a parent who lost a child at Virginia Tech.

A Soft View of Hell Makes Hard People explains why a neglect of biblical teaching on the doctrine of eternal punishment makes for hard and bitter people.

Al Mohler: A Dark Night in Denver: Groping for Answers is by the president of Southern Seminary and was written after the Aurora, CO murders.

5 Problems with Unconditional Forgiveness explains why a belief in automatic forgiveness has a negative theological trajectory.

Unpacking the Casey Anthony Case was written after the trial of Casey Anthony.

The Forgiveness Quiz tests your knowledge of what the Bible teaches about forgiveness and outlines the discussion in Unpacking Forgiveness.

An article about the murder of Kelsey Grammer’s sister was written regarding the parole hearings for someone convicted of the murder of the television star’s sister.

Exercises to stop thinking about how you have been wounded reflects on Psalm 73.

The post The Newtown, Connecticut Murders: Links to Read Before Talking About Forgiveness appeared first on A Brick in the Valley.

How do you review a book like Columbine? It’s hard to say, “I enjoyed the book.” After all, it’s one of the most frightening, tragic, disturbing books I’ve read in a long time. And yet, it is so meticulous in its research and so compelling in its presentation that one can’t help but admire how well the author, Dave Cullen, told the story.

I thought I knew the basic facts about the deadly shooting at Columbine High School in 1999. I was wrong. Here are seven common myths about that tragic day:

Myth #1: The Columbine killers were social misfits who were bullied by their classmates. . .

Read the rest here.

See also: Forgiveness and Virginia Tech

The post Seven Myths About Columbine appeared first on A Brick in the Valley.

Many Christians, influences by Lewis Smedes and a lot of pop psychology, have a therapeutic understanding of forgiveness. They think of forgiveness as a unilateral, internal effort to get our emotions under control. But if we start with a biblical notion of God’s forgiveness, we see that such a view falls short. . .

Read the rest here.

The post What is Forgiveness – Kevin DeYoung appeared first on A Brick in the Valley.

The post A Football Illustration: The Gospel in 4 Minutes from Ron Brown appeared first on A Brick in the Valley.

Earlier this month, I posted the question: “Should We Forgive God?” R.T. Kendall’s book, Totally Forgiving God, prompted me to ask that question.

The post Totally Forgiving God: A Review appeared first on A Brick in the Valley.

9 Forgiveness Passages to Study

1. The Joseph Narrative (Genesis 37-50) – Joseph’s amazing response to his brothers (Genesis 45:5-7), and Judah’s repentance, make for a gripping story. Among other things, the Joseph narrative shows how vital the doctrine of providence is to beating bitterness. (See Peter Kreeft’s witty quote on providence in the Joseph narrative).
2. Jesus’s 4th Discourse (Matthew 18:1-35) – The Lord begins with an urgent lesson on humility, outlines interpersonal and church discipline, reminds us to forgive one another with the grace given to us and concludes with the parable of the unforgiving servant.
3. The “Get Over It” passages: Proverbs 19:11, Proverbs 17:14, and 1 Peter 4:8 – Not everything should be confronted. These verses remind us that love covers over a multitude of sins. See Tim Challies’, Love Covers a Multitude of Sins.
4. The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) – What Dickens called the greatest short story ever written challenges us all not to be the older brother. Tim Keller’s book, The Prodigal God, is highly recommended.
5. Philemon: The entire book of Philemon is a biblical case study on how forgiveness should be unpacked between two individuals. Paul shows how the gospel comes to bear pastorally on a sticky situation. Doug Moo has written what is now the go to commentary on Colossians and Philemon.
6. Jesus’s Prayer on the Cross (Luke 23:33 – 34) – See Didn’t Jesus Forgive Unconditionally on the Cross
7. How can I stop thinking about it? Psalms 37 and 73 - Psalm 37:1 exhorts, “fret not because of evil doers,” but that is easier said than done. One of the most difficult aspects of unpacking forgiveness is getting off the mental gerbil wheel. Psalms 37 and 73 are wonderful gifts for those who need to find peace from a deep wound. You might also read this post, Memorize a Psalm in Order to Be Moved.
8. What if they’re not sorry? Romans 12:17-21, 2 Timothy 4:14. In 2 Timothy 4:14 Paul implements the theology of forgiveness he outlines in Romans 12:17-21: (1) Show love. (2) No revenge. (3) Leave room for the wrath of God.
9. Paul’s favorite Word for Forgiveness (charizomai) – Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:13 – Paul’s choice of forgiveness words is very interesting, see this overview of biblical words on forgiveness.

See also:

The Forgiveness Quiz

9 Forgiveness Links

5 Problems With Unconditional Forgiveness

Unpacking the Casey Anthony Case

The post Forgiveness Bible Verses (key passages to study on forgiveness) appeared first on A Brick in the Valley.

I am in the process of writing a review of R.T. Kendall’s book, Totally Forgiving God: When it Seems He Has Betrayed You. Some of you may have noticed that Ed Stetzer posted the forward he wrote to Kendall’s book last week. I have a review copy of Kendall’s book and the idea of forgiving God is a subject I am thinking about anew.

Kendall defines forgiveness in this way:

Total forgiveness means letting everyone who has hurt us in any way off the hook. This includes God if we feel He has hurt us by allowing what He did (emphasis his, 179).

To be fair to Kendall, he is emphatic that God does not make mistakes. His goal is to encourage people who feel that God has betrayed them to forgive God.

I still have a lot of work to do on the review of Kendall’s book, but in the mean time, his title brings up an old question. Is it appropriate to forgive God? Kendall is by no means the first to suggest we should forgive God. In Unpacking Forgiveness I interacted with Lewis Smedes’s position who insisted that there are times when it is legitimate to forgive God. Smedes wrote:

Would it bother God too much if we found our peace by forgiving him for the wrongs we suffer?  What if we found a way of forgiving him without blaming him?  A special sort of forgiving for a special sort of relationship?  Would he mind?

Smedes included the following as a part of his argument:

There is an old, old story about a tailor who leaves his prayers and, on the way out of the synagogue, meets a rabbi.

“Well what have you been doing in the synagogue, Lev Ashram?” the rabbi asks.

“I was saying prayers, rabbi.”

“Fine, and did you confess your sins?”

“Yes, rabbi, I confessed my little sins.”

“Your little sins?”

“Yes, I confessed that I sometimes cut my cloth on the short side, that I cheat on a yard of wool by a couple of inches.”

“You said that to God, Lev Ashram?”

“Yes, rabbi, and more.  I said, ‘Lord, I cheat on pieces of cloth; you let babies die.  But I am going to make you a deal.  You forgive me my little sins and I’ll forgive you your big ones.’”

The Jewish tailor grabbed hold of God and held him to account.

Later, Smedes adds:

I think we may need to forgive God after all.  Now and then, but not often.  Not for his sake.  For ours!

I will post my answer to the question, “Should we forgive God?” in the future. But, first, I’ll give you a chance. Should we forgive God? No quoting Unpacking Forgiveness yet – - let’s hear your thoughts.

The post Should we forgive God? appeared first on A Brick in the Valley.